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XXXIV.—OF RICHES.

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to a little riches, and very easily to great riches; " for

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I CANNOT call riches better than the baggage of when a man's stock is come to that, that he can expect the prime of markets, and overcome those virtue; the Roman word is better, "impedimenta; for as the baggage is to an army, so is riches to bargains, which for their greatness are few men's virtue; it cannot be spared nor left behind, but it money, and be partner in the industries of younger hindereth the march; yea, and the care of it some-men, he cannot but increase mainly. The gains of times loseth or disturbeth the victory: of great riches ordinary trades and vocations are honest, and furthere is no real use, except it be in the distribution; the thered by two things, chiefly: by diligence, and for good by a good name and fair dealing; rest is but conceit; so saith Solomon, Where much is, there are many to consume it; and what hath but the gains of bargains are of a more doubtful nature, when men shall wait upon others' necthe owner but the sight of it with his eyes? "a personal fruition in any man cannot reach to feel essity: broke by servants and instruments to draw them on; put off others cunningly that would be betgreat riches: there is a custody of them; or a power ter chapmen, and the like practices, which are crafty of dole and donative of them; or a fame of them; and naught; as for the chopping of bargains, when but no solid use to the owner. Do you not see what feigned prices are set upon little stones and rarities? a man buys not to hold, but to sell over again, that and what works of ostentation are undertaken, be- commonly grindeth double, both upon the seller and cause there might seem to be some use of great hands be well chosen that are trusted. Usury is the the buyer. Sharings do greatly enrich, if the riches? But then you will say, they may be of use to buy men out of dangers or troubles; as Solomon certainest means of gain, though one of the worst; as that whereby a man doth eat his bread, "in sudore saith, "Riches are as a strong hold in the imaginavultus alieni; and besides, doth plough upon tion of the rich man; " but this is excellently expressed, that it is in imagination,and not always in fact: for, Sundays: but yet certain though it be, it hath flaws; have bought out. Seek not proud riches, but such as the first is an invention, or in a privilege, doth cause certainly, great riches have sold more men than they for that the scriveners and brokers do value unsound men to serve their own turn. The fortune, in being thou mayest get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly; yet have no abstract sometimes a wonderful overgrowth in riches, as it was with the first sugarman' in the Canaries: therefore nor friarly contempt of them; but distinguish, as Cicero saith well of Rabirius Posthumus, "In studio if a man can play the true logician, to have as well rei amplificandæ apparebat, non avaritiæ prædam, especially if the times be fit: he that resteth upon judgment as invention, he may do great matters, sed instrumentum bonitati quæri. Hearken also to Solomon, and beware of hasty gathering of riches: gains certain, shall hardly grow to great riches; and "Qui festinat ad divitias, non erit insons." d he that puts all upon adventures, doth oftentimes poets feign, that when Plutus (which is riches) is break and come to poverty: it is good, therefore, to sent from Jupiter, he limps, and goes slowly; but guard adventures with certainties that may uphold when he is sent from Pluto, he runs, and is swift of losses. Monopolies, and co-emption of wares for refoot; meaning, that riches gotten by good means and sale, where they are not restrained, are great means just labor pace slowly; but when they come by the to enrich; especially if the party have intelligence death of others (as by the course of inheritance, tes-what things are like to come into request, and so, taments, and the like), they come tumbling upon a Riches gotten by service man: but it might be applied likewise to Pluto, though it be of the best rise, yet when they are gottaking him for the devil: for when riches come from ten by flattery, feeding humors, and other servile the devil (as by fraud and oppression, and unjust conditions, they may be placed amongst the worst. means), they come upon speed. The ways to enrich As for fishing for testaments and executorships (as are many, and most of them foul: parsimony is one of Tacitus saith of Seneca, "Testamenta et orbos tanthe best, and yet is not innocent; for it withholdeth quam indagine capi"), it is yet worse, by how much men from works of liberality and charity. The im- men submit themselves to meaner persons than in provement of the ground is the most natural obtain-service. Believe not much them that seem to deing of riches; for it is our great mother's blessing, spise riches, for they despise them that despair of the earth's; but it is slow; and yet, where men of them; and none worse when they come to them. Be great wealth do stoop to husbandry, it multiplieth not pennywise; riches have wings, and sometimes riches exceedingly. I knew a nobleman in England they fly away of themselves, sometimes they must be that had the greatest audits of any man in my time, set flying to bring in more.

The

store himself beforehand.

Men leave their riches

a great grazier, a great sheep-master, a great timber- either to their kindred or to the public; and modA great state man, a great collier, a great corn-master, a great lead-erate portions prosper best in both. man, and so of iron, and a number of the like points left to an heir, is as a lure to all the birds of prey of husbandry; so as the earth seemed a sea to him round about to seize on him, if he be not the better in respect of the perpetual importation. It was truly established in years and judgment: likewise, glorious observed by one, "That himself came very hardly gifts and foundations are like sacrifices without salt; and but the painted sepulchres of alms, which soon will putrefy and corrupt inwardly: therefore measure not thine advancements by quantity, but frame them by measure: and defer not charities till death; for, certainly, if a man weigh it rightly, he that doth so is rather liberal of another man's than of his own.

He alludes to Ecclesiastes v. 11, the words of which crease, they are increased that eat them; and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?"

are somewhat varied in our version: "When goods in

"The rich man's wealth is his strong city."-Prov. x. 15; xviii. 11.

In his anxiety to increase his fortune, it was evident that not the gratification of avarice was sought, but the means of doing good

"He who hastens to riches will not be without guilt." In our version the words are: "He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent."-Proverbs xxviii. 22. Pluto being the king of the Infernal regions, or place of departed spirits.

Rent-roll, or account taken of income.

Wait till prices have risen.

h "In the sweat of another's brow." He alludes to the words of Genesis iii. 19: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,"

i Planters of sugar-canes.

k "Wills and childless persons were caught by him as though with a hunting net.

XXXV.-OF PROPHECIES.

I MEAN not to speak of divine prophecies, nor of heathen oracles, nor of natural predictions; but only of prophecies that have been of certain memory, and from hidden causes. Saith the Pythonissa to Saul, "To-morrow thou and thy sons shall be with me." Virgil hath these verses from Homer:

"Hic domus Æneæ cunctis dominabitur oris, Et nati natorum, et qui nascentur ab illis."b A prophecy as it seems of the Roman empire. Seneca the tragedian hath these verses:

washed it.

--Venient annis

Sæcula seris, quibus Oceanus
Vincula rerum laxet, et ingens
Pateat Tellus, Tiphysque novos
Detegat orbes; nec sit terris
Ultima Thule:"e

a prophecy of the discovery of America. The daughter of Polycrates dreamed that Jupiter bathed her father, and Apollo anointed him; and it came to pass that he was crucified in an open place, where the sun made his body run with sweat; and the rain Philip of Macedon dreamed he sealed up his wife's belly; whereby he did expound it, that his wife should be barren; but Aristander the soothsayer told him his wife was with child, because men do not use to seal vessels that are empty. A phantasm that appeared to M. Brutus in his tent, said to him, "Philippis iterum me videbis." Tiberius said to Galba, "Tu quoque, Galba, degustabis imperium." In Vespasian's time there went a prophecy in the East that those that should come forth of Judea, should reign over the world; which though it may be was meant of our Saviour, yet Tacitus expounds it of Vespasian. Domitian dreamed, the night before he was slain, that a golden head was growing out of the nape of his neck; and indeed the succession that followed him, for many years made golden times. Henry the Sixth of England said of Henry the Seventh, when he was a lad, and gave him water, "This is the lad that shall enjoy the crown for which we strive." When I was in France, I heard from one Dr. Pena, that the queen mother," who was given to curious arts, caused the king her husband's nativity to be calculated under a false name; and the astrologer gave a judgment, that he should be killed in a duel; at which the queen laughed, thinking her husband to be above challenges and duels; but he was slain upon a course at tilt, the splinters of the staff of Montgomery going in at his beaver. The trivial prophecy which I heard when I was a child, and Queen Elizabeth was in the flower of her years, was,

"When hempe is spunne England's done :"

whereby it was generally conceived, that after the princes had reigned which had the principal letters of the word hempe (which were Henry, Edward, a "Pythoness," used in the sense of witch. He alludes to the witch of Endor, and the words in Samuel xxvii. 19. He is however mistaken in attributing these words to the witch: it was the spirit of Samuel that said, "To-morrow b"But the house of Æneas shall reign over every shore, both his children's children, and those who shall spring

shalt thon and thy sons be with me."

from them."

"After the lapse of years, ages will come in which Ocean shall relax his chains around the world, and a vast continent shall appear, and Tiphys shall explore new regions, and Thule shall be no longer the utmost verge of earth."

d He was king of Samos, and was treacherously put to death by Oretes, the governor of Magnesia, in Asia Minor, His daughter in consequence of her dream, attempted to dissuade him from visiting Oretes, but in vain. e "Thou shalt see me again at Phillipi." "Thou also. Galba, shall taste of empire." Catherine de Medicis, the wife of Henry II. of France. who died from a wound accidentally received in a tournament.

Mary, Philip, and Elizabeth), England should come
to utter confusion; which thanks be to God, is veri-
fied only in the change of the name; for that the
king's style is now no more of England, but of Brit-
ain. There was also another prophecy before the
year of eighty-eight, which I do not well understand.
"There shall be seen upon a day,
Between the Baugh and the May,
The black fleet of Norway.
When that that is come and gone,

England build houses of lime and stone,
For afterwars shall you have none."

It was generally conceived to be meant of the Spanish fleet that came in eighty-eight: for that the king of Spain's surname, as they say, is Norway. The prediction of Regiomontanus,

"Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus,”ı was thought likewise accomplished in thes ending of that great fleet, being the greatest in strength, though not in number, of all that ever swam upon the sea. As for Cleon's dream, I think it was a jest; it was, that he was devoured of a long dragon: and it was expounded of a maker of sausages, that troubled him exceedingly. There are numbers of the like kind; especially if you include dreams, and predictions of astrology: but I have set down these few only of certain credit, for example. My judgment is that they onght all to be despised, and ought to serve but for winter talk by the fireside though when I say despised, I mean it as for belief; for otherwise, the spreading or publishing of them is in n sort to be despised, for they have done much mischief; and I see many severe laws made to suppress them. That that hath given them grace, and some credit consisteth in three things. First, that men mark when they hit, and never mark when they miss: as they do, generally, also of dreams. The second is, that probable conjectures, or obscure traditions. many times turn themselves into prophecies; while the nature of man, which coveteth divination, thinks it no peril to foretell that which indeed they do but collect: as that of Seneca's verse; for so much was then subject to demonstration, that the globe of the earth had great parts beyond the Atlantic, which might be probably conceived not to be all sea: and added thereto the tradition in Plato's Timæus, and his Atlanticus, it might encourage one to turn it to a prediction. The third and last (which is the great one is. that almost all of them, being infinite in number. have been impostures, and by idle and crafty brains, merely contrived and feigned, after the event past.

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h James I. being the first monarch of Great Britain. i "The eighty-eight will be a wondrous year." k Aristophanes, in his Comedy of The Knights, satirizes Cleon, the Athenian demagogue. He introduces a decaration of the oracle that the Eagle of hides (by whom Cleon was meant, his father having been a tanner should be conquered by a serpent, which Demosthenes, one of the characters in the play, expounds as meaning a maker of sausages. How Lord Bacon could for a moment doubt that this was a mere jest, it is difficult to conjecture. The following is a literal translation of a portion of the passage from The Knights (l. 197) :-"But when a leather eagle with crooked talons shall have seized blood, then the tan pickle of the Paphlagonians is de with its jaws a serpent, a stupid creature, a drinker of stroyed; but upon the sellers of sausages the Deity be stows great glory, unless they choose rather to sell

sausages."

This is a very just remark. So-called strange coinci dences, and wonderful dreams that are verified, when the point is considered, are really not at all marvellous We never hear of the 999 dreams that are not verified, but the thousandth that happens to precede its fulfilment is blazoned by unthinking people as a marvel. It would be a much more wonderful thing if dreams were not o casionally verified.

m Under this name be alludes to the Critias of Plato, in which an imaginary terra incognita" is discoursed of under the name of the "New Atlantis." It has been con jectured from this by some, that Plato really did believe in the existence of a continent on the other side of the globe.

XXXVI.-OF AMBITION.

is ever good for the public: but he that plots to be the only figure amongst ciphers, is the decay of a whole age. Honor hath three things in it: the vantage ground to do good; the approach to kings and principal persons; and the raising of a man's own fortunes. He that hath the best of these, intentions, when he aspireth, is an honest man; and that prince that can discern of these intentions in another that aspireth, is a wise prince. Generally, let princes and states choose such ministers as are more sensible of duty than of rising, and such as love business rather upon conscience than upon bravery; and let them discern a busy nature, from a willing mind.

XXXVII.-OF MASQUES AND TRIUMPHS.

AMBITION is like choler, which is a humor that maketh men active, earnest, full of alacrity, and stirring, if it be not stopped: but if it be stopped, and cannot have its way, it becometh adust, and thereby malign and venomous: so ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and still get forward, they are rather busy than dangerous; but if they be checked in their desires, they become secretly discontent, and look upon men and matters with an evil eye, and are best pleased when things go backward; which is the worst property in a servant of a prince or state: therefore it is good for princes, if they use ambitious men, to handle it so, as they be still progressive, and not retrograde; which, because it cannot be without inconvenience, it is good not to use such natures at all; for if they rise not with their service, they will take order to make their service fall with them. But since we THESE things are but toys to come amongst such have said, it were good not to use men of ambitious serious observations; but yet, since princes will have natures, except it be upon necessity, it is fit we speak such things, it is better they should be graced with in what cases they are of necessity. Good comelegancy, than daubed with cost. Dancing to song, manders in the wars must be taken, be they never so is a thing of great state and pleasure. I understand ambitious; for the use of their service dispenseth it that the song be in quire, placed aloof, and accomwith the rest and to take a soldier without ambi- panied with some broken music; and the ditty fitted tion, is to pull off his spurs. There is also great use of to the device. Acting in song, especially in diaambitious men in being screens to princes in matters logues, hath an extreme good grace; I say acting, of danger and envy; for no man will take that part not dancing (for that is a mean and vulgar thing); except he be like a seeled dove, that mounts and and the voices of the dialogue would be strong and mounts, because he cannot see about him. There is manly (a base and a tenor; no treble), and the ditty use also of ambitious men in pulling down the great-high and tragical, not nice or dainty. Several quires ness of any subject that overtops; as Tiberius used placed one over against another, and taking the Macro in the pulling down of Sejanus. Since, voice by catches anthem-wise, give great pleasure. therefore, they must be used in such cases, there Turning dances into figure is a childish curiosity; resteth to speak how they are to be bridled, that and generally, let it be noted, that those things which they may be less dangerous. There is less I here set down are such as do naturally take the danger of them if they be of mean birth, sense, and not respect petty wonderments. It is than if they be noble; and if they be rath-true, the alterations of scenes, so it be quietly and er harsh of nature, than gracious and popular; without noise, are things of great beauty and pleaand if they be rather new raised, than grown sure; for they feed and relieve the eye before it be cunning and fortified in their greatness. It is full of the same object. Let the scenes abound with counted by some a weakness in princes to have light, especially colored and varied; and let the masfavorites; but it is, of all others, the best remedy quers, or any other that are to come down from the against ambitious great ones; for when the way of scene, have some motions upon the scene itself before pleasuring and displeasuring lieth by the favorite, their coming down; for it draws the eye strangely, it is impossible any other should be over great. An- and makes it with great pleasure to desire to see other means to curb them, is to balance them by that, it cannot perfectly discern. Let the songs be others as proud as they: but then there must be loud and cheerful, and not chirping or pulings: let some middle counsellors, to keep things steady; for the music likewise be sharp and loud, and well without that ballast the ship will roll too much. At placed. The colors that show best by candlelight, the least, a prince may animate and inure are white, carnation, and a kind of sea-water green; meaner persons to be, as it were, scourges to ambi- and ouches, or spangs, as they are of no great cost, As for the having of them obnoxious tod so they are of most glory. As for rich embroidery, ruin, if they be of fearful natures, it may do well; it is lost, and not discerned. Let the suits of the but if they be stout and daring, it may precipitate masquers be graceful, and such as become the pertheir designs, and prove dangerous. As for the pul- son when the vizors are off; not after examples of ling of them down, if the affairs require it, and that it known attires; Turks, soldiers, mariners, and the may not be done with safety suddenly, the only way been commonly of fools, satyrs, baboons, wild men, like. Let anti-masquesd not be long; they have is, the interchange continually of favors and disgraces, whereby they may not know what to expect, and be, antics, beasts, sprites, witches, Ethiopes, pigmies, turas it were, in a wood. Of ambitions, it is less harm-quets, nymphs, rustics. Cupids, statues, moving, and ful the ambition to prevail in great things, than that the like. As for angels, it is not comical enough to other to appear in everything; for that breeds confusion, and mars business: but yet, it is less danger to have an ambitious man stirring in business, than great in dependencies. He that seeketh to be eminent amongst able men, hath a great task; but that

tious men.

Hot and fiery.

b With the eyes closed, or blindfolded.

some

He was a favorite of Tiberius, to whose murder by Nero he was said to have an accessary. He afterwards prostituted his own wife to Caligula, by whom he was eventually put to death.

d Liable to.

a Chirpings like the noise of young birds.
b Jewels or necklaces.

• Spangles, or O's of gold or silver. Beckmann says that these were invented in the beginning of the seventeenth century. See Beckmann's Hist. of Inventions (Bohn's Stand. Lib.), vol i. p. 424.

d Or antick-masques, were ridiculous interludes dividing the acts of the more serious masque. These were performed by hired actors, while the mask was played by ladies and gentlemen. The rule was, the characters were to be neither serious nor hideous. The "Comus" of Mik ton is an admirable specimen of a masque.

e Turks.

put them in anti-masques: and anything that is anima mea," when they converse in those things hideous, as devils, giants, is, on the other side, as they do not affect. In studies, whatsoever a man unfit; but chiefly, let the music of them be recrea-conimandeth upon himself, let him set hours for it; tive, and with some strange changes. Some sweet but whatsoever is agreeable to his nature, let him odors suddenly coming forth, without any drops fall- take no care for any set times; for his thoughts will ing, are, in such a company as there is steam and fly to it of themselves, so as the spaces of other busiheat, things of great pleasure and refreshment. ness or studies will suffice. A man's nature runs Double masques, one of men, another of ladies, addeth either to herbs or weeds; therefore let him seasonstate and variety; but all is nothing, except the ably water the one, and destroy the other. room be kept clear and neat.

For justs, and tourneys, and barriers, the glories of them are chiefly in the chariots, wherein the challengers make their entry; especially if they be drawn with strange beasts: as lions, bears, camels, and the like; or in the devices of their entrance, or in the bravery of their liveries, or in the goodly furniture of their horses and armor. But enough of these toys.

XXXVIII.-OF NATURE IN MEN.

NATURE is often hidden, sometimes overcome, seldom extinguished. Force maketh nature more violent in the return; doctrine and discourse maketh nature less importune; but custom only doth alter and subdue nature. He that seeketh victory over his nature, let him not set himself too great nor too small tasks for the first will make him dejected by often failings, and the second will make him a small proceeder, though by often prevailings: and at the first, let him practice with helps, as swimmers do with bladders, or rushes; but, after a time, let him practice with disadvantage, as dancers do with thick shoes; for it breeds great perfection, if the practice be harder than the use. Where nature is mighty, and therefore the victory hard, the degrees had need be, first to stay and arrest nature in time; like to him that would say over the four and twenty letters when he was angry: then to go less in quantity: as if one should, in forbearing wine, come from drinking healths to a draught at a meal; and lastly, to discontinue altogether: but if a man have the fortitude and resolution to enfranchise himself at once, that is the

best:

"Optimus ille animi vindex lædentia pectus Vincula qui rupit, dedoluitque semel "a Neither is the ancient rule amiss, to bend nature as a wand to a contrary extreme, whereby to set it right; understanding it where the contrary extreme is no vice. Let not a man force a habit upon himself with a perpetual continuance, but with some intermission for both the pause reinforceth the new onset; and if a man that is not perfect be ever in practice, he shall as well practise his errors as his abilities, and induce one habit of both; and there is no means to help this but by seasonable intermissions; but let not a man trust his victory over his nature too far; for nature will lie buried a great time, and yet revive upon the occasion, or temptation; like as it was with Esop's damsel, turned from a cat to a woman, who sat very demurely at the board's end till a mouse ran before her: therefore, let a man either avoid the occasion altogether, or put himself often to it, that he may be little moved with it. A man's nature is best perceived in privateness, for there is no affectation; in passion, for that putteth a man out of his precepts; and in a new case or experiment, for there custom leaveth him. They are happy men whose natures sort with their vocations; otherwise they may say, "Multum incola fuit

a "He is the best asserter of the liberty of his mind who bursts the chains that gall his breast, and at the same moment ceases to grieve." This quotation is from Ovid's Remedy of Love.

XXXIX.-OF CUSTOM AND EDUCATION.

MEN'S thoughts are much according to their inclination: their discourse and speeches according to their learning and infused opinions; but their deeds are after as they have been accustomed: and, therefore, as Machiavel well noteth (though in an evilfavored instance), there is no trusting to the force of nature, nor to the bravery of words, except it be corroborate by custom. His instance is, that for the achieving of a desperate conspiracy, a man should not rest upon the fierceness of any man's nature, or his resolute undertakings; but take such a one as hath had his hands formerly in blood; but Machiavel knew not of a Friar Clement, nor a Ravillac, nor a Jaureguy, nor a Baltazar Gerard; yet his rule holdeth still, that nature, nor the engagement of words, are not so forcible as custom. Only superstition is now so well advanced, that men of the first blood are as firm as butchers by occupation; and votary resolution is made equipollent to custom even in matter of blood. In other things, the predominancy of custom is everywhere visible, insomuch as a man would wonder to hear men profess, protest, engage, give great words, and then do just as they have done before, as if they were dead images and engines, moved We see also the reign only by the wheels of custom.

I re

or tyranny of custom, what it is. The Indians' (I mean the sect of their wise men) lay themselves quietly upon a stack of wood, and so sacrifice themselves by fire: nay, the wives strive to be burned with the corpses of their husbands. The lads of Sparta, of ancient time, were wont to be scourged upon the altar of Diana, without so much as quecking. member, in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's time of England, an Irish rebel condemned, put up a petition to the deputy that he might be hanged in a withe, and not in a halter, because it had been so used with former rebels. There be monks in Russia for penance, that will sit a whole night in a vessel of water, till they be engaged with hard ice. Many examples may be put of the force of custom, both upon mind and body: therefore, since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs. Certainly, custom is most perfect when it beginneth in young years: this we call education, which is, in effect, but an early custom. So we see, in languages the tongue is more pliant to all expressions and sounds, the joints are more supple to all feats of activity and motions b"My soul has long been a sojourner."

a "The wish is father to the thought," is a proverbial saying of similar meaning.

b He murdered Henry IV. of France, in 1610.

e Philip II. of Spain having, in 1582, set a price upon the head of William of Nassau, Prince of Orange, the leader of the Protestants, Jaureguy attempted to assassinate him, and severely wounded him.

d He assassinated William of Nassau, in 1584. It is supposed that this fanatic meditated the crime for six years, e A resolution prompted by a vow of devotion to a particular principle or creed.

f He alludes to the Hindoos, and the ceremony of Suttee, encouraged by the Brahmins. Flinching.

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in youth, than afterwards; for it is true, that late | never fortunate; neither can they be; for when a learners cannot so well take the ply, except it be in man placeth his thoughts without himself, he goeth some minds that have not suffered themselves to fix, not his own way. A hasty fortune maketh an enterbut have kept themselves open and prepared to re- priser and remover; (the French hath it better, “ enceive continual amendment, which is exceeding rare:treprenant," or remuant "); but the exercised forbut if the force of custom, simple and separate, be tune maketh the able man. Fortune is to be honored great, the force of custom, copulate and conjoined and respected, and it be but for her daughters, Conaud collegiate, is far greater; for their example fidence and Reputation; for those two Felicity teacheth, company comforteth, emulation quickeneth, breedeth; the first within a man's self, the latter in glory raiseth; so as in such places the force of cus- others towards him. All wise men, to decline the tom is in his exultation. Certainly, the great multi-envy of their own virtues, use to ascribe them to plication of virtues upon human nature resteth upon Providence and Fortune; for so they may the better societies well ordained and disciplined; for common- assume them: and, besides, it is greatness in a man wealths and good governments do nourish virtue to be the care of the higher powers. So Cæsar said grown, but do not much mend the seeds; but the to the pilot in the tempest, "Cæsarem portas, et formisery is, that the most effectual means are now ap- tunam ejus." So Sylla chose the name of "Felix," plied to the ends least to be desired. and not of" Magnus:" and it hath been noted, that those who 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. 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: and that this should be,

XL.-OF FORTUNE.

IT cannot be denied, but outward accidents conduce much to fortune; favor, 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,' ,"a saith the poet; and the most frequent of external causes is, the folly of one man is the fortune of another; for no man prospers so suddenly as by others' errors. "Serpens nisi ser pentem comederit non fit draco."b Overt and apparent 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. Spanish name, disemboltura," partly expresseth

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The

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 quocunque loco natus esset, fortunam sibi facturus viderotur)," falleth upon that that he had "versatile ingenium:" 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 milky 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 an scarce discerned virtues, or rather faculties and cus.ms, that make men fortunate. The Italians note some of them, such as a man would little think. When they speak of one 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 foo., and not too much of the honest; therefore extreme lovers of their country, or masters, were

A "Every man is the architect of his own fortune." Sallust, in his letters "De Republica Ordinanda," attributes these words to Appius Claudius Cæcus, a Roman poet whose works are now lost. Lord Bacon, in the Latin translation of his Essays, which was made under his superision, rendered the word "poet" "comicus; by whom be probably meant Plautus, who has this line in his Trinumis" (Act ii. sc. 2): "Nem sapiens quidem pol ipsus fing tfortunam sibi," which has the same meaning, though in somewhat different terms

"A serpent, unless it has devoured a serpent, does not become a dragon."

Or "desenvoltura," implying readiness to adapt oneself to circumstanses.

d Impediments, causes for hesitation.

"In that man there was such great strength of body and mind, that in whatever station he had been born, he seemed as though he should make his fortune."

↑ "A. versatile genius."

"A little of the fool."

no doubt it is much in a man's self.

XLI.-OF USURY."

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

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"Ignavum fucos pecus a præsepibus arcent; "b 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; that usurers should have orangetawnye bonnets, because they do Judaize; that it is against nature for money to beget money, and the 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 as they will not lend freely, usury must be permitted. Some others have made suspicious and cunning propositions of banks, discovery 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

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