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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 5 by often prevailings. And at the first let him practise with helps, as swimmers do with bladders or rushes; but after a time let him practise with disadvantages, 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 15 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.”

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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.

25 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 lay° buried a great time, and yet revive upon the occasion or temptation. Like as 5 it was with Æsop'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.

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They are happy men whose natures sort with 15 their vocations; otherwise they may say, "Multum° incola fuit anima mea, " when they converse in° those things they do not affect. In studies, whatsoever a man commandeth upon himself, let him set hours for it; but whatsoever is agreeable to his 20 nature, let him take no care for any set times; for his thoughts will fly to it of themselves, so as the spaces of other business or studies will suffice.

A man's nature runs either to herbs or weeds; therefore let him seasonably water the one, and destroy 25 the other.

XXXIX. OF CUSTOM AND EDUCATION

O

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 5 therefore, as Machiavel° well noteth, though in an evil-favoured 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 10 should not rest upon the fierceness of any man's nature, or his resolute undertakings, but take such an one as hath had his hands formerly in blood. But Machiavel knew not of a friar Clement, nor a Ravaillac, nor a. Jaureguy, nor a Baltazar Gerard°; 15 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, 20 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 25 engines moved only by the wheels of custom.

We see also the reign 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 5 as queching. I remember 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 with, and not in an halter, because it had been so used with former rebels. 10 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 15 is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavour 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 20 the tongue is more pliant to all expressions and sounds, the joints are more supple to all feats of activity and motions, in youth than afterwards. For it is true. that late learners cannot so well take the ply°; except it be in some minds that have not suffered 25 themselves to fix, but have kept themselves open and prepared to receive continual amendment, which is exceeding rare.

But if the force of custom simple and separate, be great, the force of custom copulate and conjoined 30

and collegiate, is far greater. For there example teacheth, company comforteth, emulation quickeneth, glory raiseth; so as in such places the force of custom is in his exaltation.° Certainly the great 5 multiplication of virtues upon human nature resteth upon societies well ordained and disciplined; for commonwealths and good governments do nourish. virtue grown, but do not much mend the seeds. But the misery is, that the most effectual means are now 10 applied to the ends° least to be desired.

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 15 quisque fortunæ suæ," saith the poet. 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." 20 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. The Spanish name, desemboltura, partly expresseth them: when there be 25 not stonds nor restiveness in a man's nature, but that the wheels of his mind keep way with the wheels