XL. OF FORTUNE.

It cannot be denied but outward accidents conduce much to fortune favour, opportunity, death of others, occasion fitting virtue. But chiefly the mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands. Faber quisque fortunæ suæ,' saith the poet.2 And the most frequent of external causes is, that the folly of one man is the fortune of another. For no man prospers so suddenly as by others' errors. Serpens, nisi serpentem comederit, non fit draco.3 Overt and apparent1 virtues bring forth praise; but there be secret and hidden virtues that bring forth fortune, certain deliveries of a man's self, which have no name. The Spanish name, desemboltura, partly expresseth them: when there be not stonds nor restiveness in a man's nature; but that the wheels of his mind keep way with the wheels of his fortune. For so Livy, after he had described Cato Major in these words, In illo viro tantum robur corporis et animi fuit, ut quocumque loco natus esset, fortunam sibi facturus videretur, falleth upon

1 Faber quisque, &c.] Every man the architect of his own fortune. 2 Saith the poet] The poet here meant may be Appius, of whom the tract De Republicâ Ordinandâ, generally attributed to Sallust, says, 'Res docuit id verum esse, quod in carminibus Appius ait, Fabrum esse quemque fortunæ.' But the Latin version has inquit Comicus: and probably Bacon thought the adage to have grown out of a passage in the Trinummus (ii. 2) of Plautus, for in the Advancement, II., he writes 'Nam pol sapiens, saith the comical poet, fingit fortunam sibi; and it grew to an adage, Faber quisque fortunæ propriæ.'

3 Serpens, nisi serpentem, &c.] A serpent if it has not devoured a serpent does not become a dragon. Apparent] Manifest.

4

5 Deliveries of a man's self] Lat. Facultates se expediendi. Powers of adapting one's self.

• Stonds] Obstacles, or resistances.

Again used in the 50th Essay.

In that man there was such

In illo viro, &c.] Livy, xxxix. 40. vigour both of mind and body, that he seemed to be one that would achieve fortune for himself wherever he might have been born.

that,' that he had versatile ingenium.2 Therefore, if a man look sharply and attentively, he shall see fortune: for though she be blind, yet she is not invisible. The way of fortune is like the milken way in the sky; which is a meeting or knot of a number of small stars, not seen asunder, but giving light together. So are there a number of little and scarce discerned virtues, or rather faculties and customs, that make men fortunate. The Italians note some of them, such as a man would little think. When they speak of one

3

that cannot do amiss, they will throw in into his other conditions, that he hath Poco di matto; and, certainly, there be not two more fortunate properties, than to have a little of the fool, and not too much of the honest. Therefore extreme lovers of their country or masters were never fortunate; neither can they be, for when a man placeth his thoughts without himself, he goeth not his own way. A hasty fortune maketh an enterpriser and remover 5 (the French hath it better, entreprenant, or remuant); but the exercised fortune 6 maketh the able man. Fortune is to be honoured and respected, and it be but for her daughters, Confidence and Reputation; for those two felicity breedeth: the first within a man's self; the latter in others towards him. All wise men, to decline the envy of their own virtues, use to ascribe them to Providence and Fortune; for so they may the better assume them: and, besides, it is greatness in a man to be the care of the higher Powers. So Cæsar said to the pilot in the tempest, Cæsarem portas, et

Falleth upon that] Takes note of that.

2 Versatile ingenium] A versatile genius. 8 Conditions] Qualities.

Poco ai matto] A little of the fool.

5 Remover] Agitator.

6 The exercised fortune] The fortune that has been attained through persevering efforts.

And it be] An, or if, it be. See p. 98, note 4.

8 To decline] To repress.

fortunam ejus.1 So Sylla chose the name of Felix, and not of Magnus. And it hath been noted, that those that ascribe openly too much to their own wisdom and policy end unfortunate. It is written, that Timotheus the Athenian, after he had, in the account he gave to the State of his government, often interlaced this speech, and in this Fortune had no part, never prospered in anything he undertook afterwards.2 Certainly there be whose fortunes are like Homer's verses, that have a slide and easiness more than the verses of other poets: as Plutarch saith of Timoleon's fortune in respect of that of Agesilaus or Epaminondas :3 and that this should be, no doubt it is much in a man's self.

1 Cæsarem portas, &c.] 'You carry Cæsar and his fortune.' On the occasion to which this refers, Cæsar was passing in disguise from Macedonia to Italy during a storm. The ship-master fearing to proceed, Cæsar revealed himself, and said, 'Fear not, for thou hast Cæsar and his fortune with thee.' The story is in Plutarch's life of Julius Cæsar. Shakspeare's Henry VI. Part I. i. 2, makes the Maid of Orleans say— 'Now am I like that proud insulting ship,

Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once.'

2 Timotheus the Athenian, &c.] Sylla did not as Timotheus the son of Conon had done who, when his adversaries did attribute his noble deeds to the favour of Fortune, he took it in very ill part. Wherefore one day when this Timotheus was returned from the wars with great victories, after he had openly acquainted the Athenians with the whole discourse of his doings in his voyage, he said unto them: My lords of Athens, Fortune hath had no part in all this which I have told unto you. Hereupon the gods, it should seem, were so angry with this foolish ambition of Timotheus, that he never afterwards did any worthy thing, but all went utterly against the hair with him. But Sylla, to the contrary, did not only patiently abide their words that said he was a happy man and singularly beloved of Fortune, but also, increasing this opinion, and glorying as at a special grace of the gods, did attribute the honour of his doings unto Fortune.'-North's Plutarch (Sylla).

3 As Plutarch saith, &c.] 'Like as Antimachus' verses are full of sinews and strength, and yet at this present we see they are things greatly laboured and made with much pain; and that contrariwise in

XLI. OF USURY.

Many have made witty invectives against usury. They say that it is pity the devil should have God's part, which is the tithe ;1 that the usurer is the greatest sabbath-breaker, because his plough goeth every Sunday; that the usurer is the drone that Virgil speaketh of:

Ignavum fucos pecus a præsepibus arcent ;2

that the usurer breaketh the first law that was made for mankind after the fall, which was, in sudore vultus tui comedes panem tuum; not, in sudore vultus alieni;3 that usurers should have orange-tawny bonnets, because they do judaise ;4 that it is against nature for money to beget money; 5 and the

Homer's verses, besides the passing workmanship and singular grace in them, a man findeth at the first sight that they were easily made and without great pain: even so in like manner, whosoever will compare the painful bloody wars and battles of Epaminondas and Agesilaus with the wars of Timoleon, in the which, besides equity and justice, there is also great ease and quietness, he shall find that they have not been Fortune's doings simply, but that they came of a most noble and fortunate courage. Yet he himself doth wisely impute it unto his good hap and favourable fortune.'-North's Plutarch (Timoleon).

The tithe] The tenth, or customary rate of 10 per cent.

2 Ignavum fucos, &c.] Georg. iv. 168. They drive from their dwellings the idle swarm of drones.

3 In sudore, &c.] Gen. iii. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread; not in the sweat of another man's face. See p. 146.

Because they do judaise] Because they act like Jews. The Jews were obliged by statute to wear orange-tawny or yellow caps; more anciently it was compulsory for every Jew from the age of seven to wear on his outer garment a badge of yellow felt, six inches long and three inches broad.

5 That it is against nature, &c.] Francis Meres, in his Palladis Tamia (1598), says, 'Usury and increase by gold and silver is unlaw

like. I say this only, that usury is a concessum propter duritiem cordis for since there must be borrowing and lending, and men are so hard of heart as2 they will not lend freely, usury must be permitted. Some others have made suspicious and cunning propositions of banks, discovery 3 of men's estates, and other inventions; but few have spoken of usury usefully. It is good to set before us the incommodities and commodities of usury, that the good may be either weighed out, or culled out; and warily to provide, that while we make forth1 to that which is better, we meet not with that which is

worse.

The discommodities of usury are : first, that it makes fewer merchants. For were it not for this lazy trade of usury, money would not lie still, but would in great part be employed upon merchandising, which is the vena porta of wealth in a state. The second, that it makes poor merchants; for as a farmer cannot husband his ground so well if he sit at a great rent, so the merchant cannot drive his trade so well if he sit at great usury. The third is incident to the other two; and that is, the decay of customs of Kings, or States, which ebb or flow with merchandising. The fourth, that it bringeth the treasure of a Realm or State into a few hands; for the usurer being at certainties, and others at uncertainties, at the end of the game most of the money will be in the box ; and ever a State flourisheth when wealth is

ful, because against nature; nature hath made them sterile and barren : usury makes them procreative.' Compare what Antonio says in Shakspeare, Merch. of Ven. i. 3, 'When did friendship take a breed for barren metal of his friend?'

1 A concessum, &c.] A concession because of the hardness of the heart. He alludes to Matth. xix. 8.

2 As] That.

• Make forth] Advance.

6 Husband] Cultivate.

Discovery] The making known. Vena Porta] See p. 81, note 1. 'Sit] Occupy, or hold.

8 Will be in the box] Will be in the coffer of the idle usurer. The

Latin version has promo cedat, turns out to be the lender's.