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 Æsop'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. Tiberius was never seen in public. Augustus lived ever in men's eyes. 24. The adaptation of his nature to the different professions and courses of life. 25. The competitors in different professions; that the course may be taken where there is most solitude. As Julius Cæsar 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 toward a civil and popular greatness, and transferred his designs to a martial greatness. 26. In the choice of friends to consult similar nature. As we may see in Cæsar; all whose friends and followers were men active and effectual, but not solemn, or of repu tation. 27. Caution in not being misled by examples. 66 In which error it seemeth Pompey was, of whom Cicero saith, that he was wont often to say, Sylla potuit, ego non potero?" 28. From not properly revealing a man's self, the less able man is often esteemed before the more able. 29. The setting forth virtues, and covering defects, is advanta 30. Self setting forth requires art, lest it turn to arrogance. 31. The causes of the undervaluing merit. 1. Self obtrusion. 2. Waste of ability. 3. Too sudden elation with applause. The Art of Covering Defects 279 280 32. The art of covering defects is of as much importance as a dexterous ostentation of virtue 33. Modes of concealing defects. 280 1. Caution. 2. Colour. 3. Confidence. 34. A man should not dismantle himself by shewing too much dulceness, goodness, and facility of nature, without sparkles of liberty, spirit, and edge. 35. The mind should be pliant and obedient to occasion 282 Nothing is more politic than to make the wheels of our mind concentric and voluble with the wheels of fortune. 36. Precepts for the architect of his own fortune. 1. He should not engage in too arduous matters 2. He should be able to plan and to execute. 283 3. He should observe a good mediocrity in the declaring or not declaring himself 281 4. He should judge of the proportion or value of things. We shall find the logical part, as I may term it, of some men's minds good, but the mathematical part erroneous ; that is, they can well judge of consequences, but not of proportions and comparisons, preferring things of shew and sense before things of substance and effect.* 5. He should consider the order in which objects should be attained 1. The mind should be amended. 2. Wealth and means should be attained.† 286 * Men run after the satisfaction of their sottish appetites, foolish as fishes pursuing a rotten worm that covers a deadly hook: or like children with great noise pursuing a bubble rising from a walnut shell. B. J. TAYLor. Money brings honour, friends, conquest and realms: Therefore, if at great things thou wouldst arrive, Get riches first, get wealth, and treasure heap.Riches are mine, fortune is in my hand: They whom I favour thrive in wealth amain, While virtue, valour, wisdom, sit in want. To whom thus Jesus patiently replied: 3. Fame and reputation should be acquired. Because of the peremptory tides and currents it hath; which, if they be not taken in their due time, are seldom recovered, it being extreme hard to play an after-game of reputation.* 4. Honour should be sought. 6. He must not embrace matters which occupy too much time. Sed fugit interea: fugit irreparabile tempus. Yet wealth, without these three, is impotent To gain dominion, or to keep it gained. Witness &c. Bacon says, "God in the first day of creation made nothing but light, allowing one whole day to that work, without creating any material thing therein: so the experiments of light and not of profit should be first investigated. There are various sentiments similar to this in Shakespeare. "There is a tide in the affairs of men," &c. So in Anthony and Cleopatra. Who seeks and will not take when once 'tis offered, Shall never find it more. The Advancement of Learning was published in 1605. Shakespeare died in 1616. There is a copy of the Advancement of Learning in existence, with Shakespeare's autograph in it. The same sentiment is expressed by Dryden. Heaven has to all allotted soon or late, Some lucky revolution of their fate; Whose motions if we watch and guide with skill, Our fortune rolls as from a smooth descent, And from the first impression takes the bent; The same sentiment is contained in the Essays. "It is usually said of Fortune that she has locks before but none behind." "Fortune is like Time, if you do not take him by the forelock; he turns his bald noddle to you;" or at least, turneth the handle of the bottle first to be received; and after the belly, which is hard to claspe. k 7. He should imitate nature which does nothing in vain 288 289 If he cannot make any thing of it for the present, yet to make it as a seed of somewhat in time to come. S. He should reserve a power to retreat Following the wisdom in the ancient fable of the two frogs, which consulted when their plash was dry whither they should go; and the one moved to go down into a pit, because it was not likely the water would dry there; but the other answered, "True, but if it do, how shall we get out again " 9. He should be cautious in his friendships and enmities. "Et ama tranquam inimicus futurus, et odi tanquam amaturus." 37. Fortunes may be obtained without precept. They come tumbling into some men's laps; and a number obtain good fortunes by diligence in a plain way, little intermeddling, and keeping themselves from gross errors. . 290 38. Of vicious precepts for self-advancement 39. The number of bad precepts for advancement in life is greater than good 290 It is in life as it is in ways, the shortest way is commonly the foulest, and surely the fairer way is not much about. 40. In the pursuit of fortune, man ought to set before his eyes the general map of the world 211 All things are vanity and vexation of spirit.-Being without well being is a curse: and the greater the being, the greater the curse. 41. The incessant and sabbathless pursuit of fortune leaveth not the tribute which we owe to God of our time. It is to small purpose to have an erected face towards heaven, and a perpetual grovelling spirit upon earth, eating dust, as doth the serpent. • Events are not in our power; but it always is to make a good use of the very worst. Minute Philosopher. |
