I cannot indeed wonder that the talents requisite for a great statesman are so scarce in the world, since so many of those who possess them are every month cut off in the prime of their life at the Old Bailey.
"Another observation I have made upon courtiers is that if you have any friendship with any particular one, you must be entirely governed by his friendship and resentments, not your own; you are not only to flatter him but those that he flatters, and, if he chances to take a fancy to any man whom you know that he knows to have the talents of a statesman, you are immediately to think both of them men of the most exact honour.
In short, you must think nothing dishonest or dishonourable that is required of you, because, if you know the world, you must know that no statesman has or ever will require anything of you that is dishonest or dishonourable.
"Then you must suppose that all statesmen, and your friend in particular (for statesmen's friends have always seemed to think so) have been, are, and always will be guided by strict justice, and are quite void of partiality and resentment.

You are to believe that he never did or can propose any wrong thing, for whoever has it in his power to dissent from a statesman, in any one particular, is not capable of his friendship.
This last word, friendship, I have been forced to make use of several times, though I know that I speak improperly, for it has never been allowed a Court term.

This is some part of a Court creed, though it is impossible to fix all the articles, for as men of dignity believe one thing one day and another the next, so you must daily change your faith and opinion; therefore the mood to please these wonderful and mighty men is never to declare in the morning what you believe until your friend has declared what he believes--for one mistake this way is utter destruction.
"I hope these few reflections will convince you that I know something of the art of pleasing great men.

I have strictly examined most favourites that I have known, and think I judge right, that almost all of them have practised most of these rules on their way to preferment.

I cannot wonder that great men require all this from their creatures, since most of them have practised it themselves, or else they had never arrived to their dignities.
"As to your advice that you give me in relation to preaching and marrying and ale, I like it extremely, for this lady [Mary Jennings] must be born to be a parson's wife, and I never will think of marrying her till I have preached my first sermon.