more than became a Prince. His apprehension was quick, and his
memory good. He was an everlasting talker. He told his stories with
a good grace: But they came in his way too often. He had a very ill
opinion both of men and women; and did not think that there was either
sincerity or chastity in the world out of principle, but that some had
either the one or the other out of humour or vanity. He thought that
no body did serve him out of love: And so he was quits with all the
world, and loved others as little as he thought they loved him. He
hated business, and could not be easily brought to mind any: But when
it was necessary, and he was set to it, he would stay as long as his
Ministers had work for him. The ruine of his reign, and of all his
affairs, was occasioned chiefly by his delivering himself up at his
first coming over to a mad range of pleasure.

64.

By BURNET.

Thus lived and died King _Charles_ the second. He was the greatest
instance in history of the various revolutions of which any one man
seemed capable. He was bred up, the first twelve years of his life,
with the splendor that became the heir of so great a Crown. After
that he past thro' eighteen years in great inequalities, unhappy in
the war, in the loss of his Father, and of the Crown of _England_.
_Scotland_ did not only receive him, tho' upon terms hard of
digestion, but made an attempt upon _England_ for him, tho' a feeble
one. He lost the battle of _Worcester_ with too much indifference:
And then he shewed more care of his person, than became one who had so
much at stake. He wandered about _England_ for ten weeks after that,
hiding from place to place. But, under all the apprehensions he had
then upon him, he shewed a temper so careless, and so much turned
to levity, that he was then diverting himself with little houshold
sports, in as unconcerned a manner, as if he had made no loss, and had
been in no danger at all. He got at last out of _England_. But he had
been obliged to so many, who had been faithful to him, and careful of
him, that he seemed afterwards to resolve to make an equal return to
them all: And finding it not easy to reward them all as they deserved,
he forgot them all alike. Most Princes seem to have this pretty deep
in them; and to think that they ought never to remember past services,
but that their acceptance of them is a full reward. He, of all in our
age, exerted this piece of prerogative in the amplest manner: For he