 apt to pay to Persons of
high Rank, who ought to be treated with the utmost Respect due to their sublime
Dignity, by us their Inferiors.
    I had often read of some great Services done to Princes and States, and
desired to see the Persons by whom those Services were performed. Upon Enquiry I
was told, that their Names were to be found on no Record, except a few of them
whom History hath represented as the vilest Rogues and Traitors. As to the rest,
I had never once heard of them. They all appeared with dejected Looks, and in
the meanest Habit; most of them telling me they died in Poverty and Disgrace,
and the rest on a Scaffold or a Gibbet.
    Among others there was one Person whose Case appeared a little singular. He
had a Youth about Eighteen Years old standing by his Side. He told me, he had
for many Years been Commander of a Ship; and in the Sea Fight at Actium, had the
good Fortune to break through the Enemy's great Line of Battle, sink three of
their Capital Ships, and take a fourth, which was the sole Cause of Antony's
Flight, and of the Victory that ensued: That the Youth standing by him, his only
Son, was killed in the Action. He added, that upon the Confidence of some Merit,
the War being at an End, he went to Rome, and solicited at the Court of Augustus
to be preferred to a greater Ship, whose Commander had been killed; but without
any regard to his Pretensions, it was given to a Boy who had never seen the Sea,
the Son of a Libertina, who waited on one of the Emperor's Mistresses. Returning
back to his own Vessel, he was charged with Neglect of Duty, and the Ship given
to a favourite Page of Publicola the Vice-Admiral; whereupon he retired to a
poor Farm, at a great Distance from Rome, and there ended his Life. I was so
curious to know the Truth of this Story, that I desired Agrippa might be called,
who was Admiral in that Fight. He appeared, and confirmed the whole Account, but
with much more Advantage to the Captain, whose Modesty had extenuated or
concealed a great Part of his Merit.
    I was surprized to find Corruption grown so high and so quick in that
Empire, by the Force of Luxury so lately introduced; which made me less wonder
at many parallel Cases in other Countries, where Vices of all Kinds have reigned
so much longer, and where the whole Praise as well as Pillage hath been
