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and varied: And let the Masquers, or any other, that are to come down from the Scene, have fome Motions, upon the Scene itself, before their Coming down; for it draws the Eye ftrangely, and makes it with great pleasure, to defire to fee that, it cannot perfectly discern. Let the Songs be loud, and cheerful, and not Chirpings, or Pulings. Let the Mufick likewise be sharp, and loud, and well placed. The Colours, that shew best by Candlelight, are; White, Carnation, and a kind of Sea-water Green; and Ouches, or Spangs, as they are of no great Coft, fo they are of moft Glory. As for rich Embroidery, it is loft, and not difcerned. Let the Suits of the Masquers be Graceful, and such as become the Person, when the Vizors are off: Not after Examples of known Attires; Turks, Soldiers, Mariners, and the like. Let Anti-mafques not be long; they have been commonly of Fools, Satyrs, Baboons, Wild Men, Anticks, Beasts, Sprites, Witches, Ethiopes, Pigmies, Turquets, Nymphs, Ruftics, Cupids, Statues moving, and the like. As for Angels, it is not comical enough, to put them in Anti-mafques; and any Thing that is hideous, as Devils, Giants, is on the other fide as unfit. But chiefly, let the Mufick of them, be recreative, and with some strange Changes. Some Sweet Odours, fuddenly coming forth, without any drops falling, are, in fuch a Company, as there is Steam and Heat, Things of great Pleasure; and Refreshment. Double Mafques, one of Men, another of Ladies, addeth State and Variety. But all is nothing, except the Room be kept clear, and neat.

For Jufts, and Tournies, and Barriers; the Glories of them are chiefly in the Chariots, wherein the Challengers make their Entry; especially if they be drawn with ftrange Beasts; as Lions, Bears, Camels, and the like: or in the Devices of their Entrance; or in the Bravery of their Liveries; or in the Goodly Furniture of their Horfes and Armour. But enough of these Toys.

XXXVIII. Of Nature in Men.

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ATURE is often hidden; fometimes

overcome;

feldom extinguished.

Force maketh Nature more violent in

the Return: Doctrine and Difcourfe maketh Nature lefs importune: But Cuftom only doth alter and fubdue Nature. He that feeketh Victory over his Nature, let him not fet himfelf too great, nor fmall Tafks: For the firft will make him dejected by often Failings; and the second will make him a fmall Proceeder, though by often Prevailings. And at the first, let him practise with Helps, as Swimmers do with Bladders, or Rufhes: But after a time, let him practife with Difadvantages, as Dancers do with thick Shoes. For it breeds great Perfection, if the Practice be harder than the Ufe. Where Nature is mighty, and therefore the Victory hard, the Degrees had need be; first to stay and arreft Nature in time; like to him, that would fay over the four-and-twenty

Letters, when he was angry: Then to go lefs in quantity; as if one should, in 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 beft;

Optimus ille Animi Vindex, lædentia pectus
Vincula qui rupit, dedoluitque femel.

Neither is the ancient Rule amifs, to bend Nature as a Wand, to a contrary Extreme, whereby to fet it right: Understanding it, where the contrary Extreme is no Vice. Let not a man force a Habit upon himself, with a perpetual Continuance, but with fome Intermiffion. For both the Pause reinforceth the new Onfet; and if a Man, that is not perfect, be ever in Practice, he fhall 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 Intermiffions. But let not a man truft his Victory over his Nature too far; for Nature will lie buried a great Time, and yet revive, upon the Occafion or Temptation. Like as it was with fop's Damfel, turned from a Cat to a Woman, who fat very demurely, at the Board's End, till a Mouse ran before her. Therefore let a Man, either avoid the Occafion altogether; or put himself often to it, that he may be little moved with it. A Man's Nature is beft perceived in Privateness, for there is no Affectation; in Paffion, for that putteth a Man out of his Precepts; and in a new Cafe or Experiment, for there Cuftom

leaveth him. They are happy Men, whose Natures fort with their Vocations; otherwise they may fay, Multùm Incola fuit Anima mea: when they converse in those Things, they do not Affect. In Studies, whatsoever a Man commandeth upon himfelf, let him fet Hours for it: But whatsoever is agreeable to his Nature, let him take no Care, for any fet Times: For his Thoughts will fly to it of themselves; so as the Spaces of other Business, or Studies, will fuffice. A Man's Nature runs either to Herbs, or Weeds; therefore let him seasonably water the One, and destroy the Other.

XXXIX. Of Custom and
Education.

EN'S Thoughts are much according to
their Inclination: Their Difcourfe and
Speeches according to their Learning,

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and infused Opinions; but their Deeds are after as they have been accustomed. And therefore, as Machiavel well noteth (though in an evil favoured Inftance) there is no trufting to the Force of Nature, nor to the Bravery of Words; except it be corroborate by Cuftom. His Inftance is, that for the achieving of a defperate Confpiracy, a Man fhould not reft upon the Fierceness of any man's Nature, or his refolute Undertakings; but take fuch a one, as hath had his Hands formerly in

Blood. But Machiavel knew not of a Friar Clement, nor a Ravillac, nor a Jaureguy, nor a Baltazar Gerard; yet his Rule holdeth ftill, that Nature, nor the Engagement of Words, are not fo forcible, as Custom. Only Superftition is now so well advanced, that Men of the first Blood, are as Firm, as Butchers by Occupation: And votary Refolution is made equipollent to Custom, even in matter of Blood. In other Things, the Predominancy of Custom is every where vifible; in fo much, as a Man would wonder, to hear Men profess, proteft, engage, give great Words, and then do juft as they have done before: As if they were dead Images, and 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 Wife Men) lay themselves quietly upon a Stack of Wood, and fo Sacrifice themselves by Fire. Nay the Wives strive to be burned with the Corpfes of their Husbands. The Lads of Sparta, of ancient Time, were wont to be scourged upon the Altar of Diana, without fo much as Quecking. 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 Withe, and not in a Halter, because it had been so used, with former Rebels. There be Monks in Russia, for Penance, that will fit a whole Night, in a Veffel 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, fince Custom is the principal Magistrate of

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