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eadem feceris; mori velle, non tantum fortis, aut miser, sed etiam fastidiosus potest." A man would die, though he were neither valiant nor miserable, only upon a weariness to do the same thing so oft over and over. It is no less worthy to observe how little alteration in good spirits the approaches of death make; for they appear to be the same men till the last instant.3 Augustus Cæsar died in a compliment: "Livia, conjugii nostri memor, vive et vale" "24-Tiberius in dissimulation, as Tacitus saith of him: "Jam Tiberium vires et corpus, non dissimulatio, deserebant" 25-Vespasian in a jest: "Ut puto Deus fio" 26-Galba with a sentence: "Feri, si ex re sit populi Romani," holding forth his neck-Septimius Severus in despatch :28 "Adeste, si quid mihi restat agendum" 29 —and the like. Certainly the Stoics bestowed too much cost upon death, and by their great preparations made it appear more fearful. Better saith he: Qui finem vitæ extremum inter munera ponat naturæ.” 3o It is as natural to die as to be born; and to a little infant, perhaps, the one is as painful as the other. He that dies in an earnest pursuit, is like one that is wounded in hot blood, who, for the time, scarce feels the hurt; and therefore a mind fixed and bent upon somewhat that is good, doth avert the dolors 31 of death. 32 But, above all, believe it, the sweetest canticle is: "Nunc dimittis" when a man hath obtained worthy ends and expectations. Death hath this also, that it openeth the gate to good fame, and extinguisheth envy :-"Extinctus amabitur idem." 33

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(4) III. OF REVENGE.

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REVENGE is a kind of wild justice, which the more

man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. For as for the first wrong, it doth but offend the law, but the revenge of that wrong putteth the law out of office. Certainly, in taking revenge a man is but even with his enemy, but in passing it over he is superior; for it is a prince's part to pardon. And Solomon, I am sure,3 saith "It is the glory of a man to pass by an offence." That which is past is gone and irrecoverable, and wise men have enough to do with things present and to come; therefore they do but trifle with themselves, that labour

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in past matters.5 There is no man doth a wrong for the wrong's sake, but thereby to purchase himself profit, or pleasure, or honour, or the like; therefore why should I be angry with a man for loving himself better than me? And if any man should do wrong, merely out of ill-nature, why? yet it is but like the thorn or brier, which prick and scratch, because they can do no other. The most tolerable sort of revenge is for those wrongs which there is no law to remedy: but then, let a man take heed the revenge be such as there is no law to punish, else a man's enemy is still beforehand, and it is two for one. Some, when they take revenge, are desirous the party should know whence it cometh: this is the more generous,10 for the delight seemeth to be not so much in doing the hurt as in making the party repent: but base and crafty cowards are like the arrow that flieth in the dark." Cosmus, Duke of Florence," had a desperate13 saying against perfidious or neglecting 14 friends, as if those wrongs were unpardonable. "You shall read," saith he, "that we are commanded to forgive our enemies, but you never read that we are commanded to forgive our friends."15 But yet the spirit of Job was in a better tune: "Shall we," saith he, "take good at God's hands, and not be content to take evil also 216 and so of friends in a proportion." This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green,18 ,18 which otherwise would heal and do well. Public revenges are for the most part fortunate; as that for the death of Cæsar; for the death of Pertinax ;19 for the death of Henry III. of France; 20 and many more. But in private revenges it is not so; nay rather, vindictive persons live the life of witches," who, as they are mischievous, so end they unfortunate.23

I the

(5) IV. OF ADVERSITY.

T was a high speech of Seneca1 (after the manner of the Stoics), that "the good things which belong to prosperity are to be wished, but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired." Bona rerum secundarum optabilia,adversarum mirabilia. Certainly, if miracles 3 be the command over nature, they appear most in adversity.4 It is a yet higher speech of his then the other (much

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too high for a heathen) :" "It is true greatness to have in one the frailty of a man, and the security of a god." Vere magnum habere fragilitatem hominis, securitatem dei.7 8 This would have done better in poesy, where transcendencies are more allowed; and the poets, indeed, have been busy with it; for it is in effect the thing which is figured in that strange fiction" of the ancient poets, which seemeth not to be without mystery; nay, and to have some approach to13 the state of a Christian, that "Hercules, when he went to unbind Prometheus (by whom human nature is represented), sailed the length of the great ocean in an earthen pot or pitcher," lively 14 describing Christian resolution, that saileth in the frail bark of the flesh through the waves of the world. But to speak15 in a mean, the virtue of prosperity is temperance, the virtue of adversity is fortitude, which in morals 17 is the more heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament,18 adversity is the blessing of the New, which carrieth the greater benediction,20 and the clearer revelation of God's favour. Yet even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David's harp, you shall hear as many hearse-like" airs as carols; and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath laboured2 more in describing the afflictions of Job then the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes;2 and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needleworks and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have a lively work upon a sad 24 and solemn ground, then to have a dark and melancholy work upon a lightsome ground: judge, therefore, of the pleasure of the heart by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant where they are incensed, or crushed; for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.25

(7) V. OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN.

THE

HE joys of parents are secret, and so are their griefs and fears; they cannot utter the one, nor they will not utter the other.3 Children sweeten labours, but they make misfortunes more bitter. They increase the cares of life, but they mitigate the remembrance1 of death.5

OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN.

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The perpetuity' by generation is common to beasts; but memory, merit, and noble works are proper to men-and surely a man shall see the noblest works and foundations" have proceeded from childless men, which have sought to express the images of their minds, where those of their bodies have failed-so the care of posterity is most in them that have no posterity. They that are the first raisers of their houses are most indulgent towards their children, beholding them as the continuance, not only of their kind, but of their works; and so both children and creatures.9

ΙΟ

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The difference in affection of parents towards their several children is many times unequal, and sometimes unworthy, especially in the mother; as Solomon saith: "A wise son rejoiceth the father, but an ungracious son shames the mother." " II A man shall see, where there is a house full of children, one or two of the eldest respected, and the youngest made wantons; 12 but in the middest13 some that are, as it were, forgotten, who, many times, nevertheless, prove the best. The illiberality of parents, in allowance towards their children, is a harmful errour,' and makes them base, acquaints them with shifts, makes them sort15 with mean company, and makes them surfeit more when they come to plenty; and therefore the proof 16 is best when men keep their authority towards their children, but not their purse. Men have a foolish manner (both parents, and schoolmasters, and servants) in creating and breeding an emulation between brothers during childhood, which many times sorteth 18 to discord, when they are men, and disturbeth families.19 The Italians make little difference between children and nephews, or near kinsfolks; 20 but so they be of the lump, they care not though they pass not through their own body. And, to say truth, in nature it is much a like matter; insomuch that we see a nephew sometimes resembleth an uncle, or a kinsman, more than his own parents, as the blood happens.22 Let parents choose betimes the vocations and courses they mean their children should take, for then they are most flexible; and let them not too much apply themselves 23 to the disposition of their children, as thinking they will take best to that which they have most mind to. It is true, that if the affection,24 or aptness, of the children be extraordinary, then it is good not to cross

it; but generally the precept is good: “Optimum elige, suave et facile illud faciet consuetudo."25 26 Younger brothers are commonly fortunate, but seldom or never where the elder are disinherited.27

(11) VI. OF GREAT PLACE.

MEN in astate, servants of fame," and

EN in great place are thrice servants-servants of

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servants of business; so as3 they have no freedom, neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in their times.4 It is a strange desire to seek power and to lose liberty, or5 to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man's self. The rising unto place is laborious, and by pains men come to greater pains; and it is sometimes base, and by indignities' men come to dignities. The standing is slippery, and the regress is either a downfall, or at least an eclipse, which is a melancholy thing.9 "Cum non sis qui fueris non esse cur velis vivere."10 Nay, retire men cannot when they would, neither will they when it were reason, but are impatient of privateness, even in age and sickness, which require the shadow; 12 like old townsmen, that will be still13 sitting at their street door, though thereby they offer age to scorn. Certainly great persons had need to borrow other men's opinions to think themselves happy, for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot find it; but if they think with themselves '15 what other men think of them, and that other men would fain be as they are, then they are happy as it were by report, when, perhaps, they find the contrary within; for they are the first that find their own griefs, though they be the last that find their own faults. Certainly, men in great fortunes are strangers to themselves, and while they are in the pusle18 of business, they have no time to tend their health, either of body or mind: "Illi mors gravis incubat, qui notus nimis omnibus, ignotus moritur sibi.”19 In place there is licence to do good and evil, whereof the latter is a curse; for in evil, the best condition is not to will, the second not to can.20 But power to do good is the true and lawful end of aspiring; for good thoughts, though God accept them, yet towards men are little better then

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