The Virginia Gazette

Mr. Parks,

Upon perusing the following Piece lately, I was so well pleased with it, that I resolved to send it to you to put in your GAZETTE, for the Entertainment of your Readers; if you think proper to give it a Place, it will undoubtedly please them, as well as

Your constant Reader, &c.

King STANISLAUS's Advice to his Daughter, the Queen of France, at her Departure for that Court, in August, 1725.

HARKEN, my dear Child, and lend an Ear to what I shall say; You must now forget your People, and the House of your Father: I borrow the Words of the Holy Ghost, to bid you Farewell: since, in the Event of this Day, I only consider the Providence of GOD, whose powerful Hand has conducted us beyond all human Prudence, Speculation, Policy, and even Expectation itself.

It only belongs to that Divine Wisdom to raise itself above our Imaginations, to confound our Views by the Decrees of its Providence, and to raise its own Glory by Miracles.

You are now become Queen of France, and your Condition is the highest in this World: It is the Fame of your Virtues that has raised you to this Choice. Consider the most precious Jewels of your Crown are going to shine, and to be represented in so clear a Light, that the least Flaw will easily be perceived.

I SHALL lay before your Eyes Three Rocks, against which the Virtues of the greatest Heroes have often split.

THE First is, a supreme Degree of Grandeur, which raises us up to Idols, and makes us forget our Humanity, and which renders us odious to Man, and disagreeable to God; by which we are so intoxicated, that we cannot see the Dangers which may suddenly throw us down.

Carry yourself according to the Rank which is due to you; still considering, that all your Grandeur consists in the Glory of GOD. Humble yourself, by continually remembering how little you are before his Eyes: And think, that true Greatness consists in the Eminence of your Sentiments, in Nobleness of Heart, in the Combat of your Passions, and in the Conquering of yourself.

THE Second Thing is, that Prosperity may be the more dangerous to you, because it is a Thing altogether unknown to you; and having been acquainted with nothing but Misfortunes from your Birth, let them serve now as a useful Lesson to instruct you not to abuse your present good Fortune; nor be so infatuated with it, as to forget that Prosperity is sometimes deceitful; and when we give ourselves entirely up to the Thoughts of it, we do not keep ourselves in that equal Temper of Mind, which is so becoming in Persons of high Degree.

THE Third is Flattery; the Attempts of which you will find unavoidable, the Opposing them difficult, but the Conquest of them safe and glorious.

REPRESENT yourself, my dear Child, as surrounded with a Number of People pressing to make their Court to you: There will not be one of these who will not be ready to obey you, to sacrifice his Life and Fortune for your Service; and yet, perhaps, you will not meet with any who will tell you the Truth; lest, in doing so, they should displease you, and risk their Preferment: Thus, tho' in the midst of Persons the most attach'd and devoted to your Interest, you are left to yourself, and have nothing to depend upon, but your own good Sense and Reason. We may easily avoid the Infection which comes from the Poison of Flattery, if we are not prevented by Self-Love, which is the only Thing can give us a Relish of it. You must consider it as an Incense which is good for nothing, but to make us giddy with its deceitful Odour.

You will possess the greatest Science in the World, if you can judge the true Characters of Persons, and can distinguish real Merit. This is a Point of the greatest Importance. You will, no doubt, meet with Persons both in the Court and the Kingdom worthy of your Esteem, and to such you should pay your Consideration; 'tis a Recompence to support Merit, and chastise Vice. You will also meet with Persons, who will be for recommending themselves by a certain Forwardness, supported by Nothing, except a passionate Desire of being Great: Give such to understand that you know them, and that they are only worthy of your Contempt; for they will be incorrigible, should you give them the least Indulgence.

THERE are Persons whom we Hate, and others whom we Love, we know not why: The First of these is an Injustice, and the Last a Weakness.

In fine, all this will lead you to one great Maxim, which I recommend to you above all the rest; and this is, To consider your Trust as a Treasure above all Price, and which you may easily lose, if you use it indiscreetly: 'Tis a Thing you owe to none but the King, and to the * Duke, who is the Depository of all his Commands. Should you partake it with a Third, it will lose its Merit with the two First, and you will have no Right to expect the Confidence of the King, or of the Duke, upon whom your Happiness and Tranquility must hereafter depend.

LET there be no Person about you, be they never so dear to you, who Shall have Reason to think that you are without Reserve in Respect to them: For if you impart a Secret, which is not of absolute Necessity to any Person, you characterize that Person with the Name of your Favourite, or a Confidant: The Consequence of which, is, that from being their Mistress, you become their Slave: They will direct and command you, sometimes according to their Interest, sometimes according to their Humours, but never with Justice: However, this should not hinder you from hearing good Advice, without Prejudice to Persons, judging only of their Sentiments.

As to the rest: You must consider, that the Voice of the People, is the Voice of God; therefore you must conduct yourself in such a Manner, as if you were to give an Account of your Actions to the meanest of your Subjects, and as if the Public was to be your Judge, since they will be continually upon the Watch to observe you. This has been the Opinion of all wise Men; 'tis the Public that must render you immortal in your Prosperity; its Censure is dangerous, and its Approbation to be courted and esteemed.

* The Duke of Orleans, who married her by Proxy to the King of France.
Consider, that a Great King is now become your Husband; that he gives you his Hand, in Hopes of finding in you Comfort and Ease in all his Cares; that you will be the Companion of his Labours, a faithful Friend, a virtuous Wife, and a great Queen.

Our Religion, of which this Kingdom is its great Support, opens its Bosom to receive you, and considers you as its most powerful Protectress: Your Subjects look upon you as their Mother, since the Person of his Majesty (in whom they live) is committed to your Care.

You must answer the King's Hopes, by your Tenderness of his Person; by an entire Compliance to his Will; by your natural Sweetness in complying with his Desires, and by a Resignation to his Sentiments. Let it be your Will to please, and your Pleasure to obey him. Avoid every Thing that may give him the least Disgust, and let his Honour and Interest be the only Objects of all your Studies.

REGARD your Religion with all the Zeal that is due to it; the Goodness of GOD in a particular Manner obliges you to it: And your own Piety is a Security to me that you will do so.

BE not too inquisitive in Matters of Religion; the Doctrine of your Catechism is the safest, follow That, and avoid Searching into Things that are not the Province of your Sex.

TAKE Care you are not seduced by an outward Appearance of Sanctity; the World is so wicked, that Religion is often used as a Cloak for Ambition and Interest. In these Cases you must moderate your Zeal, let it should mislead you, and hinder you from seeing those Snakes in the Grass. Without entering into useless Arguments, teach Religion by true Piety, as our Saviour has commanded us, and correct the Manners of your Court by your own good Example.

ANSWER the Hopes of your Subjects by Justice and Clemency, by supporting Merit, by extirpating Vice, by comforting the Afflicted, and by protecting the Oppressed: Let these Duties be your daily Employment, and drive from your Thoughts all those Things that may engage you to meddle in the Affairs of the Government. The Wisdom of the King and Council will not stand in Need of your Assistance; and never busy yourself, unless where the Glory of GOD, the Person of the King, and the Safety of your own People, are immediately concerned.

I GIVE GOD Thanks, that I find nothing in you that wants Correction; and, as I think, you are inclined to no Vice, I apply my Counsel to your Virtues: Bounty and Generosity are the Two distinguishing Beauties of a Great Soul, but when they exceed certain Bounds, they lose their Merit; and, as I know them both to be natural to your Temper, you must take Care to keep them within their due Limits, lest they should degenerate into Faults.

THE First, if it be too General, may give an Authority to Crimes, and hinder the Course of Justice.

THE Second, if it be done with Profusion, loses its Name, and becomes contemptible: Let the Motive of the First be Christianity and Good-nature; of the Second, Charity and true Merit.

IT only remains for me to tell you (my dear Child) that, as my Daughter, you are indebted in Gratitude to the Duke, and, as Queen of France, you owe him your Confidence. The trust that the King reposes in him, his prudent Government, his Disinterestedness for the Good of the Kingdom, and his Friendship for Me, are, I hope, sufficient Ties to make you remember the infinite Obligations you are under to him, and to induce you to follow his wholesome Advice.

EMPLOY all your Cares to keep an Union in the Royal House of France: Nothing can be more glorious or advantageous to the State.

In fine, Remember your Father and Mother, as well as those who have been attached to us in all our Adversities; you know their Number is so small, that they cannot be easily forgot: And since all our Wishes, by the Grace of GOD, are accomplished in your Person it only remains for us, Night and Day, to offer up our Vows to Heaven to pour down its Blessing upon you.

To sum up all: Praise GOD; be charitable to your Neighbour; love the King; abhor Vice; know yourself in your good Fortune; be firm in all Accidents; and support yourself in Misfortunes, if any should fall upon you: Resist the Snares of the World; correct Error by Clemency, and Crimes by Justice; and encourage Merit by just Rewards: And, in order to live and reign Happy, judge of all Things without Passion or Prejudice.