The body fins not, 'tis the will That makes the action good or ill.

We no more can tell,

Herrick.

What 'tis you fhew, than what true tinctures dwell
Upon the doves bright neck, which are so one,
And divers, that we can think them all, and none.
And this is your quick prudence, which conveys
One grace into another, that who fays,

You now are courteous when you change the light,
Will fay you're just, and think it a new fight,
And this is your peculiar art; we know
Others might do like actions, but not fo;
The agents alter things; and what does come,
Pow'rful from thefe, flows weaker far from some ;
Thus the fun's light makes day, if it appear,
And cafts true luftre round the hemisphere;
When if projected from the moon, that light
Makes not a day, but only colours night;
But you, we may ftill full, ftill perfect call,
As what's ftill great, is equal still in all.

William Cartwright. Action is honour's language, fwords are tongues, Which both speak beft, and beft do right our wrongs.

Sam. Rowley's Noble Spanish Soldier.

He that pursues an act that is attended With doubtful iffues, for the means had need

Of policy and force to make it speed.

Thomas Nabb's Unfortunate Mother.

As the new moon th' light of th' old devours; So do thy actions all thine ancestors.

Baron's Mirza.

As in a fhip fome climb the fhrouds, t'unfold The fail, fome fweep the deck, fome pump the hold; While he that guides the helm, imploys his skill, And gives the law to them, by fitting ftill.

Great

Great actions less from courage, ftrength, and speed,
Than from wife councils and commands proceed.
Sir John Denham.
Be juft in all thy actions, and if join'd
With those that are not, never change thy mind:
If aught obftruct thy course, yet ftand not still,
But wind about 'till thou haft topp'd the hill;
To the fame end men fev'ral paths may tread,
As many doors into one temple lead ;
And the fame hand into a fift may close,
Which instantly a palm expanded fhews.

Actions rare and fudden, do commonly
Proceed from fierce neceffity: Or else
From fome oblique defign, which is afham'd
To fhew itself in the publick road.

Denham.

Sir William Davenant's Cruel Brother. Peace is the ruft of minds; brave fouls refine By great examples, and with use they shine.

Sir Robert Howard's Vestal Virgin.

But our unfteady actions cannot be Manag'd by rules of ftrict philofophy; There is but part belongs unto our care; Fortune has right and title to a fhare.

Sir Robert Howard's Veftal Virgin..

All actions finely gilded o'er fucceed; Men ftill the doers mind, and not the deed.

9.

Crown's Califto.

ADMIRATION.

We may admire

The blaze and fplendor, but not handle fire.
What she did here, by great example, well
T'inlive pofterity, her fame may tell.

And calling truth to witness, make that good
From the inherent graces in her blood.

Johnjon.

ADOP

'Tis often feen,

Adoption ftrives with nature; and choice breeds
A native flip to us from foreign feeds.

Shakespear's All's well that ends well. ADVANCEMENT.

You have lay'd

A brave foundation, by the hand of virtue :
Put not the roof to fortune: Foolish ftatuarys,
That under little faints, fuppofe great bafes,
Make lefs to fenfe, the faints; and fo where fortune
Advanceth vile minds, to ftates great and noble,
She much the more expofeth them to shame,
Not able to make good, and fill their bases
With a conformed ftructure.

Chapman's First Part of Biron's Confpiracy.
Advancement now doth not attend desert,
But flows from fancies of a flatter'd mind;
Which to base hierlings, honour doth impart,
Whilft envy'd worth no fafe retreat can find,
All proud ufurpers moft addicted prove,
To them whom without cause they raise too high,
As thinking those who stand but by their love,
To entertain the fame, all means must try.
Where they, whose virtue reaps a due reward,
Not building only on the giver's grace,

Do by deferts not gain fo great regard, Whilft they maintain, as they obtain their place. And if a worthy man to work great things, Wing'd with a tyrant's favour, raise his flight, The highest course to him most harm ftill brings, Who 'till he fall, cannot have leave to light. Those who by force would have th'affection mov'd, When willingly men hold fuch gallants dear, Do rage that any fhould be freely lov'd, Whofe virtue makes their vice more vile appear.

Sir W. Alexander Earl of Sterline's Julius Cafar. 1. I was your friend, when you were honest, No fordid flatterer of tyranny :

Be

Before you climb'd the mountains of advancement;
To feed on winds, as Spanish horfes do.

2. My lord, you love those winds as much as I do,
And hate the fogs that haunt the dirty vales.

12.

Crown's Ambitious Statesman.

ADVERSITY.

Sweet are the uses of adverfity,

Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head :

And this our life, exempt from publick haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in ftones, and good in ev'ry thing.

Shakespear's As you like it.

That fir, which ferves for gain,

And follows but for form,

Will pack when it begins to rain,
And leave thee in the storm.

Shakespear's King Lear.

He who hath never warr'd with misery,
Nor ever tugg'd with fortune and distress,
Hath had n'occafion, nor no field to try
The ftrength and forces of his worthiness.
Thofe parts of judgment which felicity
Keeps as conceal'd, affliction muft exprefs;
And only men fhew their abilities,

And what they are, in their extremities.
The world had never taken fo full note

Of what thou art, hadft thou not been undone;

And only thy affliction hath begot

More fame than thy beft fortunes could have done :
For ever by adverfity are wrought,
The greatest works of admiration;
And all the fair examples of renown,
Out of distress and mifery are grown.

Daniel, on Wriothefly Earl of Southampton.

Yet miferable ourselves why fhould we deem, Sith none are so, but in their own efteem?

Who

Who in diftrefs from refolution flies,
Is rightly faid to yield to miferies.

Afflictions

Do fall like hailftones; one no fooner drops,
But a whole fhower does follow.

Drayton.

X

Chapman's Revenge for Honour.
Man's fenfes barren were,

If they could apprehend but what they feel.
Ills do with place, like numbers, multiply.
Lord Brook's Alaham.

Better were worfe, for no affliction
No crofs is fo extreme, as to have none.

Dr. Donne.

You are flies, away; they that my winter fled,
Shall not my fummer tafte; they only merit
A happy harbour, that through ftormy feas
Hazard their barks, not they that fail with ease.

Thomas Heywood's Royal King.
Not one care-wanting hour my life had tasted;
But from the very instant of my birth,

Inceffant woes my tir'd heart have wafted,
And my poor thoughts are ignorant of mirth,
Look how one wave another still pursueth,
When fome great tempeft holds their troops in chace:
Or as one hour another clofe reneweth;
Or pofting day fupplies another's place;
So do the billows of affliction beat me,
And hand in hand the ftorms of mischief go;
Succeffive cares with utter ruin threat me ;
Grief is enchain'd with grief, and woe with woe.
Samuel Brandon's Octavia.

He that pines in grief,

Lives as your failors do, thinking at sea,
Every storm ends, when flattery flouts ye,
So to our love-fick forrow comes a calm,
By ease of fancies, when 'tis furthest,

And