A Character of King Charles the Second

must be like, but it is not necessary that every Feature should be c

enerally thought to be no ill one, but in his case it proved so, and laid the foundation of m

t had was in relat

g St. Germain; which made such a kind of figure, as might easily be turn'd in such a manner as to make him lose his veneration for it. In a refined Country where Religion appeared in Pomp and

m from his first Impressions, that I take it for granted, after the first Year or two, he was no more a Protestant. If you ask me what he was, my answer must be, that he was of the Religion of a young Prince in his warm Blood, whose Enquiries were more applied to find Arguments ag

ate every thing to bend him towards Popery. Great Art without intermission against Youth and Easiness, which are seldom upon their guard, must have its Effect. A Man is to be admired if he resisteth, and therefore cannot reasonably be blamed if he yieldeth to

ere a Man is convinced by Reason; but in the common acceptation, it is applied to those who cannot tell why they are so: If Men can be at

n, let it be what it will. But our Passions are much oftener convinced than our Reason. He had but little Reading, and that tending to his Pleasures m

into it minutely, but whenever it was, it is observable that the Government of France did not think it advi

as as well worth his paying for. There was enough said of it to startle a great many, though not universally diffused; So much, that if the Government here, had not crumbled of itself, his Right alone, with that an

of Wit are often the laziest in their Enquiries is, that their heat carrieth their Thoughts so fast, that they are apt to be tired, and they faint in the drudgery of a continued Application. Have not Men of great Wit in all times permitted their Understandings to give way to their first Impressions? It taketh off from the Diminution when a Man doth not mind a thing; and the King had then other Business: The inferior part of the Man was then in Possession, and the Faculties of the Brain, a

Capacity required: and the exercise of Indulgence to Sinners being more frequent in it, than of inflicting Penance, mig

uch Suspicions as produced melancholy shakings of the Head, which were very significant. His unwillingness to marry a Protestant was remarkable, though both the Catholick and the Christian Crown would have adopted

ays. Men near him have made Discoveries from sudden breakings out in Discourse, &c. which shewed there was a Root. It was

did not trouble any Protestant Divines; those

of putting an End to all the trouble of enquiring is so great, that it must be very strong reason that can resist: The King had only his meer natural Faculties, without any Acquisitions to improve them; so that it is no wonder, if an Argument which gave such Ease and Relief to his Mind, made such an Impression, that with thinking ofte