anxious fears, anger fretting inwards, subtle and knotty inquisitions, joys and exhilarations in excess, sadness not communicated. Entertain hopes, mirth rather than joy, variety of delights rather than surfeit of them; wonder and admiration,1 and therefore novelties; studies that fill the mind with splendid and illustrious" objects, as histories, fables, and contemplations of nature. If you fly physic in health altogether, it will be too strange for your body when you shall need it. If you make it too familiar, it will work no extraordinary effect when sickness cometh. I commend rather some diet for certain seasons, than frequent use of physic, except it be grown into a custom; for those diets alter the body more, and trouble it less. Despise no new accident in your body, but ask opinion of it. In sickness, respect health principally, and in health, action; for those that put their bodies to endure in health, may, in most sicknesses which are not very sharp, be cured only with diet and tendering. Celsus3 could never have spoken it as a physician, had he not been a wise man withal, when he giveth it for one of the great precepts of health and lasting, that a man do vary and interchange contraries; but with an inclination to the more benign extreme: use1 fasting and full eating, but rather full eating; watching and sleep, but rather sleep; sitting and exercise, but rather exercise; and the like so shall nature be cherished, and yet taught masteries. Physicians are some of them so pleasing and con

2

1 Wonder and admiration] Bacon often couples synonymes in this way. Thus, in the 29th Essay, 'Prest and ready;' 'Donatives and largesses.' So in the Prayer Book, 'Assemble and meet together,' &c. In such instances the words are generally from different languages, and one is intended to interpret the other.

2 Tendering] Nursing. Lat. Corporis regimine paulo exquisitiore. Celsus] A Latin physician, who lived about the time of Augustus. The quotation following is from his treatise De Medicina, i. 1.

Use] Practise.

formable to the humour of the patient, as they press not the true cure of the disease; and some other are so regular in proceeding according to art for the disease, as they respect not sufficiently the condition of the patient. Take one of a middle temper; or, if it may not be found in one man, combine two of either sort ;2 and forget not to call as well the best acquainted with your body, as the best reputed of for his faculty.3

XXXI. OF SUSPICION.

Suspicions, amongst thoughts, are like bats, amongst birds; they ever fly by twilight. Certainly they are to be repressed, or at the least well guarded; for they cloud the mind, they leese friends, and they check with business, whereby business cannot go on currently and constantly. They dispose kings to tyranny, husbands to jealousy, wise men to irresolution and melancholy. They are defects, not in the heart, but in the brain, for they take place in the stoutest natures: as in the example of Henry the Seventh of England; there was not a more suspicious man nor a more stout and in such a composition they do small hurt. For commonly they are not admitted but with examination whether they be likely9 or no; but in fearful natures they

1 As] That.

2 Two of either sort] This should be One of either sort—that is, one of each sort. Compare John xix. 18, 'Two other with him, on either side one.'

3 His faculty] Lat. Arte suâ.

Amongst] As a kind of.

5 Leese] Lose. See p. 81, note 4.

6 Check] Interfere. See p. 40, note 2.

"Stoutest] Boldest.

• Whether they be, &c.] As to whether, &c.

This clause forms an

objective of respect to the noun examination. See p. 132, note 1.

9 Likely] Probably just.

gain ground too fast. There is nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little; and, therefore, men should remedy suspicion by procuring to know more, and not to keep their suspicions in smother. What would men have ? Do they think those they employ and deal with are saints? Do they not think they will have their own ends, and be truer to themselves than to them? Therefore there is no better way to moderate suspicions, than to account upon such suspicions as true, and yet to bridle them as false for so far a man ought to make use of suspicions as to provide, as if that should be true that he suspects, yet it may do him no hurt. Suspicions that the mind of itself gathers are but buzzes ; but suspicions that are artificially nourished, and put into men's heads by the tales and whisperings of others, have stings. Certainly, the best mean to clear the way in this same wood of suspicions, is frankly to communicate them with the party that he suspects; for thereby he shall be sure to know more of the truth of them than he did before; and withal shall make that party more circumspect, not to give further cause of suspicion; but this would not be3 done to men of base natures; for they, if they find themselves once suspected, will never be true. The Italian says, Sospetto licentia fede, as if suspicion did give a passport to faith; but it ought rather to kindle it to discharge itself.5

As if] That in case.

2 Artificially] Lat. Externo artificio.

3 IVould not be] Ought not to be. See p. 17, note 2, and p. 92,

note 2.

• Sospetto licentia fede] Suspicion discharges fidelity.

5 To kindle it, &c.] To incite fidelity to discharge suspicion. Kindle in the sense of incite occurs in Shakspeare, As You Like It, i. 2, 'Nothing remains, but that I kindle the boy thither;' compare Macbeth, i. 3, 'That, trusted home, might yet enkindle you unto the crown.'

XXXII. OF DISCOURSE.

Some in their discourse desire rather commendation of wit, in being able to hold' all arguments, than of judgment in discerning what is true; as if it were a praise to know what might be said, and not what should be thought. Some have certain common-places2 and themes, wherein they are good, and want variety;3 which kind of poverty is for the most part tedious, and when it is once perceived, ridiculous. The honourablest part of talk is to give the occasion ; and again to moderate and pass to somewhat else; for then a man leads the dance. It is good in discourse and speech of conversation, to vary and intermingle speech of the present occasion with arguments; tales with reason; asking of questions with telling of opinions; and jest with earnest : for it is a dull thing to tire, and, as we say now, to jade anything too far. As for jest, there be certain things which ought to be privileged from it; namely, religion, matters of State, great persons, any man's present business of importance, and any case that deserveth pity. Yet there be some that think their wits have been asleep, except they dart out somewhat that is piquant, and to the quick; that is a vein which would be bridled."

Parce, puer, stimulis, et fortius utere loris."

1 To hold] To maintain.

2 Common-places] Loci communes are memorandums of common topics or sources of argument, as laid down by the ancient rhetoricians to serve for all occasions of discourse.

3 Want variety] Lat. Cætera steriles et jejuni.

• To give the occasion] Lat. Ansam sermonis præbere. See p. 30, note 3.

5 To moderate] To restrain, or temper down.

A vein, &c.] A humour which requires to be kept in check. See

p. 2, note 1, and p. 135, note 3.

Parce, puer, &c.] Ovid, Met. ii. 127. the use of the whip, and hold the reins tightly.

Be sparing, my son, in

And, generally, men ought to find the difference between saltness and bitterness. Certainly, he that hath a satirical vein, as he maketh others afraid of his wit, so he had need be afraid of others' memory. He that questioneth much shall learn much, and content much; but especially if he apply his questions to the skill of the persons whom he asketh; for he shall give them occasion to please themselves in speaking, and himself shall continually gather knowledge. But let his questions not be troublesome, for that is fit for a poser; and let him be sure to leave other men their turns to speak. Nay, if there be any that would reign and take up all the time, let him find means to take them off, and to bring others on: as musicians use to do with those that dance too long galliards.2 If you dissemble sometimes your knowledge of that you are thought to know, you shall be thought another time to know that you know not. Speech of a man's self ought to be seldom, and well chosen. I knew one was wont to say in scorn, he must needs be a wise man, he speaks so much of himself; and there is but one case wherein a man may commend himself with good grace, and that is in commending virtue in another; especially if it be such a virtue whereunto himself pretendeth. Speech of touch towards 3 others should be sparingly used; for discourse ought to be as a field, without coming home to any man. I knew two noblemen, of the west part of England, whereof the one was given to scoff, but kept ever royal cheer in his house; the other would ask of those that had been at the other's table, 'Tell truly, was there never a flout or dry blow given?' To which the guest would

1 Content much] Please in many cases.

2 Galliards] The light, active dance so called was much in fashion in Bacon's time. Fr. gaillard, brisk, merry.

3 Of touch towards] Aiming to hit.

Dry blow] Scoffing hit. To dry-beat was to beat with a cane, or