Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/167

Rh even to Prodigality; Being convinc'd that these are the only proper Occasions for a Prince to be free of his Exchequer; and that Avarice in such Cases is a very dangerous Quality. Nay, he used to say that when the People saw the Prince Liberal to the Publick, and thrifty in his Private Expence, they paid their Taxes more willingly, looking upon his Wealth in a manner as their own; and as a sort of Fund, for the general Happiness. The little Justice done to Antoninus upon this Head, is not at all surprizing: The Bounties of Princes which have least Discretion are commonly most taking with the People; whereas Prudence and Reason goes for Covetousness with them: For they never distinguish between giving and squandring, and make their own craving Temper the Standard of Liberality: But after all, 'tis certain Rome never had a Prince more beneficent than Antoninus, who was also the first that built a Temple, to the Goddess presiding over Good Turns, and which it may be was at that time of Day, the only Virtue unworship'd by the Romans. Indeed Antoninus was the fittest Person living to introduce this new Devotion, considering he understood the Book-part of Obliging so well, and was so remarkable in the Practise of it. Rh