Bigotted To A
Family Whose Designs Are Plainly To Render The Crown Hereditary, They
Not Only Set Aside That Great
Prince, under the vain and common-place
pretence, that on electing him they might be too much under the
influence
Of France; but also afterward, as resolved to push all good
fortune from them with both hands, refused Stanislaus, a native of
Poland, a strict observer of its laws, and a man to whose courage,
virtue, and every eminent qualification even envy itself could make no
objection, and thereby rendered their country the seat of war and
theatre of the most terrible devastations of all kinds. But of this
infatuation of the Poles I shall have occasion hereafter to speak more
at large, and should not now have made any mention of it, had not the
presence of that hero, whom they first rejected, rendered it the general
subject of discourse at Venice. Numberless were the instances he gave of
a magnanimity and greatness of mind worthy of a more exalted throne than
that of Poland; but I shall only mention one, which, like the thumb of
Hercules, may serve to give a picture of him in miniature.
Having the good fortune one night to win a very great sum at a public
gaming, just as he sweep'd the stakes, a noble Venetian, who by some
casualties in life was reduced in his circumstances, could not help
crying out, heavens! how happy would such a chance have made me! these
words, which the extreme difficulties he was under forced from him,
without being sensible himself of what he said, were over-heard by the
prince, who turning hastily about, instead of putting the money into his
own pocket, presented it to him, saying, I am doubly indebted to chance,
sir, which has made me master of this; since it may be of service to
you, I beseech you therefore to accept it with the respects of a prince,
whose greatest pleasure in life is to oblige a worthy person.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 159 of 369
Words from 44335 to 44673
of 102800
