the advancement of learning-第40部分

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ies　or　examples。　For　knowledge　drawn　freshly；　and　in　our　view；　out　of　particulars；　knoweth　the　way　best　to　particulars　again；　and　it　hath　much　greater　life　for　practice　when　the　discourse　attendeth　upon　the　example；　than　when　the　example　attendeth　upon　the　discourse。　For　this　is　no　point　of　order；　as　it　seemeth　at　first；　but　of　substance：　for　when　the　example　is　the　ground；　being　set　down　in　a　history　at　large；　it　is　set　down　with　all　circumstances；　which　may　sometimes　control　the　discourse　thereupon　made；　and　sometimes　supply　it　as　a　very　pattern　for　action；　whereas　the　examples　alleged　for　the　discourse'　sake　are　cited　succinctly；　and　without　particularity；　and　carry　a　servile　aspect　towards　the　discourse　which　they　are　brought　in　to　make　good。

9。　But　this　difference　is　not　amiss　to　be　remembered；　that　as　history　of　Times　is　the　best　ground　for　discourse　of　government；　such　as　Machiavel　handleth；　so　history　of　Lives　is　the　most　proper　for　discourse　of　business；　as　more　conversant　in　private　actions。　Nay；　there　is　a　ground　of　discourse　for　this　purpose　fitter　than　them　both；　which　is　discourse　upon　letters；　such　as　are　wise　and　weighty；　as　many　are　of　Cicero　AD　ATTICUM；　and　others。　For　letters　have　a　great　and　more　particular　representation　of　business　than　either　chronicles　or　lives。　Thus　have　we　spoken　both　of　the　matter　and　form　of　this　part　of　civil　knowledge；　touching　negotiation；　which　we　note　to　be　deficient。

10。　But　yet　there　is　another　part　of　this　part；　which　differeth　as　much　from　that　whereof　we　have　spoken　as　SAPERE　and　SIBI　SAPERE；　the　one　moving　as　it　were　to　the　circumference；　the　other　to　the　centre。　For　there　is　a　wisdom　of　counsel；　and　again　there　is　a　wisdom　of　pressing　a　man's　own　fortune；　and　they　do　sometimes　meet；　and　often　sever。　For　many　are　wise　in　their　own　ways　that　are　weak　for　government　or　counsel；　like　ants；　which　is　a　wise　creature　for　itself；　but　very　hurtful　for　the　garden。　This　wisdom　the　Romans　did　take　much　knowledge　of：　NAM　POL　SAPIENS；　saith　the　comical　poet；　FINGIT　FORTUNAM　SIBI；　and　it　grew　to　an　adage；　FABER　QUISQUE　FORTUNAE　PROPRIAE；　and　Livy　attributed　it　to　Cato　the　first；　IN　HOC　VIRO　TANTA　VIS　ANIMI　ET　INGENII　INERAT；　UT　QUOCUNQUE　LOCO　NATUS　ESSET　SIBI　IPSE　FORTUNAM　FACTURUS　VIDERETUR。

11。　This　conceit　or　position；　if　it　be　too　much　declared　and　professed；　hath　been　thought　a　thing　impolitic　and　unlucky；　as　was　observed　in　Timotheus　the　Athenian；　who；　having　done　many　great　services　to　the　estate　in　his　government；　and　giving　an　account　thereof　to　the　people；　as　the　manner　was；　did　conclude　every　particular　with　this　clause；　and　in　this　fortune　had　no　part。　And　it　came　so　to　pass；　that　he　never　prospered　in　any　thing　he　took　in　hand　afterwards：　for　this　is　too　high　and　too　arrogant；　savouring　of　that　which　Ezekiel　saith　of　Pharaoh；　DICIS；　FLUVIUS　EST　MEUS　ET　EGO　FECI　MEMET　IPSUM：　or　of　that　which　another　prophet　speaketh；　that　men　offer　sacrifices　to　their　nets　and　snares：　and　that　which　the　poet　expresseth；

Dextra　mihi　Deus；　et　telum　quod　missile　libro；　Nunc　adsint！

for　these　confidences　were　ever　unhallowed；　and　unblessed：　and　therefore　those　that　were　great　politiques　indeed　ever　ascribed　their　successes　to　their　felicity；　and　not　to　their　skill　or　virtue。　For　so　Sylla　surnamed　himself　Felix；　not　Magnus：　so　Caesar　said　to　the　master　of　the　ship；　CAESAREM　PORTAS　ET　FORTUNAM　EJUS。

12。　But　yet　nevertheless　these　positions；　FABER　QUISQUE　FORTUNAE　SUAE：　SAPIENS　DOMINABITUR　ASTRIS：　　INVIA　VIRTUTI　NULLA　EST　VIA；　and　the　like；　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。　As　we　see　in　Augustus　Caesar；　（who　was　rather　diverse　from　his　uncle；　than　inferior　in　virtue；）　how　when　he　died；　he　desired　his　friends　about　him　to　give　him　a　PLAUDITE；　as　if　he　were　conscient　to　himself　that　he　had　played　his　part　well　upon　the　stage。　This　part　of　knowledge　we　do　report　also　as　deficient：　not　but　that　it　is　practised　too　much；　but　it　hath　not　been　reduced　to　writing。　And　therefore　lest　it　should　seem　to　any　that　it　is　not　comprehensible　by　axiom；　it　is　requisite；　as　we　did　in　the　former；　that　we　set　down　some　heads　or　passages　of　it。

13。　Wherein　it　may　appear　at　the　first　a　new　and　unwonted　argument　to　teach　men　how　to　raise　and　make　their　fortune；　a　doctrine　wherein　every　man　perchance　will　be　ready　to　yield　himself　a　disciple；　till　he　see　the　difficulty；　for　fortune　layeth　as　heavy　impositions　as　virtue；　and　it　is　as　hard　and　severe　a　thing　to　be　a　true　politique；　as　to　be　truly　moral。　But　the　handling　hereof　concerneth　learning　greatly；　both　in　honour　and　in　substance：　in　honour；　because　pragmatical　men　may　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：　in　substance；　because　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　crystal；　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。　＇69＇　Neither　doth　learning　admire　or　esteem　of　this　architecture　of　fortune；　otherwise　than　as　of　an　inferior　work：　for　no　man's　fortune　can　be　an　end　worthy　of　his　being；　and　many　times　the　worthiest　men　do　abandon　their　fortune　willingly　for　better　respects：　but　nevertheless　fortune；　as　an　organ　of　virtue　and　merit；　deserveth　the　consideration。

14。　First；　therefore；　the　precept　which　I　conceive　to　be　most　summary　towards　the　prevailing　in　fortune；　is　to　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；　that　is；　to　procure　good　informations　of　particulars　touching　persons；　their　natures；　their　desires　and　ends；　their　customs　and　fashions；　their　helps　and　advantages；　and　whereby　they　chiefly　stand：　so　again　their　weaknesses　and　disadvantages；　and　where　they　lie　most　open　and　obnoxious；　their　friends；　factions；　and　dependencies；　and　again　their　opposites；　enviers；　competitors；　their　moods　and　times；

Sola　viri　molles　aditus　et　tempora　noras；

their　principles；　rules；　and　observations；　and　the　like：　and　this　not　only　of　persons；　but　of　actions；　what　are　on　foot　from　time　to　time；　and　how　they　are　conducted；　favoured；　opposed；　and　how　they　import；　and　the　like。　For　the　knowledge　of　present　actions　is　not　only　material　in　itself；　but　without　it　also　the　knowledge　of　persons　is　very　erroneous：　for　men　change　with　the　actions；　and　whiles　they　are　in　pursuit　they　are　one；　and　when　they　return　to　their　nature　they　are　another。　These　informations　of　particulars；　touching　persons　and　actions；　are　as　the　minor　propositions　in　every　active　syllogism；　for　no　excellency　of　observations；　which　are　as　the　major　propositions；　can　suffice　to　ground　a　conclusion；　if　there　be　error　and　mistaking　in　the　minors。

15。　That　this　knowledge　is　possible；　Salomon　is　our　surety；　who　saith；　CONSILIUM　IN　CORDE　VIRI　TANQUAM　AQUA　PROFUNDA；　SED　VIR　PRUDENS　EXHAURIET　ILLUD。　And　although　the　knowledge　itself　falleth　not　under　precept；　because　it　is　of　individuals；　yet　the　instructions　for　the　obtaining　of　it　may。

16。　We　will　begin；　therefore；　with　this　precept；　according　to　the　ancient　opinion；　that　the　sinews　of　wisdom　are　slowness　of　belief　and　distrust；　that　more　trust　be　given　to　countenances　and　deeds　than　to　words：　and　in　words　rather　to　sudden　passages　and　surprised　words　than　to　set　and　purposed　words。　Neither　let　that　be　feared　which　is　said；　FRONTIS　NULLA　FIDES：　　which　is　meant　of　a　general　outward　behaviour；　and　not　of　the　private　and　subtile　motions　and　labours　of　the　countenance　and　gesture；　which　as　Q。　Cicero　elegantly　saith；　is　ANIMI　JANUA；　THE　GATE　OF　THE　MIND。　None　more　close　than　Tiberius；　and　yet　Tacitus　saith　of　Gallus；　ETENIM　VULTU　OFFENSIONEM　CONJECTAVERAT。　So　again；　noting　the　differing　character　and　manner　of　his　commending　Germanicus　and　Drusus　in　the　senate；　he　saith；　touching　his　fashion　wherein　he　carried　his　speech　of　Germanicus；　thus；　MAGIS　IN　SPECIEM　ADORNATIS　VERBIS；　QUAM　UT　PENITUS　SENTIRE　CREDERETUR：　but　of　Drusus　thus：　PAUCIORIBUS；　SED　INTENTIOR；　ET　FIDA　ORATIONE：　and　in　another　place；　speaking　of　his　character　of　speech；　when　he　did　any　thing　that　was　gracious　and　popular；　he　saith；　that　in　other　things　he　was　VELUT　ELUCTANTIUM　VERBORUM；　but　then　again；　SOLUTIUS　VERO　LOQUEBATOR　QUANDO　SUBVENIRET。　So　that　there　is　no　such　artificer　of　dissimulation；　nor　no　such　commanded　countenance；　VULTUS　JUSSUS；　that　can　sever　from　a　feigned　tale　some　of　these　fashions；　either　a　more　slight　and　careless　fashion；　or　more　set　and　formal；　or　more　tedious　and　wandering；　or　coming　from　a　man　more　drily　and　hardly。

17。　Neither　are　deeds　such　assured　pledges；　as　that　they　may　be　trusted　without　a　judicious　consideration　of　their　magnitude　and　nature：　FRAUS　SIBI　IN　PARVIS　FIDEM　PRAESTRUIT；　UT　MAJORE　EMOLUMENTO　FALLAT：　　and　the　Italian　thinketh　himself　upon　the　point　to　be　bought　and　sold；　when　he　is　better　used　than　he　was　wont　to　be；　without　manifest　cause。　For　small　favours；　they　do　but　lull　men　asleep；　both　as　to　caution　and　as　to　industry；　and　are；　as　Demosthenes　calleth　them；　ALIMENTA　SOCORDIAE。　So　again　we　see　how　false　the　nature　of　some　deeds　are；　in　that　particular　which　Mutianus　practised　upon　Antonius　Primus；　upon　that　hollow　and　unfaithful　reconcilement　which　was　made　between　them；　whereupon　Mutianus　advanced　many　of　the　friends　of　Antonius：　SIMUL　AMICIS　EJUS　PRAEFECTURAS　ET　TRIBUNATUS　LARGITUR：　wherein；　under　pretence　to　strengthen　him；　he　did　desolate　him；　and　won　from　him　his　dependences。

18。　As　for　words；　though　they　be　like　waters　to　physicians；　full　of　flattery　and　uncertainty；　yet　they　are　not　to　be　despised；　especially　with　the　advantage　of　passion　and　affection。　For　so　we　see　Tiberius；　upon　a　stinging　and　incensing　speech　of　Agrippina；　came　a　step　forth　of　his　di