©12-6-49 mm EXPLORATA: LL Fortune never crush't that man, whom good Fortuna. Fortune deceived not. I therefore have counselled phum // Bacer my friends, never to trust to her fairer side, though she seem'd to make peace with them: But to place all things she gave them so, as she might aske them againe without their trouble; she might take them from them, not pull them: to keepe alwayes a dis tance betweene her, and themselves. He knowes not use of sententia his own strength, that hath not met Adversity. Heaven prepares good men with crosses; but no ill can happen to a good man. Contraries are not mixed. Yet, that which happens to any man, may to every man. But it is in his reason what hee accounts it, and will make it. Change into extremity is very frequent, and easie. Casus. As when a beggar suddenly growes rich, he commonly becomes a Prodigall; for, to obscure his former obscurity, he puts on riot and excesse. No man is so foolish, but may give an other good Consilia. counsell sometimes; and no man is so wise, but may easily erre, if hee will take no others counsell, but his owne. But very few men are wise by their owne va counsell; or learned by their owne teaching. For hee that was onely taught by himselfe, had a foole to his Auroot Fama. Negotia. Amor Patriæ. Ingenia. write A Fame that is wounded to the world, would bee better cured by anothers Apologie, then its owne: For few can apply medicines well themselves. Besides, the man that is once hated, both his good, and his evill deeds oppresse him: Hee is not easily emergent. In great Affaires it is a worke of difficulty to please all. And oft times wee lose the occasion of carrying a busines well, and thoroughly, by our too much haste. For Passions are spirituall Rebels, and raise sedition against the understanding. There is a Necessity all men should love their countrey: He that professeth the contrary, may be delighted with his words, but his heart is there. Natures that are hardned to evill, you shall sooner breake, then make straight; they are like poles that share crooked, and dry: there is no attempting them. Applau sus. Opinio. Impos- Wee praise the things wee heare, with much more willingnesse, then those wee see: because wee envy the present, and reverence the past; thinking ourselves instructed by the one, and over-laid by the other. Opinion is a light, vaine, crude, and imperfect thing, settled in the Imagination; but never arriving at the understanding, there to obtaine the tincture of Reason. Wee labour with it more then Truth. There is much more holds us, then presseth us. An ill fact is one thing, an ill fortune is another: Yet both often times sway us alike, by the error of our thinking. Many men beleeve not themselves, what they would perswade others; and lesse doe the things, which they would impose on others: but least of all, know what they themselves most confidently boast. Only they set the signe of the Crosse over their outer doores, and sacrifice to their gut, and their groyne in their inner Closets. (87) What a deale of cold busines doth a man mis-spend Iactura. the better part of life in! in scattering complements, vitæ. tendring visits, gathering and venting newes, follow- Vanities of the ing Feasts and Playes, making a little winter-love in a darke corner. Puritanus Hypocrita est Hæreticus, quem opinio Hypopropria perspicaciæ, quâ sibi videtur, cum paucis in crita. Ecclesia dogmatibus, errores quosdam animadvertisse, 304x100 2 de statu mentis deturbavit : unde sacro furore percitus, phreneticè pugnat contra Magistratus, sic ratus, obedientiam præstare Deo. Learning needs rest: Soveraignty gives it. Mutua Soveraignty needs counsell: Learning affords it. auxilia. There is such a Consociation of offices, betweene thee the Prince, and whom his favour breeds, that they may helpe to sustaine his power, as hee their knowledge. It is the greatest part of his Liberality, his Favour And from whom doth he heare discipline more willingly, or the Arts discours'd more gladly, then from those, whom his owne bounty, and benefits have made able and faithfull? univer In being able to counsell others, a Man must be Cognit furnish'd with an universall store in himselfe, to the knowledge of all Nature: That is the matter, and seed-plot; There are the seats of all Argument, and Invention. But especially, you must be cunning in the nature of Man: There is the variety of things, which are as the Elements, and Letters, which his art and wisdome must ranke; and order to the present occasion. For wee see not all letters in single words; nor all places in particular discourses. That cause seldome happens, wherein a man will use all Arguments. ConsiThe two chiefe things that give a man reputation liarii in counsell, are the opinion of his Honesty; and the adjunct. Probitas. opinion of his Wisdome: The authority of those two sapientia. will perswade, when the same Counsels utter'd by other persons lesse qualified, are of no efficacy, or working. Vita recta. Wisedome without Honesty is meere craft, and coosinage. And therefore the reputation of Honesty must first be gotten; which cannot be, but by living well. A good life is a maine Argument. Next a good life, to beget love in the persons wee counsell, by dissembling our knowledge of ability in Obsequen- our selves, and avoyding all suspition of arrogance, Humani- ascribing all to their instruction, as an Ambassadour tas. to his Master, or a Subject to his Soveraigne; sea tia. Sollici udo. soning all with humanity and sweetnesse, onely expressing care and sollicitude. And not to counsell rashly, or on the suddaine, but with advice and meditation: (Dat nox consilium.) For many foolish things fall from wise men, if they speake in haste, or be extemporall. It therefore behooves the giver of counsell to be circumspect; especially to beware of those, with whom hee is not throughly acquainted, lest any spice of rashnesse, folly, or selfe-love appeare, which will be mark'd by new persons, and men of experience in affaires. And to the Prince, or his Superiour, to behave Modestia. himselfe modestly, and with respect. Yet free from Parrhesia. Flattery, or Empire. Not with insolence, or precept; but as the Prince were already furnished with the parts hee should have, especially in affaires of State. For in other things they will more easily suffer themselves to be taught, or reprehended: They will not willingly contend. But heare (with Alexander) the answer the Musician gave him, Absit & Rex, ut tu meliùs hæc scias, quàmego. (88) Alex. A man should so deliver himselfe to the nature of Plutarc. in vita the subject, whereof hee speakes, that his hearer may take knowledge of his discipline with some delight: Perspicand so apparell faire, and good matter, that the uitas. studious of elegancy be not defrauded; redeeme Arts Elegantia. from their rough, and braky seates, where they lay hid, and over-growne with thornes, to a pure, open, and flowry light: where they may take the eye, and be taken by the hand. are Men effœta. Vo Donne I cannot thinke Nature is so spent, and decay'd, Natura that she can bring forth nothing worth her former non ye ares. She is alwayes the same, like her selfe: And when she collects her strength, is abler still. decay'd, and studies: Shee is not. know Nothing can conduce more to letters, then examine the writings of the Ancients, and not to Test in their sole Authority, or take all upon trust m them; provided the plagues of Iudging, and Fonouncing against them, be away; such as are envy, betternesse, precipitation, impudence, and scurrile Scofing. For to all the observations of the Ancients, to fro B Non nimiùm dum antiquitati. creden |
