The Flatterer is young Gallants School-master, and enters them into book-learning. Your cheating Tradesman can no more be without such a Factor, then an Usurer without a Broker. The Fox (in the Fable) seeing the Crow highly perched, with a good morsel in his mouth, flattered him that he sung well, with no scant commendations of his voice: whereof the Crow proud, began to make a noise, and let the meat fall: the foolish bird seeing now himself deceived, soon left singing, and the Fox fell to eating. I need not moral it. The Instrument his tongue is tuned to another's ear; but like a common fiddler, he dares not an honest song. He lifts up his Patron at the tongues end, and sets him in a superlative height; like a Pharos, or the eye of the Country, when he's indeed the eye-sore. He swears to him, that his commending any man is above a Justice of peaces letter; and that the eyes of the Parish wait upon him for his grace. He insinuates his praise, most from others report: wherein (very rankly) he wrongs three at once. He belies the named commender, the person to whom this commendation is sent, and most of all himself, the messenger. Whilst he supplies a man with the oil of flattery, he wounds his heart; like thunder, which breaks the bone, without scratching the ⟨p. 69⟩skin. He seldom speaks so pompously of his friend, except he be sure of Porters to carry it him. He is the proud mans ear-wig, and having once gotten in, impostumes his head. A continent man will easily find him; as knowing, that it is as evil, laudari à turpibus, as ob turpia. One being asked, which was the worst of beasts, answered; of wild beasts the Tyrant, of tame beasts the Flatterer. Like an ill Painter, because he cannot draw a beautiful picture, he is ever limning deformities and devils: so the Flatterer, ignorant of goodness, lays fair colours upon foul iniquities. This cunning wrestler stoops low, to give the greater fall, and wisheth to his object, as a whore to her Lover, abundance of all goods, except only sober wits. He studies all the week for preventions, to keep his Patron on the Sunday from Church: a Sermon and he are antipodes. Lest his Observed should take him into the light, and look on him, he keeps him perpetually hoodwinked with the opinion of his own knowledge; admiring his deeds for sanctimonious, and his words for Oracles.
The Flatterer is young Gallants Schoole-master, and enters them into booke-learning. Your cheating Tradesman can no more bee without such a Factor, then an Vsurer without a Broker. The Foxe (in the Fable) seeing the Crow highly perch'd, with a good morsell in his mouth, flattered him that he sung well, with no scant cōmendations of his voyce: wherof the Crow proud, began to make a noyse, and let the meat fall: the foolish bird seeing now himselfe deceiued, soone left singing, and the Foxe fell to eating. I need not morall it. The Instrument his tongue is tuned to anothers eare; but like a common fidler, he dares not an honest song. He lifts vp his Patrone at the tongues end, and sets him in a superlatiue height; like a Pharos, or the eye of the Countrey, when he's indeede the eye-sore. Hee sweares to him, that his commending any man is aboue a Iustice of peaces letter; and that the eyes of the Parish waite vpon him for his grace. Hee insinuates his prayse, most from others report: wherein (very rankely) he wrongs three at once. He belyes the named commender, the person to whom this commendation is sent, and most of all himselfe, the messenger. Whilst he supplies a man with the oyle of flatterie, hee wounds his heart; like thunder, which breakes the bone, without scratching the ⟨p. 69⟩skinne. Hee seldome speakes so pompously of his friend, except hee be sure of Porters to carry it him. Hee is the proud mans eare-wig, and hauing once gotten in, impostumes his head. A continent man will easily find him; as knowing, that it is as euill, laudari à turpibus, as ob turpia. One being asked, which was the worst of beasts, answered; of wild beasts the Tyrant, of tame beasts the Flatterer. Like an ill Painter, because hee cannot draw a beautifull picture, he is euer limbing deformities and diuels: so the Flatterer, ignorant of goodnesse, layes faire colours vpon foule iniquities. This cunning wrastler stoopes lowe, to giue the greater fall, and wisheth to his obiect, as a whore to her Louer, abundance of all goods, except onely sober wits. Hee studies all the weeke for preuentions, to keepe his Patron on the Sunday from Church: a Sermon and hee are antipodes. Lest his Obserued should take him into the light, and looke on him, he keepes him perpetually hoodwink'd with the opinion of his owne knowledge; admiring his deeds for sanctimonious, and his words for Oracles.
