him, he is invested of a precedent disposition to conform himself thereunto..

20. There is a sympathy between the good of the body and of the mind.

As we divided the good of the body into health, beauty, strength, and pleasure; so the good of the mind, inquired in rational and moral knowledges, tendeth to this, to make the mind sound, and without perturbation; beautiful, and graced with decency; and strong and agile for all duties of life.

MAN IN SOCIETY.

1. Reasons why ethics are in some respects more difficult than politics

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1. Morality relates to man segregate: politics to man

congregate.

Cato the censor said," that the Romans were like sheep, for that a man might better drive a flock of them, than one of them; for in a flock, if you could get but some few to go right, the rest would follow."

2. The object of morals is internal good; for policy external sufficeth.

2. States are not so suddenly subverted as individuals 257 States, as great engines, move slowly, and are not so soon put out of frame: for as in Egypt the seven good years sustained the seven bad, so governments, for a time well grounded, do bear out errours following.

2. Division of civil knowledge.

1. Conversation for comfort.

2. Negociation for use.

3. Government for protection.

3. Wisdom of conversation ought not to be too much affected,

much less despised.

4. Of behaviour.

The sum of behaviour is to retain a man's own dignity, without intruding upon the liberty of others.

Behaviour seemeth to me as a garment of the mind, and to have the conditions of a garment. For it ought to be made in fashion; it ought not to be too curious; it ought to be shaped so as to set forth any good making of the mind, and hide any deformity; and above all, it ought not to be too strait, or restrained for exercise or motion. 5. Evils of too much attention to behaviour.

1. The danger of affectation.

2. Waste of time.

3. Waste of mind, and checking aspirings to higher

1. This knowledge to the derogation of learning hath not been. collected into writing.

Of the three wisdoms which we have set down to pertain to civil life, for wisdom of behaviour, it is by learned men for the most part despised, as an inferior to virtue, and an enemy to meditation; for wisdom of government, they acquit themselves well when they are called to it, but that happeneth to few; but for the wisdom of business, wherein man's life is most conversant, there be no books of it, except some few scattered advertisements, that have no proportion to the magnitude of this subject.

2. This knowledge is reducible to precept, illustrated by the proverbs of Solomon

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3. Antient fables and parables contain information upon this

subject

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4. The proper form of writing upon this subject is discourse upon history or examples.

5. Of discourses upon history of times, and upon lives, and

upon letters

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65

KNOWLEDGE OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LIFE

6. Preliminary observations.

1. This is the wisdom of pressing a man's own fortune. This is the knowledge" sibi sapere:" sapere is to move from the centre to the circumference:-sibi sapere, from the circumference to the centre.

2. Many are wise for themselves, yet weak for the public. Like ants, which are wise creatures for themselves, but very hurtful for the garden.

3. Faber quisque fortunæ propriæ.

Livy attributeth it to Cato the first, “ in hoc viro tanto vis animi et ingenii inerat, ut quocunque loco natus esset, sibi ipse fortunam facturus videretur."

The open declaration of this is impolitic, being taken and used as spurs to industry, and not as stirrups to insolency, rather for resolution than for presumption or outward declaration, have been ever thought sound and good; and are, no question, imprinted in the greatest minds, who are so sensible of this opinion, as they can scarce contain it within.

2. The knowledge of the advancement of life is deficient 269 3. The investigation of this subject concerns learning, both in honour and in substance.

Pragmatical men should not go away with an opinion that learning is like a lark, that can mount, and sing, and please herself, and nothing else; but may know that she holdeth as well of the hawk, that can soar aloft, and can also descend and strike upon the prey.

It is the perfect law of inquiry of truth, " that nothing be in the globe of matter, which should not be likewise in the globe of chrystal, or form;" that is that there be not any thing in being and action, which should not be drawn and collected into contemplation and doctrine.

4. Learning esteems the architecture of fortune as of an inferior

work

5. This doctrine is reducible to science.

6. Precepts respecting this knowledge.

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7. The fundamental precept is to acquire knowledge of the particular motives by which those with whom we have to deal are actuated

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Obtain that window which Momus did require: who seeing in the frame of man's heart such angles and recesses, found fault that there was not a window to look into them.

8. The sinews of wisdom are slowness of belief.

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9. General modes of acquiring a knowledge of others. 1. A general acquaintance with knowing men. 2. A good mediocrity in liberty of speech and secrecy indulging rather in freedom of speech.

3. A watchful and serene habit of observing when acting.

10. Modes by which the knowledge of man is acquired.

1. By their faces.

2. By words.

3. By deeds.

4. By their natures.

5. By their ends.

6. By the relations of others.

11. More trust is to be given to countenances and deeds, than

12. Much reliance cannot be placed upon the face at rest. 13. The face in motion cannot deceive a vigilant observer. It is animi janua.

Words.

14. They are full of flattery.

15. Modes in which words disclose character

1. When sudden.

vino tortus et irâ.

2. From affections.

3. From counter simulation.

(

Deeds.

16. They are not to be trusted without a diligent consideration of their magnitude and nature.

Natures and End of Men.

17. This is the surest key to unlock men's minds.

18. The weakest men are best interpreted by their natures; the wisest by their ends.

It is an errour frequent for men to shoot over, and to suppose deeper ends, and more compass-reaches than are.* 19. Princes are best interpreted by their natures; private persons by their ends.

20. The variety and predominancy of affections are to be

estimated.

Reports of Others.

21. Modes by which our defects and virtues may be estimated

22. A man ought to make an exact estimate of his merits and defects: accounting these with the most, and those with the least.

Though men look oft in a glass, yet they do suddenly forget themselves.

Particular Considerations respecting Self-Knowledge.

23. The consonance, or dissonance of his constitution and temper with the times.

Neither give thou Esop's cock a gem, who would be better pleased and happier if he had a barley-corn. The examples of God teaches the lesson truly: "He sendeth his rain, and maketh his sun to shine, upon the just and unjust:" but he doth not rain wealth, nor shine honour and virtues upon men equally: common benefits are to be communicated with all, but peculiar benefits with choice. -Bacon's Essay on Goodness and Goodness of Nature.