argue but a weakness and fear of Envy, which hurteth so much the more, as it is likewife ufual in infections, which if you fear them, you call them upon you.

This publick Envy feemeth to bear chiefly upon principal Officers or Minifters, rather than upon Kings and Estates themselves. But this is a fure rule, that if the Envy upon the Minister be great, when the cause of it in him is fmall; or if the Envy be general, in a manner, upon all the Ministers of an Estate, then the Envy (though hidden) is truly upon the State it self. And fo much of publick Envy or Difcontentment, and the difference thereof from private Envy, which was handled in the first place.

We will add this in general, touching the Affection of Envy, that, of all other Affections, it is the most importune and continual. For of other Affections there is occafion given but now and then. And therefore it was well faid, Invidia feftos dies non agit. For it is ever working upon fome or other. And it is alfo noted, that Love and Envy do make a man pine, which other Affections do not; because they are not fo continual. It is also the vileft Affection, and the moft depraved: for which cause it is the proper Attribute of the Devil, who is called the envious Man, that foweth Tares amongst the Wheat by night: as it always cometh to pass, that Envy worketh fubtily, and in the dark, and to the prejudice of good things, such as is the Wheat.

Of

THE

X.

Of Love.

HE Stage is more beholding to Love than the Life of Man. For, as to the Stage, Love is even matter of Comedies, and now and then of Tragedies: but in Life it doth much mischief; fometimes like a Syren, fometimes like a Fury. You may obferve, that amongst all the great and worthy perfons (whereof the Memory remaineth, either Ancient or Recent) there is not One that hath been transported to the mad degree of Love: which fhew, that great Spirits, and great Business, do keep out this weak Paffion. You must except nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half Partner of the Empire of Rome; and Appius Claudius the Decem-vir, the Law-giver: whereof the Former was indeed a Voluptuous Man, and Inordinate; but the Latter was an Auftere and Wife Man. And therefore it feems, (though rarely) that Love can find entrance, not only into an open Heart, but also into a Heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept. It is a poor faying of Epicurus, Satis magnum Alter Alteri Theatrum fumus. As if Man, made for the contemplation of Heaven, and all noble Objects, fhould do nothing but kneel before a little Idol, and make himself a Subject, though not of the Mouth (as Bealls are) yet of

the

the Eye, which was given him for higher purpofes. It is a ftrange thing to note the Excefs of this paffion; and how it braves the Nature and Value of things by this, that the speaking in a perpetual Hyperbole is comely in nothing but in Love. Neither is it meerly in the Phrase: for, whereas it hath been well faid, that the Archflatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a Man's felf; certainly, the Love is more. For there was never a proud Man thought fo abfurdly well of himself, as the Lover doth of the Perfon Loved: and therefore it was well faid, that it is impoffible to Love, and to be wife. Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the Party Loved: but to the Loved moft of all; except the Love be reciproque: for it is a true rule, that Love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and fecret Contempt. By how much the more men ought to beware of this Paffion, which lofeth not only other things, but it felf. As for the other loffes, the Poets Relation doth well figure them; that he that preferreth Helena, quit teth the gifts of Juno and Pallas. For whosoever efteemeth too much of amorous Affection, quitteth both Riches and Wisdom. This Paffion hath his Floods in the very times of weakness: which are great Profperity, and great Adverfity; though this latter hath been lefs obferved. Both which times kindle Love, and make it more frequent, and therefore fhew it to be the Child of Folly. They do beft, who, if they cannot but admit.

Love; yet make it keep Quarter, and fever it wholly from their ferious Affairs and Actions of Life: for if it check once with Bufinefs, it troubleth mens Fortunes, and maketh men that they can no ways be true to their own Ends. I know not how, but martial men are given to Love; I think it is but as they are given to Wine; for Perils commonly ask to be paid in Pleafures. There is in a mans Nature a fecret Inclination and Motion towards Love of others; which if it be not spent upon fome one, or a few, doth naturally spread it felf towards many, and maketh men become Human and Charitable; as it is feen sometime in Friars. Nuptial Love maketh Mankind; Friendly Love perfecteth it; but wanton Love corrupteth and embaseth it.

ME

XI.

Of Great Place.

EN in Great Place are thrice Servants: Servants of the Soveraign or State; Servants of Fame and Servants of Business. So as they have no Freedom, either in their Perfons, nor in their Actions, nor in their Times. It is a strange defire to feek Power, and to lofe Liberty; or to feek Power over others, and to lofe Power over a Mans felf. The Rifing unto Place is laborious; and by Pains men come to greater Pains and it is fometimes bafe; and by Indig

nities men come to Dignities. The Standing is Slippery, and the Regrefs is either a Downfal, or at leaft an Eclipfe, which is a melancholy thing. Cum non fis, qui fueris, non effe, cur velis vivere. 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: Like old Townfmen; that will be ftill fitting at their Street Door, though thereby they offer Age to Scorn. Certainly Great Perfons had need to borrow other mens Opinions, to think themselves happy; for if they judg by their own feeling, they cannot find it but if they think with themselves 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 pethaps they find the contrary within. For they are the first that find their own griefs; though they be the laft that find their own fault. Certainly, Men, in great Fortunes are firangers to themselves, and while they are in the puzzle 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 fibi. In Place, there is licence to do Good and Evil, whereof the latter is a curfe; for in Evil, the best condition is not to Will, the fecond not to Can. But Power to do good, is the true and lawful end of afpiring: for good thoughts (though God accept them,) yet towards Men are little better than good dreams, except they be put

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Act;