This Discourse being ended, Eugenius, who was look’d upon by us all as the most Experienc’d as well as concerned Angler among us, descrying at a good distance a place which he judged more convenient for our Sport, than that we there were in, where the Fish began to bite but slowly; He invited the Company to this new Station, but when we were come thither, finding in a short time, that either it was ill stock’d with Fish, or that the Season of their Biting in the places thereabouts was over, he thought it concerned him to provide us some better place; and accordingly, whilst we were yet, by the pleasure of mutual conversation, endeavouring to keep the Fishes sulleness from proving an Exercise to our patience, he walk’d on along the River, till he lighted upon a Youth, that by his Habit seem’d to belong to some Boat or other Vessel; and having enquir’d of him, whether he could not be our Guide to some place where the Fish would bite quick, he replied, that he easily could, if we would take the trouble of coming to a place on the other side of the River, which his Master, who was a Fisher-man, had Baited over Night, and would questionless let us make use of for a small Gratification; Eugenius, being very well content, call’d away the Company, which were led by the Youth to a Boat belonging to his Master, into which being entred, the old Man, who was owner of the Boat, hoys’d up Sails, and began to steer the Boat with one of his Oars, to a place he shewed us at a good distance off, but did it so unskilfully, that since a Mariner of his Age could scarce mistake so grossly for want of Experience in the River, we began to suspect, that he had too plentifully tasted a far stronger Liquor than that which was the Scene of his Trade; and as the old Man was half Drunk, so the Youth appeared to be a meer Novice, both which we had quickly occasion to take notice off: For some Clouds that were gathering out of the Sea, passing over our Vessel, rais’d in their passage, as is usual enough, a temporary Wind, that to such a slight Boat as ours was, might almost pass for a kind of Storm; For then the old Man gave out his directions so ill, and the Youth was so little able to execute them punctually, that two of the Company offended at their unskilfulness, began by angry and unseasonable Expostulations and Clamours, to confound the already disorder’d Boat-man, and being got up, with no small hazard to the Boat, they would perchance, by crossing the VVater-men in their endeavours, have made it miscarry, had not Lindamor, whose Travels had made him well acquainted with such cases, earnestly requested them to sit still, and let the VVater-men do their own work as well as they could, affirming, that he had seen more than one of those easily over-set Boats cast away by the confused and disagreeing endeavours of the VVater-men and Passengers to preserve it: This counsel was thought very reasonable, since the greater the VVind was, and the less the Steerman’s dexterity, the more necessary it appear’d, that we should be orderly and quiet, and by leaning our Bodies sometimes one way, and sometimes another, as occasion requir’d, do what in us lay to keep the Vessel upright, and herein we were so prosperous, that soon after the Cloud was passed, and the Shower it brought with it was over, the VVind grew moderate enough to allow us to make some calm Reflections on what had happened: This Lindamor, from the thanks that were given him for his advice, took occasion to do in these tearms: Since States-men and Philosophers are wont to compare a Common-wealth to a Ship, I hope the Reflection suggested to us by what had just now happen’d, will be the easier pardon’d. The skil of ruling Nations, is an Art no less difficult than noble; for whereas Statuaries, Masons, Carpenters, and other Artificers work upon inanimate Materials, a Ruler must manage free Agents, who may have each of them interests or designs of their own, distinct from those of the Prince, and many times repugnant to them: And the Prizes that are contended for in Government, either are, or (which is in our case all one) are thought, so Valuable, and the concurrents are so Concern’d, and consequently so Industrious to drive on each his own design, that without mentioning any of those many other things which make good Government difficult, these alone may suffice to make it more our trouble than our wonder, that the Rulers of States and Common-wealths should oftentimes mis-govern them. But the publick Infelicities of declining States, are not always wholly due to the Imprudence of the Ruler, but oftentimes those that most resent such Imprudency, even by those very Resentments, encrease the publick Disorders they appear so much troubled at; and it may be a question, Whether it be more prejudicial to Common-wealths, to have Rulers that are mean States-men, than to have a Multitude of Subjects, that think themselves to be VVise ones, and are forward to Censure what is done by their Magistrates, either because it is done by their Superiours, or because ‘tis not done by themselves.