Envy is other Affections, there is occasion given, but now ever at and then: And therefore, it was well said, Inwork vidia festos dies non agit. For it is ever working And it is also noted, that

upon some, or other.

Love and Envy, doe make a man pine, which other Affections doe not; because they are not so continuall. It is also the vilest Affection, and the most depraved; For which cause, it is the proper Attribute, of the Devill, who is called; The Envious Man, that soweth tares amongst the wheat by night. As it alwayes commeth to passe, that Envy worketh subtilly, and in the darke; And to the prejudice of good things, such as is the Wheat.

X

Of Love

THE Stage is more beholding to Love, then the Life of Man. For as to the Stage, Love is ever matter of Comedies, and now and then of Tragedies: But in Life, it doth much mischiefe: Sometimes like a Syren; Sometimes like a Fury. You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy Persons, (whereof the memory remaineth, either Ancient or Recent) there is not One, that hath beene transported, to the mad degree of Love: which shewes, that great Spirits, and great Businesse, doe keepe out this weake Passion. You must except, never

much

thelesse, Marcus Antonius the halfe Partner of Love the Empire of Rome; and Appius Claudius the doth Decemvir, and Law-giver: Whereof the former, Mischief was indeed a Voluptuous Man, and Inordinate; but the latter, was an Austere, and wise man : And therefore it seemes (though rarely) that Love can finde entrance, not only into an open Heart; but also into a Heart well fortified; if watch be not well kept. It is a poore Saying of Epicurus; Satis magnum Alter Alteri Theatrum sumus: As if Man, made for the contemplation of Heaven, and all Noble Objects, should doe nothing, but kneele before a little Idoll, and make himselfe subject, though not of the Mouth (as Beasts are) yet of the Eye; which was given him for higher Purposes. It is a strange Thing, to note the Excesse of this Passion; And how it braves, the Nature, and value of things; by this, that the Speaking in a perpetuall Hyperbole, is comely in nothing, but in Love. Neither is it meerely in the Phrase; For whereas it hath beene well said, that the Arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty Flatterers have Intelligence, is a Mans Selfe; Certainly, the Lover is more. For there was never Proud Man, thought so absurdly well of himselfe, as the Lover doth of the Person loved: And therefore, it was well said; That it is impossible to love, and to be wise. Neither doth this weaknesse appeare to others onely, and not to the Party Loved; But to the Loved, most of all: except the Love be reciproque. For, it is a true Rule, that Love is ever rewarded, either with the Reciproque, or with an inward,

C

Love and secret Contempt. But how much the more, troubleth Men ought to beware of this Passion, which Men's loseth not only other things, but it selfe. Fortunes for the other losses, the Poets Relation, doth

As

well figure them; That he that preferred Helena,
quitted the Gifts of Juno, and Pallas. For who-
soever esteemeth too much of Amorous Affec-
tion, quitteth both Riches, and Wisedome. This
Passion, hath his Flouds, in the very times of
Weaknesse; which are, great Prosperitie; and
great Adversitie; though this latter hath beene
lesse observed. Both which times kindle Love,
and make it more fervent, and therefore shew it
to be the Childe of Folly. They doe best, who,
if they cannot but admit Love, yet make it
keepe Quarter: And sever it wholly, from their
serious Affaires, and Actions of life: For if it
checke once with Businesse, it troubleth Mens
Fortunes, and maketh Men, that they can, no
wayes
be true, to their owne Ends. I know not
how, but Martiall Men, are given to Love: I
thinke it is, but as they are given to Wine;
Perils, commonly aske, to be paid in Pleasures.
There is in Mans Nature, a secret Inclination,
and Motion, towards love of others; which, if
it be not spent, upon some one, or a few, doth
naturally spread it selfe, towards many; and
maketh men become Humane, and Charitable;
As it is seene sometime in Friars. Nuptiall love
maketh Mankinde; Friendly love perfecteth it;
but Wanton love Corrupteth, and Imbaseth it.

For

ΧΙ

Of Great Place

Great

ΜΕ EN in Great Place, are thrice Servants: The Servants of the Soveraigne or State; Ser- Pains of vants of Fame; and Servants of Businesse. So Place as they have no Freedome; neither in their Persons; nor in their Actions; nor in their Times. It is a strange desire, to seeke Power, and to lose Libertie; Or to seeke Power over others, and to loose Power over a Mans Selfe. The Rising unto Place is Laborious; And by Paines Men come to greater Paines; And it is sometimes base; And by Indignities, Men come to Dignities. The standing is slippery, and the Regresse, is either a downefall, or at least an Eclipse, which is a Melancholy Thing. Cùm non sis, qui fueris, non esse, cur velis vivere. Nay, retire Men cannot, when they would; neither will they, when it were Reason: But are impatient of privatenesse, even in Age, and Sicknesse, which require the Shadow: Like old Townesmen, that will be still sitting at their Street doore; though thereby they offer Age to Scorne. Certainly Great Persons, had need to borrow other Mens Opinions; to thinke themselves happy; For if they judge by their owne Feeling; they cannot finde it: But if they thinke with themselves, what other men thinke of them, and that other men would faine be as they

Power are, then they are happy, as it were by report; to do When perhaps they finde the Contrary within. Good For they are the first, that finde their owne

Griefs; though they be the last, that finde
their owne Faults. Certainly, Men in Great
Fortunes, are strangers to themselves, and
while they are in the pusle of businesse, they
have no time to tend their Health, either of
Body, or Minde. Illi Mors gravis incubat, qui
notus nimis omnibus, ignotus moritur sibi. In
Place, There is License to doe Good, and Evill;
wherof the latter is a Curse; For in Evill, the
best condition is, not to will; The Second,
not to Can. But Power to doe good, is the
true and lawfull End of Aspiring.
For good
Thoughts (though God accept them,) yet to-
wards men, are little better then good Dreames;
Except they be put in Act; And that cannot be
without Power, and Place; As the Vantage, and
Commanding Ground. Merit, and good Works,
is the End of Mans Motion; And Conscience
of the same, is the Accomplishment of Mans
Rest. For if a Man, can be Partaker of Gods
Theater, he shall likewise be Partaker of Gods
Rest. Et conversus Deus, ut aspiceret Opera,
quæ fecerunt manus sua, vidit quod omnia essent
bona nimis; And then the Sabbath. In the
Discharge of thy Place, set before thee the
best Examples; For Imitation, is a Globe of
Precepts. And after a time, set before thee,
thine owne Example; And examine thy selfe
strictly, whether thou didst not best at first.
Neglect not also the Examples of those, that