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Grant; if a Man fhew himself, neither dejected, nor difcontented. Iniquum petas, ut Equum feras; is a good Rule, where a Man hath Strength of Favour: But otherwise, a Man were better rife in his Suit; for he that would have ventured at first to have loft the Suitor, will not in the Conclufion, lofe both the Suitor, and his own former Favour. Nothing is thought fo eafy a Request, to a great Perfon, as his Letter; and yet, if it be not in a good Caufe, it is fo much out of his Reputation. There are no worse Inftruments, than these general Contrivers of Suits: For they are but a kind of Poifon and Infection to publick Proceedings.

L. Of Studies.

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TUDIES ferve for Delight, for Ornament, and for Ability. Their chief Ufe for Delight, is in Privateness and Retiring; for Ornament, is in Difcourfe; and for Ability, is in the Judgement and Difpofition of Bufinefs. For expert Men can execute, and perhaps judge of Particulars, one by one; but the general Counfels, and the Plots, and marfhalling of Affairs, come beft from those that are learned. To spend too much Time in Studies, is floth; to use them too much for Ornament, is Affectation; to make Judgement wholly by their Rules is the Humour of a Scholar. They perfect Nature, and are perfected by Experience: For

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natural Abilities are like natural Plants, that need pruning by Study: And Studies themselves do give forth Directions too much at Large, except they be bounded in by Experience. Crafty Men contemn Studies; fimple Men admire them; and wife Men use them: For they teach not their own Use; But that is a Wisdom without them, and above them, won by Observation. Read not to contra

dict, and confute; Nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find Talk and Difcourfe; but to weigh and confider. Some Books are to be tafted, others to be swallowed, and fome Few to be chewed and digefted: That is, fome Books are to be read only in Parts; others to be read but not curiously; and fome Few to be read wholly, and with Diligence and Attention. Some Books alfo may be read by Deputy, and Extracts made of them by others: But that would be only in the lefs important Arguments, and the meaner Sort of Books: elfe diftilled Books are like common distilled Waters, flashy Things. Reading maketh a full Man; Conference a ready Man; and Writing an exact Man. And therefore, if a Man write little, he had need have a great Memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present Wit; and if he read little, he had need have much Cunning, to seem to know that he doth not. Hiftories make Men wife; Poets Witty; the Mathematicks subtile; natural Philofophy deep; moral Grave; Logick and Rhetorick able to contend. Abeunt ftudia in Mores. Nay there is no Stand or Impediment in the Wit, but may be wrought out by

fit Studies: Like as Diseases of the Body may have Appropriate Exercises. Bowling is good for the Stone and Reins; Shooting for the Lungs and Breaft; gentle Walking for the Stomach; Riding for the Head; and the like. So if a Man's Wit be wandering, let him Study the Mathematics; for in Demonftrations, if his Wit be called away never fo little, he must begin again; if his Wit be not apt to distinguish or find difference, let him ftudy the Schoolmen; for they are Cymini fectores. If he be not apt to beat over Matters, and to call up one Thing, to prove and illuftrate another, let him Study the Lawyer's Cafes; fo every Defect of the Mind may have a special Receipt.

LI. Of Faction.

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ANY have an Opinion not wife; that for a Prince to govern his Eftate; or for a great Perfon to govern his Proceedings, according to the Respect of Factions, is a Principal Part of Policy: whereas contrariwife, the chiefest Wisdom is, either in ordering those Things, which are general, and wherein Men of feveral Factions do nevertheless agree; or in dealing with Correfpondence to particular Perfons, one by one. But I fay not, that the confideration of Factions is to be Neglected. Mean Men, in their rifing, muft adhere; but great Men, that have Strength in themselves, were better to

maintain themselves indifferent, and neutral. Yet even in Beginners, to adhere fo moderately, as he be a Man of the one Faction, which is moft paffable with the other, commonly giveth best Way. The lower and weaker Faction, is the firmer in Conjunction: And it is often seen, that a Few, that are stiff, do tire out, a greater Number, that are moderate. When One of the Factions is extinguished, the remaining subdivideth: As the Faction between Lucullus, and the Reft of the nobles of the Senate, (which they called Optimates) held out a while, against the Faction of Pompey and Cæfar: But when the Senate's Authority was pulled down, Cæfar and Pompey foon after brake. The Faction or Party of Antonius, and Octavianus Cæfar, against Brutus and Caffius, held out likewife for a time: But when Brutus and Caffius were overthrown, then foon after Antonius and Octavianus brake and fubdivided. Thefe Examples are of Wars, but the same holdeth in private Factions. And therefore, those that are Seconds in Factions, do many times, when the Faction fubdivideth, prove Principals: But many times also, they prove Ciphers and cashiered: For many a Man's strength is in oppofition; and when that faileth, he groweth out of use. It is commonly seen, that Men once placed, take in with the contrary Faction to that by which they enter; thinking belike that they have the First fure; and now are ready for a new Purchase. The Traitor in Faction lightly goeth away with it; for when Matters have stuck long in balancing, the winning of

fome one Man cafteth them, and he getteth all the Thanks. The even Carriage between two Factions, proceedeth not always of Moderation, but of a Trueness to a Man's Self, with End to make use of both. Certainly in Italy, they hold it a little fufpect in Popes, when they have often in their Mouth, Padre commune: And take it, to be a Sign of one, that meaneth to refer all to the Greatness of his own House. Kings had need beware, how they fide themselves, and make themselves as of a Faction or Party For Leagues within the State are ever pernicious to Monarchies; for they raise an Obligation, paramount to Obligation of Sovereignty, and make the King, Tanquam unus ex nobis : As was to be seen, in the League of France. When Factions are carried too high, and too violently, it is a Sign of Weakness in Princes; and much to the Prejudice, both of their Authority, and Businefs. The Motions of Factions, under Kings, ought to be like the Motions (as the Aftronomers speak) of the inferior Orbs; which may have their proper Motions, but yet ftill, are quietly carried, by the higher Motion, of Primum Mobile.

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