This (says _Camerarius_) is to reprove the Practices of perverse Courts,
and Extravagant Princes.
It is proper Bus’ness of _Mythology_ to Point out, and Represent the
Images of Good and Evil, and under those Shadows to Teach us what we
ought to do, and what not, either Severally and Apart, or as Members of a
Society; that is to say, Simply, as Men in a State of Right Nature, or as
Parents, or Children, Masters or Servants, Husbands or Wives, Rulers or
Subjects, Friends, Countrymen, Relations, and the like. Now as there are
Good and Bad of all sorts; so their Virtues and their Vices, their good
Behaviour and their Misdemeanors are to be set forth, Circumstanc’d and
Distinguish’d in such sort, as by Rewards or Punishments, to Encourage
the One, and to Discountenance the Other, in proportion to the Dignity
of the Action, or the Degree of the Offence; by conferring Marks and
Characters of Honour, Offices of Trust, or Beneficial Commissions on the
one hand, and by inflicting Sentences of Shame, Infamy, Pains Corporal,
or Pecuniary on the other. Without this Distribution, one main end of
Emblem is lost; neither is it the true Figure of Life. For, Wicked Men,
False Brethren, Unnatural Parents, Disobedient Children, Barbarous
Husbands, Undutiful Wives, Tyrannical, Weak or Fantastical Governors;
Rebellious Subjects, Cruel Masters, Faithless Servants, Perfidious
Kindred and Acquaintance: All these Lewd Characters are as Absolutely
necessary to the Perfecting of the Design, as the most Laudable
Excellencies in Nature.
In this Fable of the Kingdom of _Apes_, the Author according to
_Camerarius_, intended the Picture of an Extravagant Government, where he
gives Flattery and Corruption the advantages that in Policy and Justice
belong to Services of Honour and of Truth: And at the same time Delivers
up a Man of Honesty, Justice and plain Dealing to be torn to Pieces. This
Kingdom of _Apes_ has been Moralliz’d a Thousand and a Thousand times
over in the Practice of the World, and such as the Fountain is, such will
be the Stream. Let Government it self be never so Sacred, Governors are
still but Men; and how Necessary and Beneficial soever the Order is at
all Hands Confess’d to be, the Officers yet, and the Administrators are
but Flesh and Blood, and liable to the Passions and Frailties of other
Mortals.
There are in fine, many Distempers, Errors, and Extravagances, that shew
themselves in the Exercise of Political Powers; as an inexorable Rigour
for the Purpose, or as a _Lasche_ Demission of Sovereign Authority. There
are Cases of Sensuality, Pleasure, and Appetite, where Governours have
only the Name of Rulers, while some over-grown Subject perhaps Usurps
upon the Prerogative in Effect, and does the worst things imaginable in
the Name of the Publick. But this rarely happens, save where the Master
wants Resolution to check the License and Presumption of a Daring Servant.
There is also a certain Manage that leaves all at Six and Seven, and
thinks to support Greatness without either Rule, Weight or Measure; and
that’s a dangerous Point, when Prudence and Fidelity shall turn to Loss,
and wickedness be supported by the Reputation of Favour and Applause.
The Misery of these false Measures is excellently well Pointed out to us
in this Fable; and consequently the Blessings of a steady Admiration,
where the Ends of Government are Conscientiously observ’d, and the
Divine Priviledges of Power maintain’d; and where Truth and Justice are
impartially Asserted and Administer’d, and as resolutely Defended.