by their fawnings and flatteries they
endeavour to fix to their own interests: and indeed Nature has so made
us, that we all love to be flattered, and to please ourselves with our
own notions. The old crow loves his young, and the ape her cubs. Now if
in such a Court, made up of persons who envy all others, and only admire
themselves, a person should but propose anything that he had either read
in history, or observed in his travels, the rest would think that the
reputation of their wisdom would sink, and that their interest would be
much depressed, if they could not run it down: and if all other things
failed, then they would fly to this, that such or such things pleased
our ancestors, and it were well for us if we could but match them. They
would set up their rest on such an answer, as a sufficient confutation
of all that could be said; as if it were a great misfortune, that any
should be found wiser than his ancestors; but though they willingly let
go all the good things that were among those of former ages, yet if
better things are proposed they cover themselves obstinately with this
excuse of reverence to past times. I have met with these proud, morose,
and absurd judgments of things in many places, particularly once in
England."--"Was you ever there?" said I.--"Yes, I was," answered he,
"and stayed some months there, not long after the rebellion in the west
was suppressed with a great slaughter of the poor people that were
engaged in it.

"I was then much obliged to that reverend prelate, John Morton,
Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardinal, and Chancellor of England: a man,"
said he, "Peter (for Mr. More knows well what he was), that was not less
venerable for his wisdom and virtues, than for the high character he
bore. He was of a middle stature, not broken with age; his looks begot
reverence rather than fear; his conversation was easy, but serious and
grave; he sometimes took pleasure to try the force of those that came as
suitors to him upon business, by speaking sharply, though decently to
them, and by that he discovered their spirit and presence of mind, with
which he was much delighted, when it did not grow up to impudence, as
bearing a great resemblance to his own temper; and he looked on such
persons as the fittest men for affairs. He spoke both gracefully and
weightily; he was eminently skilled in the law, had a vast
understanding, and a prodigious memory; and those excellent talents with
which Nature had fur