their study is but to please them, and profit themselves; and for either respect they will abandon the good of their affairs.

Wisdom for a man's self is, in many branches thereof, a depraved thing: it is the wisdom of rats, that will be sure to leave a house somewhat before it fall: it is the wisdom of the fox, that thrusts out the badger who digged and made room for him: it is the wisdom of crocodiles, that shed tears when they would devour. But that which is specially to be noted, is, that those which (as Cicero says of Pompey) are, "sui amantes, sine rivali," are many times unfortunate; and whereas they have all their times sacrificed to themselves, they become in the end themselves sacrifices to the inconstancy of fortune, whose wings they thought by their self-wisdom to have pinioned.

XXIV. OF INNOVATIONS.

XXV. OF DISPATCH. AFFECTED dispatch is one of the most dangerous things to business that can be: it is like that which the physicians call predigestion, or hasty digestion, which is sure to fill the body full of crudities, and secret seeds of diseases: therefore measure not dispatch by the times of sitting, but by the advancement of the business: and as in races, it is not the large stride, or high lift, that makes the speed; so in business, the keeping close to the matter, and not taking of it too much at once, procureth dispatch. It is the care of some, only to come off speedily for the time, or to contrive some false periods of business, because they may seem men of dispatch: but it is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off; and business so handled at several sittings, or meetings, goeth commonly backward and forward in an unsteady manner. I knew a wise man that had it for a by-word, when he saw men hasten to a conclusion, "Stay a little, that we may make an end the sooner."

On the other side, true dispatch is a rich thing; for

and business is bought at a dear hand where there is been noted to be of small dispatch: "Mi venga la small dispatch. The Spartans and Spaniards have muerte de Spagna ; "-"Let my death come from Spain;" for then it will be sure to be long in coming.

Give good hearing to those that give the first information in business, and rather direct them in the be ginning, than interrupt them in the continuance of their speeches; for he that is put out of his own order will go forward and backward, and be more tedious while he waits upon his memory, than he could have been if he had gone on in his own course; but sometimes it is seen that the moderator is more troublesome than the actor.

As the births of living creatures at first are ill-time is the measure of business, as money is of wares, shapen, so are all innovations, which are the births of time; yet notwithstanding, as those that first bring honor into their family are commonly more worthy than most that succeed, so the first precedent (if it be good) is seldom attained by imitation; for ill to man's nature as it stands perverted, hath a natural motion strongest in continuance; but good, as a forced motion, strongest at first. Surely every medicine is an innovation, and he that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator; and if time of course alter things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end? It is true, that what is settled by custom, though it be not good, yet at least it is fit; and those things which have long gone together, are, as it were, confederate within themselves; whereas new things piece not so well; but, though they help by their utility, yet they trouble by their inconformity: besides, they are like strangers, more admired and less favored. All this is true, if time stood still: which, contrariwise, moveth so round, that a froward retention of custom is as turbulent a thing as an innovation; and they that reverence too much old times are but a scorn to the new. It were good, therefore, that men in their innovations would follow the example of time itself, which indeed innovateth greatly, but quietly, and by degrees scarce to be perceived; for otherwise, whatsoever is new is unlooked for; and ever it mends some and pairs other; and he that is holpen, takes it for a fortune, and thanks the time; and he that is hurt, for a wrong, and imputeth it to the author. It is good also not to try experiments in states, except the necessity be urgent, or the utility evident; and well to beware that it be the reformation that draw

eth on the change, and not the desire of change that pretendeth the reformation; and lastly, that the novelty, though it be not rejected, yet be held for a suspect, and, as the Scripture saith, "That we make a stand upon the ancient way, and then look about us, and discover what is the straight and right way,

and so to walk in it."e

"Lovers of themselves without a rival."

a Remedy.

b Adapted to each other.

• Injures, or impairs.

d A thing suspected.

. He probably alludes to Jeremiah vi. 16: "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.'

d

Iterations are commonly loss of time; but there is no such gain of time as to iterate often the state of the question; for it chaseth away many a frivolous speech as it is coming forth. Long and curious speeches are as fit for dispatch as a robe, or mantle, with a long train, is for a race. Prefaces, and passages, and excusations, and other speeches of reference to the person, are great wastes of time; and though they seem to proceed of modesty, they are bravery. Yet beware of being too material when there is any impediment, or obstruction in men's wills; for preoccupation of mind' ever requireth preface of speech, like a fomentation to make the unguent enter.

Above all things, order and distribution, and singling out of parts, is the life of dispatch; so as the distribution be not too subtile: for he that doth not that divideth too much will never come out of it divide will never enter well into business; and he clearly. To choose time, is to save time; and an unseasonable motion is but beating the air. There be three parts of business: the preparation; the debate, or examination; and the perfection. Whereof, if you look for dispatch, let the middle only be the work of many, and the first and last the work of few. The doth for the most part facilitate dispatch; for though proceeding, upon somewhat conceived in writing, it should be wholly rejected, yet that negative is more pregnant of direction than an indefinite, as ashes are more generative than dust.

XXVI.-OF SEEMING WISE.

truly, that it is a mere and miserable solitude to want true friends, without which the world is but a wilderness; and even in this sense also of solitude, whosoever in the frame of his nature and affections is unfit for friendship, he taketh it of the beast, and not from humanity.

sion towards society in any man hath somewhat of the savage beast; but it is most untrue that it Ir hath been an opinion, that the French are wiser should have any character at all of the divine nathan they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than ture, except it proceed, not out of a desire in solthey are; but howsoever it be between nations, cer- itude, but out of a love and desire to sequester a tainly it is so between man and man; for as the man's self for a higher conversation: such as is apostle saith of godliness, "Having a show of godli- found to have been falsely and feignedly in some ness, but denying the power thereof; so certainly of the heathen; as Epimenides, the Candian; Nuthere are, in points of wisdom and sufficiency, that ma, the Roman; Empedocles, the Sicilian; and do nothing or little very solemnly; "magno conatu Apollonius of Tyana; and truly and really in divers nugas." It is a ridiculous thing, and fit for a satire of the ancient hermits and holy fathers of the to persons of judgment, to see what shifts these for- Church. But little do men perceive what solitude malists have, and what prospectives to make super- is, and how far it extendeth; for a crowd is not comfices to seem body, that hath depth and bulk. Some pany, and faces are but a gallery of pictures, and are so close and reserved as they will not show their talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love. wares but by a dark light, and seem always to keep The Latin adage meeteth with it a little, "Magna back somewhat; and when they know within them- civitas, magna solitudo; " because in a great town selves they speak of that they do not well know, friends are scattered, so that there is not that fellowwould nevertheless seem to others to know of that ship, for the most part, which is in less neighborwhich they may not well speak. Some help them-hoods: but we may go further, and affirm most selves with countenance and gesture, and are wise by signs; as Cicero saith of Piso, that when he answered him he fetched one of his brows up to his forehead, ond bent the other down to his chin; "Respondes, altero ad frontem sublato, altero ad mentum depresso supercilio; crudelitatem tibi non placere." Some think to bear it by speaking a great word, and being peremptory; and go on, and take by admittance that which they cannot make good. Some, whatsoever is beyond their reach, will seem to despise, or make light of it as impertinent or curious: and so would have their ignorance seem judgment. Some are never without a difference, and commonly by amusing men with a subtilty, blanch the matter; of whom A. Gellius saith, "Hominem delirum, qui verborum minutiis rerum frangit pondera." Of which kind also Plato, in his Protagoras, bringeth in Prodicus in scorn, and maketh him make a speech that consisteth of distinctions from the beginning to the end. Generally such men, in all deliberations, find ease to be of the negative side, and affect a credit to object and foretell difficulties; for when propositions are denied, there is an end of them; but if they be allowed, it requireth a new work: which false point of wisdom is the bane of business. To conclude, there is no decaying merchant, or inward beggar, hath so many tricks to uphold the credit of wealth as these empty persons have to maintain the credit of their sufficiency. Seeming wise men may make shift to get opinion; but let no man choose them for employment; for certainly, you were better take for business a man somewhat absurd than over-formal.

A principal fruit of friendship is the ease and discharge of the fulness and swellings of the heart, which passions of all kinds do cause and induce. We know diseases of stoppings and suffocations are the most dangerous in the body; and it is not much otherwise in the mind; you may take sarzad to open the liver, steel to open the spleen, flower of sulphur for the lungs, castoreum for the brain; but no receipt openeth the heart but a true friend, to whom you may impart griefs, joys, fears, hopes, suspicions, counsels, and whatsoever lieth upon the heart to oppress it, in a kind of civil shrift or confession.

It is a strange thing to observe how high a rate great kings and monarchs do set upon this fruit of friendship whereof we speak: so great, as they purchase it many times at the hazard of their own safety and greatness: for princes, in regard of the distance of their fortune from that of their subjects and servants, cannot gather this fruit, except (to make themselves capable thereof) they raise some persons to be as it were companions, and almost equals to themselves, which many times sorteth to inconvenience. The modern languages give unto such persons the name of favorites, or privadoes, as if it were matter of grace, or conversation; but the Roman name attaineth the true use and cause thereof, naming them "participes curarum; "f for it is that which tieth the knot and we see plainly that this hath been done, not by weak and passionate princes only, but

b Epimenides, a poet of Crete (of which Canadia is the which lasted fifty-seven years. He was also said to modern name), is said by Pliny to have fallen into a sleep have lived 299 years. Numa pretended that he was instructed in the art of legislation by the divine nymph Egeria, who dwelt in the Arican grove Empedocles, the Sicilian philosopher, declared himself to be immortal, and to be able to cure all evils: he is said by some to have retired from society that his death might not be known, and to have thrown himself into the crater of Mount Etna Apollonius of Tyana, the Pythagorean philosopher, pretended to miraculous powers, and after his death a temple was erected to him at that place. His life is recorded by Philostratus; and some persons, among whom are Hierocles, Dr. More, in his Mystery of Godliness, and recently Strauss, have not hesitated to compare his miracles with those of our Saviour.

с "A great city, a great desert."
d Sarsaparilla.

• A liquid matter of a pungent smell, extracted from a portion of the body of the beaver.

f"Partakers of cares."

by the wisest and most politic that ever reigned, who have oftentimes joined to themselves some of their servants, whom both themselves have called friends, and allowed others likewise to call them in the same manner, using the word which is received between private men.

might have made the same judgment also, if it had pleased him, of his second master, Louis the Eleventh, whose closeness was indeed his tormentor. The parable of Pythagoras is dark, but true, "Cor ne edito,"-" eat not the heart." Certainly, if a man would give it a hard phrase, those that want friends L. Sylla, when he commanded Rome, raised Pom- to open themselves unto are cannibals of their own pey (after surnamed the Great) to that height that hearts: but one thing is most admirable (wherewith Pompey vaunted himself for Sylla's overmatch; for I will conclude this first fruit of friendship), which when he had carried the consulship for a friend of is, that this communicating of a man's self to his his, against the pursuit of Sylla, and that Sylla did a friend works two contrary effects; for it redoubleth little resent thereat, and began to speak great, Pom-joys, and cutteth griefs in halves: for there is no man pey turned upon him again, and in effect bade him that imparteth his joys to his friend, but he joyeth be quiet; for that more men adored the sun rising the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs than the sun setting. With Julius Cæsar, Decimus to his friend, but he grieveth the less. So that it is, Brutus had obtained that interest, as he set him in truth, of operation upon a man's mind of like virdown in his testament for heir in remainder after his tue as the alchymists used to attribute to their stone nephew; and this was the man that had power with for man's body, that it worketh all contrary effects, him to draw him forth to his death: for when Cæsar but still to the good and benefit of nature: but yet, would have discharged the senate, in regard of some without praying in aid of alchymists, there is a manill presages, and specially a dream of Calphurnia, ifest image of this in the ordinary course of nature; this man lifted him gently by the arm out of his for, in bodies, union strengtheneth and cherisheth chair, telling him he hoped he would not dismiss the any natural action; and, on the other side, weakensenate till his wife had dreamt a better dream; and eth and dulleth any violent impression; and even so it seemeth his favor was so great, as Antonius, in a is it of minds. letter which is recited verbatim in one of Cicero's The second fruit of friendship is healthful and Philippics, calleth him "venefica,"-"witch;" as if sovereign for the understanding, as the first is for the he had enchanted Cæsar. Augustus raised Agrippa affections; for friendship maketh indeed a fair day (though of mean birth) to that height, as, when he in the affections from storm and tempests, but it consulted with Maecenas about the marriage of his maketh daylight in the understanding, out of darkdaughter Julia, Mæcenas took the liberty to tell him, ness and confusion of thoughts: neither is this to be that he must either marry his daughter to Agrippa, understood only of faithful counsel, which a man reor take away his life: there was no third way, he ceiveth from his friend; but before you come to that, had made him so great. With Tiberius Cæsar, Se- certain it is, that whosoever hath his mind fraught janus had ascended to that height, as they two were with many thoughts, his wits and understanding do termed and reckoned as a pair of friends. Tiberius, clarify and break up in the communicating and disin a letter to him, saith, "Hæc pro amicitia nostra coursing with another; he tosseth his thoughts more non occultavi; " and the whole senate dedicated an easily; he marshalleth them more orderly; he seeth altar to Friendship, as to a goddess, in respect of the how they look when they are turned into words: great dearness of friendship between them two. finally, he waxeth wiser than himself; and that more The like, or more, was between Septimius Severus by an hour's discourse than by a day's meditation. It and Plautianus; for he forced his eldest son to marry was well said by Themistocles to the king of Persia, the daughter of Plautianus, and would often main-"That speech was like cloth of Arras," opened and tain Plautianus in doing affronts to his son; and did put abroad; whereby the imagery doth appear in write also, in a letter to the senate, by these words: figure; whereas in thoughts they lie but as in packs." "I love the man so well, as I wish he may over-live Neither is this second fruit of friendship, in opening me." Now, if these princes had been as a Trajan, or the understanding, restrained only to such friends as a Marcus Aurelius, a man might have thought that are able to give a man counsel (they indeed are best), this had proceeded of an abundant goodness of na- but even without that a man learneth of himself, ture; but being men so wise,h of such strength and and bringeth his own thoughts to light, and whetseverity of mind, and so extreme lovers of themselves, teth his wits as against a stone, which itself cuts not. as all these were, it proveth most plainly that they In a word, a man were better relate himself to a found their own felicity (though as great as ever hap- statue or picture, than to suffer his thoughts to pass pened to mortal men) but as an half-piece, except in smother. they might have a friend to make it entire; and yet, which is more, they were princes that had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could not supply the comfort of friendship.

It is not to be forgotten what Comineusi observeth of his first master, Duke Charles the Hardy, namely, that he would communicate his secrets with none; and least of all, those secrets which troubled him most. Whereupon he goeth on, and saith, that towards his latter time that closeness did impair and a little perish his understanding. Surely Comineus

g "These things, by reason of our friendship, I have not concealed from you."

h Such infamous men as Tiberius and Sejanus hardly

deserve this commendation. i Philip de Comines.

k Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy, the valiant antagonist of Louis XI. of France. de Comines spent his early years at his court, but afterwards passed into the service of Louis XI. This monarch was notorious for his cruelty, treachery, and dissimulation, and had all the bad qualities of his contemporary, Edward IV. of England, without any of his redeeming virtues.

Add now, to make this second fruit of friendship complete, that other point which lieth more open, and falleth within vulgar observation: which is faithful counsel from a friend. Heraclitus saith well in one of his enigmas," Dry light is ever the best:" and certain it is, that the light that a man receiveth by counsel from another, is drier and purer than that which cometh from his own understanding and judg ment; which is ever infused and drenched in his affections and customs. So as there is as much difference between the counsel that a friend giveth, and that a man giveth himself, as there is between the

his disciples to eat flesh of any kind whatever. See the Pythagoras went still further than this, as he forbade interesting speech which Ovid attributes to him in the Fifteenth book of the Metamorphoses. Sir Thomas Browne, in his Pseudodoxia (Browne's Works, Bohns Antiquarian edn., vol. i. p. 27, et seq), gives some curious explanations of the doctrines of this philosopher.

m Tapestry. Speaking hypercritically, Lord Bacon commits an anachronism here, as Arras did not manufac ture tapestry till the middle ages.

that the care of those things will continue after him; so that a man hath, as it were, two lives in his desires. A man hath a body, and that body is confined to a place but where friendship is, all offices of life are, as it were, granted to him and his deputy; for hemay exercise them by his friend. How many things are there, which a man cannot, with any face or comeliness, say or do himself? A man can scarce allege his own merits with modesty, much less extol them: a man cannot sometimes brook to supplicate, or beg, and a number of the like: but all these things are graceful in a friend's mouth, which are blushing in a man's own. So again, a man's person hath many proper relations which he cannot put off. A man cannot speak to his son but as a father; to his wife but as a husband; to his enemy but upon terms: whereas a friend may speak as the case requires, and not as it sorteth with the person: but to enumerate these things were endless; I have given the rule, where a man cannot fitly play his own part, if he have not a friend, he may quit the stage.

counsel of a friend and of a flatterer; for there is no such flatterer as is a man's self, and there is no such remedy against flattery of a man's self as the liberty of a friend. Counsel is of two sorts; the one concerning manners, the other concerning business: for the first, the best preservative to keep the mind in health, is the faithful admonition of a friend. The calling of a man's self to a strict account is a medieine sometimes too piercing and corrosive; reading good books of morality is a little flat and dead; observing our faults in others is sometimes improper for our case; but the best receipt (best I say to work and best to take) is the admonition of a friend. It is a strange thing to behold what gross errors and extreme absurdities many (especially of the greater sort) do commit for want of a friend to tell them of them, to the great damage both of their fame and fortune: for, as St. James saith, they are as men "that look sometimes into a glass, and presently forAs for business, a get their own shape and favor."n man may think, if he will, that two eyes see no more than one; or, that a gamester seeth always more than a looker-on; or, that a man in anger is as wise as he that hath said over the four and twenty letters ;" or, that a musket may be shot off as well upon the arm as upon a rest; and such other fond and high imaginations, to think himself all in all: but when all is done, the help of good counsel is that which setteth business straight: and if any man think RICHES are for spending, and spending for honor that he will take counsel, but it shall be by pieces; and good actions; therefore extraordinary expense asking counsel in one business of one man, and in must be limited by the worth of the occasion; for another business of another man; it is well (that is voluntary undoing may be as well for a man's counto say, better, perhaps, than if he asked none at all); try as for kingdom of heaven; but ordinary exbut he runneth two dangers; one, that he shall not pense ought to be limited by a man's estate, and be faithfully counselled; for it is a rare thing, ex-governed with such regard, as it be within his comcept it be from a perfect and entire friend, to have counsel given, but such as shall be bowed and crooked to some ends which he hath that giveth it: the other, that he shall have counsel given, hurtful and unsafe (though with good meaning), and mixed partly of mischief, and partly of remedy; even as if you would call a physician, that is thought good for the cure of the disease you complain of, but is unacquainted with your body; and, therefore, may put you in a way for a present cure, but overthroweth your health in some other kind, and so cure the disease, and kill the patient: but a friend, that is wholly acquainted with a man's estate will beware, by furthering any present business, how he dasheth upon other inconvenience; and therefore, rest not upon scattered counsels; they will rather distract and mislead, than settle and direct.

After these two noble fruits of friendship (peace in the affections, and support of the judgment, followeth the last fruit, which is like the pomegranate, full of many kernels; I mean aid, and bearing a part in all actions and occasions. Here the best way to represent to life the manifold use of friendship, is to cast and see how many things there are which a man cannot do himself; and then it will appear that it was a sparing speech of the ancients to say, "that a friend is another himself:" for that a friend is far more than himself. Men have their time, and die many times in desire of some things which they principally take to heart; the bestowing of a child, the finishing of a work, or the like. If a man have a true friend, he may rest almost secure

XXVIII.-OF EXPENSE.

pass; and not subject to deceit and abuse of servants; and ordered to the best show, that the bills may be less than the estimation abroad. Certainly, ifa man will keep but of even hand, his ordinary expenses ought to be but to the half of his receipts; and if he think to wax rich, but to the third part. It is no baseness for the greatest to descend and look into their own estate. Some forbear it, not upon negligence alone, but doubting to bring themselves into melancholy, in respect they shall find it broken: but wounds cannot be cured without searching. He that cannot look into his own estate at all, had need both choose well those whom he employeth, and change them often; for new are more timorous and less subtle. He that can look into his estate but seldom, it behoveth him to turn all to certainties. A man had need, if he be plentiful in some kind of expense, to be as saving again in some other: as if he be plentiful in diet, to be saving in apparel: if he be plentiful in the hall, to be saving in the stable : and the like. For he that is plentiful in expenses of all kinds will hardly be preserved from decay. In clearing of a man's estate, he may as well hurt himself in being too sudden, as in letting it run on too long; for hasty selling is commonly as disadvantageable as interest. Besides, he that clears at once will relapse; for finding himself out of straits, he will revert to his customs: but he that cleareth by degrees induceth a habit of frugality, and gaineth as well upon his mind as upon his estate. Certainly, who hath a state to repair, may not despise small things; and, commonly, it is less dishonorable to abridge petty charges than to stoop to petty gettings. A man ought warily to begin charges, which once begun will continue: but in matters that return not, he may be more magnifi

cent.

a From debts and incumbrances.