rather of your Royal Highness, which my Personal Knowledge of your Heroick Qualities, have imprest in the most indelible manner on my Soul.
Possibly I had been less liable to Censure, if I could have contented my self with paying You in private the secret Homage of my Heart, without giving any publick Testimony of that infinite Regard which I pretend to bear You.
Professions of this kind from a Subject to a Prince seem generally too Interested, to be very Sincere; and we may say of most of them, as well as of the false Patriot's Love for his Country, that, like some matrimonial Smithfield Bargains, tho' much Affection is pretended, there is no more meant by it, than a good Settlement for one's Family.
Nay in this case, the very Tribute of our Praise which we pay to such exalted Benefactors, is seldom taken by the World as current Payment, but is suspected to be mixt up with the basest Alloy. For Praise is so generally the common Incense offer'd up by the Idolaters of Power, that many Men are from the same Principle grown as perfect Infidels in matters of Panegyrick, as some pretend to be in Religion; who because they see so many falseGods
