Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/164

 as in anno 1653; besides advantages which cannot well be expressed by sums of money. You may now say, "What is that to you?" I answer: "he needed not my Bathsheeba, nor the poor man's lamb." I might add that the ship settlement, wherein I am a sufferer, was thereby made top heavy and lop sided, so as she could not bear saile nor work in foul weather. Wherefore, dear Cousin Nathan, go down to Gilgal and tell old David—the first gentleman of Europe and whom I ever sought to serve—before hee dyes, that he should not have meddled with Bathsheeba, nor have caused Uriah to be killed, who by his means hath been set in the front rank of all battles.

'I have sent Neddy the best present I am able to make him; viz. a specimen of my algebra or Logick; which, with what I have formerly said of settling and signification of words, is as much as I think necessary. Doing as wee would be done unto is a very short rule, but requires much practice, and so doth Logick. Adieu.'

The quarrel did not last long, for as soon as the Duke was made aware of an error of fact into which his agents had fallen, he allowed judgment to be entered against him by default. Sir William would have been fortunate if all his disputes had ended so easily.

'I have not as yet contributed,' he wrote about this time to Lord Aungier, 'to the applications lately made to Parliament, nor am I naturally forward to engage with multitudes. Nevertheless your Lordship knows it is my opinion that there is much to complain of; and that wrongs have been done needlessly, wantonly, and absurdly; and it is notorious that I have had my share; yet all this shall not provoke me to speak evil of dignityes, nor to desire great changes; nor do I hope ever to see the world and the justice thereof really mended; but I believe there may be a change of evil and evil-doers. I cannot think with your Lordship that some of