the advancement of learning-第41部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


r　so　we　see　Tiberius；　upon　a　stinging　and　incensing　speech　of　Agrippina；　came　a　step　forth　of　his　dissimulation；　when　he　said；　YOU　ARE　HURT　BECAUSE　YOU　DO　NOT　REIGN；　of　which　Tacitus　saith；　AUDITA　HAEC　RARAM　OCCULTI　PECTORIS　VOCEM　ELICUERE；　CORREPTAMQUE　GRAECO　VERSU　ADMONUIT；　IDEO　LAEDI；　QUIA　NON　REGNARET。　And　therefore　the　poet　doth　elegantly　call　passions；　tortures　that　urge　men　to　confess　their　secrets：

Vino　tortus　et　ira。

And　experience　showeth；　there　are　few　men　so　true　to　themselves　and　so　settled；　but　that；　sometimes　upon　heat；　sometimes　upon　bravery；　sometimes　upon　kindness；　sometimes　upon　trouble　of　mind　and　weakness；　they　open　themselves；　especially　if　they　be　put　to　it　with　a　counter…dissimulation；　according　to　the　proverb　of　Spain；　DI　MENTIRA；　Y　SACARAS　VERDAD　（Tell　a　lie　and　find　a　truth）。

19。　As　for　the　knowing　of　men　which　is　at　second　hand　from　reports；　men's　weaknesses　and　faults　are　best　known　from　their　enemies；　their　virtues　and　abilities　from　their　friends；　their　customs　and　times　from　their　servants；　their　conceits　and　opinions　from　their　familiar　friends；　with　whom　they　discourse　most。　General　fame　is　light；　and　the　opinions　conceived　by　superiors　or　equals　are　deceitful；　for　to　such　men　are　more　masked：　VERIOR　FAMA　E　DOMESTICIS　EMANAT。

20。　But　the　soundest　disclosing　and　expounding　of　men　is　by　their　natures　and　ends；　wherein　the　weakest　sort　of　men　are　best　interpreted　by　their　natures；　and　the　wisest　by　their　ends。　For　it　was　both　＇70＇　pleasantly　and　wisely　said；　though　I　think　very　untruly；　by　a　nuncio　of　the　pope；　returning　from　a　certain　nation　where　he　served　as　lidger；　whose　opinion　being　asked　touching　the　appointment　of　one　to　go　in　his　place；　he　wished　that　in　any　case　they　did　not　send　one　that　was　too　wise；　because　no　very　wise　man　would　ever　imagine　what　they　in　that　country　were　like　to　do。　And　certainly　it　is　an　error　frequent　for　men　to　shoot　over；　and　to　suppose　deeper　ends　and　more　compass…reaches　than　are：　the　Italian　proverb　being　elegant；　and　for　the　most　part　true：　

Di　danari；　di　senno；　e　di　fede；　Ce　ne　manco　che　non　credi。

There　is　commonly　less　money；　less　wisdom；　and　less　good　faith　than　men　do　account　upon。

21。　But　princes；　upon　a　far　other　reason；　are　best　interpreted　by　their　natures；　and　private　persons　by　their　ends。　For　princes　being　at　the　top　of　human　desires；　they　have　for　the　most　part　no　particular　ends　whereto　they　aspire；　by　distance　from　which　a　man　might　take　measure　and　scale　of　the　rest　of　their　actions　and　desires；　which　is　one　of　the　causes　that　maketh　their　hearts　more　inscrutable。　Neither　is　it　sufficient　to　inform　ourselves　in　men's　ends　and　natures；　of　the　variety　of　them　only；　but　also　of　the　predominancy；　what　humour　reigneth　most；　and　what　end　is　principally　sought。　For　so　we　see；　when　Tigellinus　saw　himself　outstripped　by　Petronius　Turpilianus　in　Nero's　humours　of　pleasures；　METUS　EJUS　RIMATUR；　he　wrought　upon　Nero's　fears；　whereby　he　brake　the　other's　neck。

22。　But　to　all　this　part　of　inquiry　the　most　compendious　way　resteth　in　three　things：　the　first；　to　have　general　acquaintance　and　inwardness　with　those　which　have　general　acquaintance　and　look　most　into　the　world；　and　especially　according　to　the　diversity　of　business；　and　the　diversity　of　persons；　to　have　privacy　and　conversation　with　some　one　friend　at　least　which　is　perfect　and　well　intelligenced　in　every　several　kind。　The　second　is；　to　keep　a　good　mediocrity　in　liberty　of　speech　and　secresy；　in　most　things　liberty；　secresy　where　it　importeth；　for　liberty　of　speech　inviteth　and　provoketh　liberty　to　be　used　again；　and　so　bringeth　much　to　a　man's　knowledge；　and　secresy；　on　the　other　side；　induceth　trust　and　inwardness。　The　last　is；　the　reducing　of　a　man's　self　to　this　watchful　and　serene　habit；　as　to　make　account　and　purpose；　in　every　conference　and　action；　as　well　to　observe　as　to　act。　For　as　Epictetus　would　have　a　philosopher　in　every　particular　action　to　say　to　himself；　ET　HOC　VOLO；　ET　ETIAM　INSTITUTUM　SERVARE；　so　a　politic　man　in　everything　should　say　to　himself；　ET　HOC　VOLO；　AC　ETIAM　ALIQUID　ADDISCERE。　I　have　stayed　the　longer　upon　this　precept　of　obtaining　good　information；　because　it　is　a　main　part　by　itself；　which　answereth　to　all　the　rest。　But；　above　all　things；　caution　must　be　taken　that　men　have　a　good　stay　and　hold　of　themselves；　and　that　this　much　knowledge　do　not　draw　on　much　meddling；　for　nothing　is　more　unfortunate　than　light　and　rash　intermeddling　in　many　matters。　So　that　this　variety　of　knowledge　tendeth　in　conclusion　but　only　to　this；　to　make　a　better　and　freer　choice　of　those　actions　which　may　concern　us；　and　to　conduct　them　with　the　less　error　and　the　more　dexterity。

23。　The　second　precept　concerning　this　knowledge　is；　for　men　to　take　good　information　touching　their　own　person；　and　well　to　understand　themselves：　knowing　that；　as　St。　James　saith；　though　men　look　oft　in　a　glass；　yet　they　do　suddenly　forget　themselves；　wherein　as　the　divine　glass　is　the　word　of　God；　so　the　politic　glass　is　the　state　of　the　world；　or　times　wherein　we　live；　in　the　which　we　are　to　behold　ourselves。

24。　For　men　ought　to　take　an　impartial　view　of　their　own　abilities　and　virtues；　and　again　of　their　wants　and　impediments；　accounting　these　with　the　most；　and　those　other　with　the　least；　and　from　this　view　and　examination　to　frame　the　considerations　following。

25。　First；　to　consider　how　the　constitution　of　their　nature　sorteth　with　the　general　state　of　the　times；　which　if　they　find　agreeable　and　fit；　then　in　all　things　to　give　themselves　more　scope　and　liberty；　but　if　differing　and　dissonant；　then　in　the　whole　course　of　their　life　to　be　more　close；　retired；　and　reserved：　as　we　see　in　Tiberius；　who　was　never　seen　at　a　play；　and　came　not　into　the　Senate　in　twelve　of　his　last　years；　whereas　Augustus　Caesar　lived　ever　in　men's　eyes；　which　Tacitus　observeth；　ALIA　TIBERIO　MORUM　VIA。

26。　Secondly；　to　consider　how　their　nature　sorteth　with　professions　and　courses　of　life；　and　accordingly　to　make　election；　if　they　be　free；　and；　if　engaged；　to　make　the　departure　at　the　first　opportunity：　as　we　see　was　done　by　Duke　Valentine；　that　was　designed　by　his　father　to　a　sacerdotal　profession；　but　quitted　it　soon　after　in　regard　of　his　parts　and　inclination；　being　such；　nevertheless；　as　a　man　cannot　tell　well　whether　they　were　worse　for　a　prince　or　for　a　priest。

27。　Thirdly；　to　consider　how　they　sort　with　those　whom　they　are　like　to　have　competitors　and　concurrents；　and　to　take　that　course　wherein　there　is　most　solitude；　and　themselves　like　to　be　most　eminent：　as　Caesar　Julius　did；　who　at　first　was　an　orator　or　pleader；　but　when　he　saw　the　excellency　of　Cicero；　Hortensius；　Catulus；　and　others；　for　eloquence；　and　saw　there　was　no　man　of　reputation　for　the　wars　but　Pompeius；　upon　whom　the　state　was　forced　to　rely；　he　forsook　his　course　begun　towards　a　civil　and　popular　greatness　and　transferred　his　designs　to　a　martial　greatness。

28。　Fourthly；　in　the　choice　of　their　friends　and　dependences；　to　proceed　according　to　the　composition　of　their　own　nature：　as　we　may　see　in　Caesar；　all　whose　friends　and　followers　were　men　active　and　effectual；　but　not　solemn；　or　of　reputation。

29。　Fifthly；　to　take　special　heed　how　they　guide　themselves　by　examples；　in　thinking　they　can　do　as　they　see　others　do；　whereas　perhaps　their　natures　and　carriages　are　far　differing。　In　which　error　it　seemeth　Pompey　was；　of　whom　Cicero　saith；　that　he　was　wont　often　to　say；　SYLLA　POTUIT　…　EGO　NON　POTERO　？　　Wherein　he　was　much　abused；　the　＇71＇　natures　and　proceedings　of　himself　and　his　example　being　the　unlikest　in　the　world；　the　one　being　fierce；　violent；　and　pressing　the　fact；　the　other　solemn；　and　full　of　majesty　and　circumstance；　and　therefore　the　less　effectual。　But　this　precept　touching　the　politic　knowledge　of　ourselves；　bath　many　other　branches；　whereupon　we　cannot　insist。

30。　Next　to　the　well　understanding　and　discerning　of　a　man's　self；　there　followeth　the　well　opening　and　revealing　a　man's　self；　wherein　we　see　nothing　more　usual　than　for　the　more　able　man　to　make　the　less　show。　For　there　is　a　great　advantage　in　the　well　setting　forth　of　a　man's　virtues；　fortunes；　merits；　and　again；　in　the　artificial　covering　of　a　man's　weaknesses；　defects；　disgraces；　staying　upon　the　one；　sliding　from　the　other；　cherishing　the　one　by　circumstances；　gracing　the　other　by　exposition；　and　the　like：　wherein　we　see　what　Tacitus　saith　of　Mutianus；　who　was　the　greatest　politique　of　his　time；　OMNIUM　QUAE　DIXERAT　FECERATQUE　ARTE　QU翫AM　OSTENTATOR：　　which　requireth　indeed　some　art；　lest　it　turn　tedious　and　arrogant；　but　yet　so　as　ostentation；　though　it　be　to　the　first　degree　of　vanity；　seemeth　to　me　rather　a　vice　in　manners　than　in　policy：　for　as　it　is　said；　AUDACTER　CALUMNIARE；　SEMPER　ALIQUID　HAERET：　so；　except　it　be　in　a　ridiculous　degree　of　deformity；　AUDACTER　TE　VENDITA；　SEMPER　ALIQUID　HAERET。　For　it　will　stick　with　the　more　ignorant　and　inferior　sort　of　men；　though　men　of　wisdom　and　rank　do　smile　at　it；　and　despise　it；　and　yet　the　authority　won　with　many　doth　countervail　the　disdain　of　a　few。　But　if　it　be　carried　with　decency　and　government；　as　with　a　natural；　pleasant；　and　ingenious　fashion；　or　at　times　when　it　is　mixed　with　some　peril　and　unsafety；　as　in　military　persons；　or　at　times　when　others　are　most　envied；　or　with　easy　and　careless　passage　to　it　and　from　it；　without　dwelling　too　long；　or　being　too　serious；　or　with　an　equal　freedom　of　taxing　a　man's　self；　as　well　as　gracing　himself；　or　by　occasion　of　repelling　or　putting　down　others'　injury　or　insolence；　it　doth　greatly　add　to　reputation：　and　surely　not　a　few　solid　natures；　that　want　this　ventosity；　and　cannot　fail　in　the　height　of　the　winds；　are　not　without　some　prejudice　and　disadvantage　by　their　moderation。

31。　But　for　these　flourishes　and　enhancements　of　virtue；　as　they　are　not　perchance　unnecessary；　so　it　is　at　least　necessary　that　virtue　be　not　disvalued　and　imbased　under　the　just　price；　which　is　done　in　three　manners：　by　offering　and　obtruding　a　man's　self；　wherein　men　think　he　is　rewarded　when　he　is　accepted；　by　doing　too　much；　which　will　not　give　that　which　is　well　done　leave　to　settle；　and　in　the　end　induceth　satiety；　and　by　finding　too　soon　the　fruit　of　a　man's　virtue；　in　co