When Leti, the historian, was one day attending
the levee of Charles the Second, he said
to him, " Leti. I hear that you are writing the
History of the Court of England." "Sir, I
have been for some time preparing materials for
such a history." " Take care that your work
give no offence," said the prince. Leti replied,
"Sir, I will do what I can, but if a man were
as wise as Solomon, he would scarcely be able to
avoid giving offence." "Why, then," rejoined
the king, "be as wise as Solomon; write proverbs,
not histories."

From Percy Anecdotes