. Their Laws, and military Affairs,
and Parties in the State.
 
Nothing but an extreme Love of Truth could have hindered me from concealing this
Part of my Story. It was in vain to discover my Resentments, which were always
turned into Ridicule: And I was forced to rest with Patience, while my noble and
most beloved Country was so injuriously treated. I am heartily sorry as any of
my Readers can possibly be, that such an Occasion was given: But this Prince
happened to be so curious and inquisitive upon every Particular, that it could
not consist either with Gratitude or good Manners to refuse giving him what
Satisfaction I was able. Yet thus much I may be allowed to say in my own
Vindication; that I artfully eluded many of his Questions; and gave to every
Point a more favourable turn by many Degrees than the strictness of Truth would
allow. For, I have always born that laudable Partiality to my own Country, which
Dionysius Halicarnassensis with so much Justice recommends to an Historian. I
would hide the Frailties and Deformities of my Political Mother, and place her
Virtues and Beauties in the most advantageous Light. This was my sincere
Endeavour in those many Discourses I had with that Monarch, although it
unfortunately failed of Success.
    But, great Allowances should be given to a King who lives wholly secluded
from the rest of the World, and must therefore be altogether unacquainted with
the Manners and Customs that most prevail in other Nations: The want of which
Knowledge will ever produce many Prejudices, and a certain Narrowness of
Thinking; from which we and the politer Countries of Europe are wholly exempted.
And it would be hard indeed, if so remote a Prince's Notions of Virtue and Vice
were to be offered as a Standard for all Mankind.
    To confirm what I have now said, and further to shew the miserable Effects
of a confined Education; I shall here insert a Passage which will hardly obtain
Belief. In hopes to ingratiate my self farther into his Majesty's Favour, I told
him of an Invention discovered between three and four hundred Years ago, to make
a certain Powder; into an heap of which the smallest Spark of Fire falling,
would kindle the whole in a Moment, although it were as big as a Mountain; and
make it all fly up in the Air together, with a Noise and Agitation greater than
Thunder. That, a proper Quantity of this Powder rammed into an hollow Tube of
Brass or Iron, according to its Bigness, would drive a Ball of Iron or Lead with
such Violence and Speed, as nothing was able to sustain its
