TO
MY
POSTERITY
,
1675.
(
Anno
Aetatis
Quadragesimo
Secundo
.
)
Not
to
be
d
to
any
Body
〈◇〉
publickly
.
I
KNOW
the
Booksellers
Shops
abound
with
numerous
Volumes
upon
all
Subjects
,
Therefore
it
's
vanity
in
any
Body
in
this
Age
to
attempt
by
his
Writings
to
Treat
the
World
with
Novelty
,
especially
for
a
Man
of
my
Talent
who
am
but
a
very
ordinary
Grammarian
;
and
the
Circumstances
of
my
perturbated
Fortune
never
allow'd
me
Time
to
read
many
Authors
(
tho'
perhaps
those
I
have
run
over
have
been
of
the
very
best
)
so
that
little
Reason
I
have
been
Master
of
hath
been
Acquired
chiefly
by
Conversation
and
Observation
in
the
Transacting
Mercantile
Affairs
,
to
which
I
was
by
my
most
Indulgent
Mother
(
but
at
my
own
Request
)
design'd
before
I
was
Fifteen
Years
old
:
Nevertheless
I
think
it
cannot
be
unacceptable
to
my
Posterity
,
That
I
leave
them
this
short
Account
of
my self
.
My
Father
,
Sir
John
Lytcott
,
Dying
at
Molsey
in
Surrey
,
Anno
1641.
before
I
was
quite
Eight
Years
of
Age
,
and
leaving
me
youngest
of
Fifteen
or
Sixteen
Children
Born
tho'
of
but
Nine
then
Living
.
I
was
by
Mother
(
who
was
Daughter
to
Sir
Nicholas
Overbury
and
Sister
to
Sir
Thomas
Overbury
who
was
Poysoned
in
the
Tower
)
Maintained
at
a
Grammar-School
'till
I
was
near
Fifteen
Years
Old
,
1650.
and
then
Apprenticed
to
a
Merchant
;
who
in
less
than
Two
Years
sent
me
on
a
Man
of
War
to
the
English
Colonies
in
America
,
Aboard
which
Ship
I
was
a
little
Officer
;
and
in
that
Voyage
I
got
some
Knowledge
in
the
Art
of
Navigation
as
well
as
in
the
practical
part
of
a
Sailer
.
At
my
return
for
England
my
Master
sent
me
to
be
one
of
his
Factors
at
Lisbon
,
1654.
from
whence
after
a
Year
or
Two
I
removed
my self
for
Italy
,
calling
in
at
some
of
the
Ports
of
Spain
in
my
way
to
Genoa
,
and
from
thence
to
Legorn
,
in
the
Dukedom
of
Tuscany
,
where
I
Liv'd
some
Years
manageing
a
great
deal
of
Business
by
Commission
from
Merchants
of
several
Countries
;
wherein
I
took
much
pains
but
not
without
much
satisfaction
,
my
Labour
being
rewarded
with
Benefit
;
afterwards
as
my
Affairs
permitted
me
I
took
a
View
of
Rome
,
and
of
most
of
the
best
Cities
in
Italy
.
Then
we
had
the
prospect
of
the
Restoration
of
King
Charles
II
.
so
I
went
for
Lombardy
,
and
thence
for
the
Valtolines
Countrey
,
and
Switzerland
,
and
so
came
for
England
through
Germany
,
some
part
of
Flanders
and
Holland
in
June
1660.
being
in
the
Twenty
Seventh
Year
of
my
Age
;
and
about
Sixteen
Months
afterwards
,
I
Married
my
only
Wife
,
Sarah
,
the
only
Daughter
of
Mr.
Richard
Culling
of
Exon
,
with
whom
I
had
a
fair
Fortune
not
less
than
Seven
Thousand
Pounds
;
and
we
might
have
promis'd
our selves
all
the
happiness
imaginable
for
young
People
that
could
contain
themselves
within
the
bounds
of
Moderation
,
but
it
pleased
GOD
to
convince
us
of
the
uncertainty
of
Worldly
Riches
by
permitting
me
to
be
deluded
by
some
Persons
who
indeed
had
been
my
Beneficial
Friends
;
but
their
Fortunes
declining
,
they
endeavour'd
to
prop
themselves
up
by
the
Assistance
of
my
Credit
and
Estate
;
and
at
last
(
their
Condition
being
much
worse
than
they
would
own
to
me
)
they
fail'd
,
being
Indebted
at
least
Eleven
or
Twelve
Thousand
Pounds
to
me
here
and
to
my
Agent
who
managed
my
Concerns
at
Legorn
.
This
Misfortune
made
a
great
Impression
in
my
Mind
as
well
as
on
my
Estate
;
however
it
pleased
GOD
to
continue
to
me
the
Friendship
of
all
those
who
had
formerly
been
my
Employers
and
Acquaintance
,
so
that
I
was
not
destitute
of
Means
to
repair
my
Losses
;
but
the
Fondness
of
my
Dear
Wife
would
not
permit
her
to
dispence
with
my
Absence
out
of
England
,
so
as
to
settle
my self
abroad
again
,
only
Anno
1663.
I
took
Post
for
Dover
thence
passing
into
France
:
I
rid
from
Paris
to
Madrid
so
to
Sevil
and
Cadiz
,
where
I
Embarked
on
a
Spanish
Ship
for
Berbadoes
to
take
on
Board
about
Seven
Hundred
Blacks
for
the
Kingdom
of
Mexico
in
the
West-Indies
;
and
I
return'd
for
London
in
about
Fourteen
Months
,
but
not
without
Encountring
more
Dangers
and
undergoing
more
Hardship
than
in
all
the
former
part
of
my
Life
:
Hurricane
and
want
of
Food
and
Water
:
Our
Ship
struck
and
sat
fast
upon
the
Shoals
on
the
South-side
of
Cuba
,
'till
we
lightened
her
,
and
got
off
.
However
,
my
Adventure
was
not
without
some
Profit
as
well
as
a
great
deal
of
Peril
and
new
Inconveniences
;
if
they
did
not
extinguish
the
memory
of
the
old
ones
,
at
least
they
taught
me
to
wear
them
with
more
Patience
.
After
my
Return
Home
I
Retir'd
to
a
Countrey-Life
at
Stratford
under
Old
Sarum
;
The
Truth
is
I
was
forced
to
it
for
want
of
a
good
Tenant
to
my
Estate
there
,
where
I
continued
Five
or
Six
Years
,
viz.
to
the
Year
1671.
when
I
obtained
the
Charge
of
Comptant-General
of
the
Accompts
of
His
Majesties
Customs
,
wherein
I
have
not
without
some
Care
and
Pains
Officiated
above
Four
Years
.
Now
for
as
much
the
Hour
of
Death
is
uncertain
,
and
I
having
Six
Children
who
are
all
so
young
,
That
should
I
be
suddainly
taken
from
them
,
the
Eldest
of
them
would
hardly
remember
their
Unfortunate
Father
:
I
therefore
leave
these
Remains
of
my self
without
looking
into
the
Antiquity
of
my
Family
,
tho'
One
of
the
Five
Oldest
in
Oxfordshire
,
and
once
possess'd
of
a
very
large
Estate
,
which
I
cannot
mention
without
Accusing
my
Ancestors
of
Imprudence
for
having
wasted
it
.
The
Estate
was
wasted
before
it
came
to
my
Father
.
Therefore
I
think
it
more
decent
to
leave
their
Urns
undisturb'd
,
and
to
offer
my
Children
this
Miscellany
of
Advertisements
,
Observations
and
Maxims
writ
as
they
intrude
themselves
into
my
Thoughts
when
I
got
out
of
my
Office
;
which
perhaps
may
be
more
acceptable
to
them
,
and
make
more
Impression
in
their
Minds
,
than
better
digested
Matter
from
a
Strangers
hand
.
And
in
the
first
place
,
He
that
desires
to
be
happy
in
this
World
must
so
order
all
his
Actions
that
he
may
always
lay
himself
down
to
Repose
with
a
quiet
Conscience
,
and
awake
with
a
Tranquil
Mind
:
To
which
no
Man
can
arrive
without
fearing
GOD
.
The
Fear
of
the
Lord
is
the
Beginning
of
Wisdom
said
Solomon
,
who
was
the
Wisest
of
Men
;
and
his
Proverbs
are
the
Originals
of
all
Honest
Policy
,
as
well
as
of
the
best
Oeconomy
,
and
consequently
cannot
be
too
often
read
over
.
Of
all
the
Religions
that
I
have
ever
seen
or
heard
,
The
Christian
seems
to
me
to
be
the
only
Religion
fit
to
be
embraced
:
And
after
the
perusal
of
many
Books
of
several
Writers
(
upon
their
various
Opinions
wherein
they
alternately
take
the
liberty
to
stile
one
another
Hereticks
,
Sectaries
and
Scismaticks
)
I
do
adhere
to
the
Church
of
England
,
as
now
Establish'd
,
as
being
the
most
pure
from
Idolatry
,
and
most
agreeable
with
Holy
Writ
and
Reason
.
And
therefore
I
recommend
it
to
those
that
come
after
me
,
next
to
your
Duty
to
GOD
Almighty
that
to
your
Parents
is
to
take
place
:
Whoever
doth
not
Dutifully
obey
,
respect
and
love
their
Parents
,
cannot
reasonably
expect
their
Children
should
obey
or
respect
them
.
In
the
next
place
bear
good
will
to
all
Men
,
that
is
,
at
least
so
far
as
not
to
injure
any
Man
willfully
,
especially
by
speaking
ill
of
them
behind
their
backs
,
and
upon
meer
report
;
such
Discourses
being
often
detected
,
and
then
they
reflect
severely
upon
the
Author
;
wherefore
the
most
prudent
way
is
not
to
meddle
with
other
Men
,
or
their
Matters
,
especially
so
as
to
disparage
them
.
By
all
means
subdue
Passion
(
it
being
altogether
disagreeable
with
Prudence
,
and
consequently
with
Business
)
because
it
blinds
the
Reason
,
and
rifles
a
Man's
Notions
.
Idleness
is
the
Root
of
most
Evils
,
and
the
Subversion
of
many
Families
,
therefore
be
sure
to
entertain
your selves
with
some
honest
Emploiment
or
other
.
And
truly
as
Things
offer
themselves
to
my
Sense
at
present
,
I
see
no
fairer
way
to
raise
an
Estate
(
and
to
avoid
Debauchery
)
than
to
be
bred
under
a
discreet
Factor
,
that
hath
good
Emploiment
abroad
,
either
in
Spain
,
Portugal
,
Italy
or
Turkey
,
&c.
where
there
is
a
probability
of
the
Apprentices
succeeding
his
Master
in
his
Commissions
,
or
under
a
Lawyer
so
that
a
Man
have
an
Estate
to
purchase
a
Counsellour's
Place
at
Guild-Hall
.
Now
that
you
may
be
Men
of
Value
and
Reputation
in
the
World
,
I
shall
offer
you
a
few
Advertisements
to
be
regarded
in
your
Youth
.
Be
very
cautious
of
the
Company
you
keep
;
for
he
that
associates
with
those
who
are
lewd
and
vicious
,
becomes
hardened
against
virtuous
Thoughts
and
good
Advice
.
Avoid
Sluggishness
;
a
little
Sleep
in
due
season
will
suffice
a
Man
and
a
great
deal
doth
but
stupifie
him
,
robs
him
of
his
very
best
Time
,
rendring
him
less
fit
for
Business
.
Lying
a
Bed
after
a
Man
is
awake
,
exposes
him
to
wanton
Thoughts
and
a
lazy
habit
.
Avoid
Unchastity
and
Intemperance
which
do
not
only
take
a
young
Man's
Mind
from
his
Business
but
rot
and
ruin
his
Body
,
waste
and
consume
his
Stock
,
which
else
(
by
GOD's
Blessing
and
his
own
diligence
might
in
Time
grow
to
a
fair
Fortune
)
but
draw
upon
him
the
Contempt
and
Disdain
of
all
industrious
,
virtuous
,
Men
that
know
him
,
to
the
utter
loss
of
his
Reputation
.
A
wise
Man
would
avoid
idle
Swearing
and
Cursing
(
if
they
were
not
grievous
Sins
against
the
Great
Creator
)
meerly
because
they
are
Vices
usually
incident
to
shallow-pated
Fellows
,
that
supply
their
want
of
Sense
with
new
Coin'd
Oaths
or
some
of
the
biggest
old
ones
.
And
in
my
Opinion
Lying
comes
little
behind
the
other
,
nay
perhaps
't
is
worse
,
because
those
who
addict
themselves
thereto
seldom
boggle
at
an
Oath
or
Two
to
make
their
Lies
be
credited
;
so
they
cannot
be
fit
for
Humane
Society
because
Lying
lets
loose
to
any
Villany
,
always
hoping
to
get
off
with
a
Lie
.
Decency
in
Apparel
is
commendable
,
but
curiosity
and
niceness
in
Dressing
is
Foppish
:
I
remember
the
wise
Saavedra
a
Spaniard
in
his
Politick
Impresses
says
,
That
Cloaths
are
made
for
Men
but
Fops
are
made
for
their
Cloaths
:
This
sort
of
Niceness
being
generally
attended
with
the
most
detestable
Vice
of
Pride
.
Tho'
fair
Writing
be
not
an
infallible
sign
of
Ingenuity
,
yet
in
my
Opinion
not
to
write
a
good
legible
hand
bespeaks
a
Man
to
be
very
careless
if
not
indiscreet
;
It
being
certain
,
That
any
Man
may
write
a
good
fair
hand
if
he
accustoms
himself
thereto
;
and
oftentimes
good
Writing
is
a
Recommendation
to
a
good
Livelihood
:
Wherefore
I
cannot
but
esteem
it
Imprudence
,
in
any
young
Man
,
to
neglect
an
Art
that
meerly
by
custom
may
be
attain'd
;
and
possibly
at
one
Time
or
other
may
be
more
profitable
to
him
than
many
other
Qualifications
that
are
not
acquir'd
without
a
great
deal
more
pains
.
And
as
well
as
Writing
,
Arithmetick
is
absolutely
necessary
for
Men
that
are
to
push
their
Fortunes
in
the
World
;
also
to
understand
the
stating
and
keeping
Accompts
,
of
which
no
Man
can
be
a
compleat
Master
but
by
great
Practice
in
Business
.
Whatever
your
Stock
is
,
let
your
Trade
be
bounded
by
it
;
and
whatever
your
Estate
is
,
let
your
way
of
Living
be
within
it
:
For
he
that
over-lives
his
Revenue
,
and
he
that
wants
Money
to
carry
on
his
Trade
are
equally
unhappy
.
Vain
,
Glorious
,
Self-Commendation
renders
a
Man
very
weak
if
not
very
ridiculous
;
not
but
that
there
are
some
Cases
wherein
a
Man
ought
to
make
the
best
of
himself
,
but
these
can
be
but
few
particular
Cases
,
which
a
Man
must
handle
modestly
(
without
Prolixity
or
Affectation
)
and
not
repeat
them
too
often
.
Keep
as
few
Servants
as
you
can
,
and
let
those
be
good
tho'
you
give
greater
Wages
.
Be
frugal
in
your
Expences
,
but
not
stingy
in
your
Gifts
to
Servants
and
poor
People
.
Frequent
Drunkenness
is
a
very
imprudent
,
pernicious
,
Evil
;
It
consumes
a
Man's
Estate
,
spends
his
Time
and
destroys
his
Body
;
makes
him
ridiculous
in
his
own
Family
(
and
besides
,
rendring
him
uncapable
of
Business
)
it
renders
him
unsafe
for
Conversation
;
for
he
that
is
drunk
knows
not
what
he
says
or
swears
.
Never
boast
of
your
own
Dexterity
or
Agility
of
Body
,
because
a
Man
is
naturally
apt
to
exceed
in
that
sort
of
Discourse
even
to
the
rendring
himself
conceited
or
impertinent
;
to
the
begetting
Wagers
which
often
produces
Quarrels
(
or
at
least
puts
a
Man
upon
straining
himself
beyond
what
is
convenient
)
and
perhaps
comes
off
ridiculous
at
last
.
Of
all
Trades
never
chose
a
Land-Soldiers
,
because
they
whose
Idleness
have
inclin'd
them
to
a
lazy
Livelihood
(
wherein
they
must
expose
their
Lives
for
6
d
.
or
8
d
.
per
Day
)
can
hardly
be
justified
to
be
Rational
Creatures
:
And
all
Soldiery
(
except
in
Defence
of
a
Man's
own
Countrey
)
is
but
a
Species
of
Barbarism
.
Marriage
is
an
Holy
Institution
,
but
it
too
often
proves
a
very
uneasie
Mornings
Work
;
and
without
a
lucky
Concurrence
of
a
great
many
Circumstances
,
it
can
hardly
be
so
happy
as
People
generally
fancie
.
Men
of
vast
Fortunes
may
please
themselves
with
the
Person
or
Face
of
a
Wife
,
but
Men
of
middle
Degree
must
consider
the
suitableness
of
Circumstances
and
the
great
Charge
of
a
Family
which
is
contracted
by
Wedlock
;
therefore
it
's
but
requisite
,
that
the
Woman
brings
a
good
Fortune
with
her
,
that
she
be
virtuous
and
good
humour'd
(
of
a
Family
of
good
Repute
)
without
so
much
Kindred
as
may
beget
a
chrageable
Acquaintance
.
No
Portion
is
an
Equivalent
for
an
ill
Temper
;
nor
ought
any
Man
(
in
common
Prudence
)
to
Marry
a
Wife
so
ill
favour'd
that
he
shall
be
ashamed
of
her
,
nor
so
much
older
than
himself
that
she
shall
look
like
his
Govourness
.
There
may
be
a
great
deal
said
for
a
Man's
Marrying
once
,
but
he
that
hath
Children
(
especially
a
Son
by
a
former
Wife
and
past
Forty
Years
of
Age
)
Marries
again
,
does
in
my
Opinion
run
a
great
deal
of
hazard
of
being
sensured
for
a
Fool
or
a
Knave
.
Avoid
Contracts
with
Princes
and
Courtiers
(
either
at
Home
or
Abroad
)
if
you
have
any
Estate
of
your
own
,
for
Beggars
are
fittest
to
deal
with
the
Court
;
and
according
to
my
observation
,
for
one
that
came
well
off
more
than
Forty
have
miscarried
.
If
a
Merchant
chanceth
to
gain
by
the
Crown
the
Prince
at
one
Time
or
other
will
get
into
his
Debt
;
and
then
he
may
have
leisure
to
inform
himself
,
That
Princes
can
break
their
Faith
as
well
as
private
Men
;
and
tho'
they
may
give
good
fair
Words
at
first
,
yet
after
a
little
while
they
will
abhor
the
Face
of
their
Creditors
.
Avoid
Law-Suits
by
any
means
,
and
in
order
thereto
,
avoid
dealing
with
litigious
Men
;
avoid
uncertain
Contracts
which
always
admits
of
Disputes
(
and
those
Disputes
commonly
grows
into
Law-Suits
)
which
disturb
the
Tranquility
of
a
Man's
Mind
,
waste
his
Time
and
consume
his
Estate
.
He
that
is
much
concerned
in
Law
oftentimes
lives
reputed
a
Knave
,
and
usually
dies
a
Beggar
.
Few
Places
at
Court
are
really
profitable
(
except
those
that
of
course
have
the
Princes
Ear
,
or
those
that
dispense
the
Money
)
which
I
presume
occasion'd
the
Italian
Proverb
,
He
that
lives
at
Court
dies
in
the
Hospital
.
But
Offices
in
the
Revenue
are
worth
obtaining
;
and
if
a
Man
behave
himself
honestly
and
diligently
therein
,
possibly
it
may
be
as
good
as
any
other
Estate
for
Life
;
but
those
that
extort
Fees
(
or
delaies
Men
out
of
design
to
pick
their
Pockets
)
deserve
not
only
to
be
dismist
,
but
expos'd
upon
the
Pillory
,
as
well
as
those
that
cheat
the
King
or
connive
at
his
being
defrauded
in
their
Offices
.
What
I
have
hitherto
said
,
pointing
most
to
the
Masculine
Gender
,
perhaps
my
Daughters
may
expect
I
should
say
something
to
them
also
;
from
which
in
my
own
Opinion
I
might
be
very
well
excus'd
,
they
having
the
lively
Example
of
their
most
Virtuous
Mother
to
imitate
;
whom
I
hope
the
Almighty
God
will
continue
to
them
'till
they
shall
all
be
grown
up
.
Nevertheless
,
least
she
should
be
taken
away
in
their
Infancie
,
they
shall
have
my
Advice
in
a
very
few
Lines
,
viz.
Be
truly
Religious
in
your
Closets
as
well
as
at
Church
,
where
you
ought
to
behave
your selves
(
Devoutely
and
decently
)
without
much
bussling
and
expressing
the
Responsals
too
loud
.
Fall
out
with
no
Body
about
their
Opinion
in
Religion
.
Avoid
Pride
and
Affectation
.
Avoid
an
over
Airy
Behaviour
.
Wantonness
makes
room
for
Censure
,
and
gives
opportunity
to
Temptation
.
It
's
but
little
worse
to
be
a
Whore
than
to
give
occasion
to
be
thought
so
.
Be
affable
and
curteous
with
modesty
.
Be
carefull
in
the
choise
of
Companions
for
your
constant
Converse
.
Keep
your selves
emploi'd
about
some
ingenious
Housewifery
,
not
excluding
Dancing
and
Singing
also
if
you
have
Voices
adapted
to
it
.
What
Time
you
spend
in
Reading
,
let
it
be
in
Books
of
sound
Divinity
(
or
good
Morality
)
and
not
in
idle
Romances
,
and
Stories
of
Witches
and
Wizards
and
the
Roman
Catholick
Legends
,
which
seems
to
be
Nets
contriv'd
by
the
Devil
to
catch
Fools
of
all
Sects
.
When
you
come
to
think
of
Marriage
(
and
that
Husbands
are
proposed
to
you
)
relie
upon
the
Judgment
of
your
Mother
,
or
some
other
prudent
Friend
,
rather
than
upon
your
own
in
your
choice
.
And
rather
chose
a
good
,
prudent
,
industrious
,
plain
Man
(
that
knows
how
to
get
an
Estate
)
than
a
vain
Fop
that
may
have
a
little
left
him
by
his
Friends
and
only
knows
how
to
spend
it
.
When
you
are
Married
remember
you
are
no
more
your
own
Mistress
,
but
that
you
have
put
your self
under
a
Governour
to
whose
Humours
you
must
endeavour
to
bend
your self
with
all
diligence
imaginable
,
Wedlock
being
a
Knot
that
can
never
be
untied
but
by
Death
;
and
if
your
Humour
be
not
agreeable
with
your
Husbands
,
you
must
expect
to
live
miserably
.
Finally
,
I
tell
you
all
my
Sons
and
Daughters
(
and
those
that
shall
be
descended
from
you
,
to
whose
view
These
shall
come
)
That
you
will
never
answer
it
to
GOD
nor
Nature
if
they
have
not
some
weight
with
you
,
because
they
are
the
kind
Lecacy
of
your
most
kind
Father
G.
Lytcott
.