O sometimes like a fury. You may observe that amongst all the great and worthy persons whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent, there is not one that hath been transported to the mad degree of love; which shows that great spirits and 5 great business do keep out this weak passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half-partner of the Empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and law-giver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man and inordinate, 10 but the latter was an austere and wise man; and therefore it seems, though rarely, that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept. It is a poor saying of Epicurus°: "Satis magnum 15 alter alteri theatrum sumus,' as if man, made for the contemplation of Heaven and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol° and make himself subject, though not of the mouth, as beasts are, yet of the eye, which was given him for 20 higher purposes. It is a strange thing to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature and value of things, by this, that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for where- 25 as it hath been well said that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence,° is a man's self, certainly the over is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself as the lover doth of the person loved; 30 O and therefore it is well said° "that it is impossible to love and to be wise." Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved: but to the loved most of all, except the love 5 be reciproque. For it is a true rule that love is ever rewarded either with the reciproque or with an inward and secret contempt; by how much the more men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things but itself. As for the 10 other losses, the poet's relation doth well figure them, that he that preferred Helena° quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas°; for whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection quitteth both riches and wisdom. This passion hath his floods in the very times of 15 weakness, which are great prosperity and great adversity, though this latter hath been less observed; both which times kindle love and make it more fervent, and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best who, if they cannot but admit love, yet 20 make it keep quarter, and sever it wholly from their serious affairs and actions of life; for if it check once with business it troubleth men's fortunes, and maketh men that they can noways be true to their own ends. I know not how, but martial men are given 25 to love; I think it is but as they are given to wine, for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures. There is in man's nature a secret inclination and motion towards love of others, which, if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread 30 itself towards many, and maketh men become hu mane and charitable, as it is seen sometime in friars. Nuptial love maketh mankind, friendly love perfecteth it, but wanton love corrupteth and embaseth it. XI. OF GREAT PLACE Bacne in 1612 became solicitor MEN in great place are thrice servants: servants 5 of the sovereign or state, servants of fame, and servants of business; so as they have no freedom, neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in their times. It is a strange desire to seek power and to lose liberty; or to seek power over others and to lose.10 power over a man's self. The rising unto place is laborious, and by pains men come to greater pains; and it is sometimes base, and by indignities men come p to dignities. The standing is slippery, and the re 1 gress is either a downfall or at least an eclipse, which 15 is a melancholy thing. "Cum non sis qui fueris, non esse cur velis vivere." Nay, retire men cannot when they would, neither will they when it were reason, but are impatient of privateness, even in age and sickness, which require the shadow; like 20 old townsmen, that will be still sitting at their street door, though thereby they offer age to scorn. Certainly, great persons had need to borrow other men's opinions to think themselves happy, for if they judge by their own feeling they cannot find it; but if they 24 think with themselves what other men think of them, and that other men would fain be as they are, then D they are happy as it were by report, when perhaps they find the contrary within. For they are the first that find their own griefs, though they be the last that find their own faults. Certainly, men in 5 great fortunes are strangers to themselves, and while they are in the puzzle of business they have no time to tend their health either of body or mind. "Illi mors gravis incubat, qui notus nimis omnibus, with their acquainted. ww ignotus moritur sibi." affairs activat In place there is license to do good and evil, whereof the latter is a curse; for in evil the best condition is fiable not to will, the second not to can. But power to do good is the true and lawful end of aspiring. For good thoughts, though God accept them, yet towards 15 men are little better than good dreams, except they be put in act; and that cannot be without power and place, as the vantage and commanding ground. Merit and good works is the end of man's motion,' and conscience of the same is the accomplishment of 20 man's rest. For if a man can be partaker of God's theater, he shall likewise be partaker of God's rest. "Et conversus Deus, ut aspiceret opera, quæ fecerunt manus suæ, vidit quod omnia essent bona nimis," and then the Sabbath.° 25 In the discharge of thy place set before thee the best examples, for imitation is a globe of precepts. And after a time set before thee thine own example, and examine thyself strictly, whether thou didst not best at first. Neglect not also the examples of those 30 that have carried themselves ill in the same place, Collectin brastfulness Carry back not to set off thyself by taxing their memory, but to matter 3f course fickleneu B intermix The vices of authority are chiefly four: delays, corruption, roughness, and facility. For delays:/ give easy access, keep times appointed, go through with that which is in hand, and interlace° not busi-25 ness but of necessity. For corruption: do not only bind thine own hands, or thy servants' hands, from taking, but bind the hands of suitors also from offering. For integrity used doth the one; but integrity professed, and with a manifest detestation 30 O |