An Account of Denmark

The Author's Preface

203 THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE  To the most Illustrious and Potent Prince FREDERICK, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, etc. First Elector of the Roman Empire , His most Gracious Lord, Francis Hotoman, wishes all Health and Prosperity. ’Tis an old Saying, of which Teucer the Son of Telamon is the supposed Author, and which has been approved of these many Ages, “A Man’s Country is, where-ever he lives at Ease.”26 For to bear even Banishment it self with an unconcern’d Temper of Mind like other Misfortunes and Inconveniences , and to despise the Injuries of an ungrateful Country, which uses one more like a Stepmother than a true Mother, seems to be the Indication of a great Soul. But I am of a quite different Opinion: For if it be a great Crime, and almost an Impiety not to live under and suffer patiently the Humours and harsh Usage of our Natural Parents; ’tis sure a much greater, not to endure those of our COUNTRY, which wise Men have unanimously preferr’d to their Parents. ’Tis indeed the Property of a wary self-interested Man, to measure his Kindness for his Country by his own particular Advantages: But such a sort of Carelessness and Indifferency seems a Part of that Barbarity which was attributed to the Cynicks and [26.] Note in margin: “Patria est ubicunq: est bene.” GS Franc. identify it as Cicero, Tusculan Disputations, bk. 5, 37 (Loeb 532–33). 204  Francogallia Epicureans; whence that detestable Saying proceeded; “When I am dead, let the whole World be a Fire.” Which is not unlike the Old Tyrannical Axiom; “Let my Friends perish, so my Enemies fall along with them.”27 But in gentle Dispositions, there is a certain inbred Love of their Country , which they can no more divest themselves of, than of Humanity it self. Such a Love as Homer describes in Ulysses, who preferred Ithaca, though no better than a Bird’s Nest fix’d to a craggy Rock in the Sea, to all the Delights of the Kingdom which Calypso offer’d him.28 Nescio quâ natale Solum dulcedine cunctos Ducit, & immemores non sinit esse sui:29 Was very truly said by the Ancient Poet; When we think of that Air we first suck’d in, that Earth we first trod on, those Relations, Neighbours and Acquaintance to whose Conversation we have been accustomed. But a Man may sometimes say, My Country is grown mad or foolish , (as Plato said of his) sometimes that it rages and cruelly tears out its own Bowels. We are to take care in the first Place, that we do not ascribe other Folks Faults to our innocent Country. There have been many cruel Tyrants in Rome and in other Places; these not only tormented innocent good Men, but even the best deserving Citizens, with all manner of Severities: Does it therefore follow, that the Madness of these Tyrants must be imputed to their Country? The Cruelty of the Emperor Macrinus is particularly memorable; who as Julius Capitolinus writes, was nicknamed Macellinus, because his House was stained with the Blood of Men, as a Shambles is with that of Beasts.30 Many such others are mention’d by Historians, who for the like Cruelty (as the same Capitolinus tells us) were stil’d, one Cyclops, another Busiris, a 3rd Sciron, a 4th Tryphon, a 5th Gyges. These were firmly persuaded, that Kingdoms and Empires could not be secur’d without Cruelty: Would it be therefore reasonable, that good Patriots should lay aside all Care and Solicitude for their Country? Certainly they ought rather to succour her, when like a miserable op- [27.] GS Franc. (p. 136) identify this as a quote within Suetonius, Nero (Loeb 2:154). [28.] Homer, Odyssey, bk. 5. [29.] “By what sweet charm I know not the native land draws all men nor allows them to forget.” Ovid, Ex Ponto. I.3. 35–36 (Loeb 283). [30.] The account is in Scriptores Historiae Augustae, s.v. “Macrinus” (Loeb 2:76). Author’s Preface  205 pressed Mother, she implores her Children’s Help, and to seek all proper Remedies for the Mischiefs that afflict her. But how fortunate are those Countries that have good and mild Princes! how happy are those Subjects, who, through the Benignity of their Rulers may quietly grow old on their Paternal Seats...