en you understand the Nature of our Government; for you'll know,
that this Power here is lodged in the many, not in the few: It is
they who can abolish old Laws, and make new; the Power of Life and
Death is in them, and from their Decrees there is no Appeal; and
tho' I do all, and command all, nay, command even them, yet the
Right is theirs, and they might exert it all times if they had
Virtue enough to break off their Correspondence with me.

"Things being in this Situation, no doubt, you'll think my
Establishment well fix'd; but I am not without my Fears and my
Dangers, and there is no judging of the Power of one in my Station,
by the Flattery that is paid him, for Flatterers take things
frequently by outward Appearances; and notwithstanding my arbitrary
manner of treating some Persons, my Safety is depending upon the
Breath of others, and I am obliged to pay a more servile Court to
some behind the Curtain, than is paid to me without.

"Those upon whom my Fate and Fortune depend, are the _Squabbaws_ of
the Court (the Reader is to understand, that this is a Name for
certain Females, who are maintain'd for the Emperor's Luxury and
Pleasure, and always sojourn at Court) and it is to their Avarice
that I owe my Grandeur, as well as its Continuance so long. There
was a Time, when I foolishly mistook my own Interest so far, as by
my Conduct to give some Offence to these _Squabbaws_ for which I
suffered a severe Disgrace: I then endeavour'd to shelter my self
among those who are stiled the Patriots, but they would neither
receive me into their Counsels, nor put the least Trust in me. I had
then Leisure to reflect on the Folly of this Conduct, and had Time
to compute how much I was a Loser, by putting on the Mask of the
Patriot and, I confess, it had such an Effect upon me, and gave me
such an Aversion to Patriotism, that I could never prevail upon
myself to do any thing for the publick Good ever since.

"I then immediately apply'd all my Thoughts towards making my Peace,
and there fell out a Chain of lucky Incidents, which happily brought
it about. One of these was the Death of several great Personages,
who were too mighty for me at that time in Rank and Dignity, and
whose Parts eclipsed mine in the Opinion of the Publick, tho' I
always thought otherwise.

"Their Deaths were so sudden, that the Emperor was puzzled whom to
chuse in their Places, (it