his nor mine it carryes no marke of any owner but of the reall possessour of Eternity whom if we could imitate in the least perfection we were blessed There are a great sort past as woorthy as any liuing among whom I will choose some one by whom I would be most gouerned yet not in all things for I would not licence my selfe to put on his imperfections I haue too many of mine owne that were borne with me I haue no neede of his but when he speakes well and vertuously I would thinke he speakes to me and do my endeuour to execute his Aduice the Actions performed by him I hold like the Vaulters Instructions done first to shew me how to performe them with greatest facilitie We are beholding to times past they haue shewed vs the ends of all Courses we may know Vertues and Vices as liuely by their Example as Lycurgus taught it the Lacedemonians in the persons of their Ephori and the Helâ—â—s their slaues If I finde my strength able to follow one of these and to get honest Vertues by Heart I will take out a new lesson and buy some perfections of others wherein he was wanting Thus is Imitation innobled and well becomes the worthyest so shall he enioy abundance when he hath his owne store multiplyed with gathering from the stored with Vertue Essay 21. Of Behauiour PHilosophies strictest Inquisition of the Soule dooth not more liuely expresse her then Behauiour for hers are Notions darke and obscure too heauy for euery head to carry away but this giues our sences a sight of that Diuinity and is the very picture of the inward minde Here may be read the differences of men and a short obseruation shall tell thee as much as a long conference It can be no other then a shadow of the soule such a sweetnesse it carryes with it so much comlinesse so much contentment The Bodyes respect is ouerthrowne by this euidence let his Beauties be neuer so excellent if not assiâ—ted by Behauiour they turne all to Disgraces his whitenesse dooth nothing but make his spottes more visible Contrarily I haue seene deformed Bodyes and ill fauoured Countenances highly in mens estimations and dearely beloued being accompanied with a handsome and discreet gouernment This cannot be performed exactly if the Soules power and Discourse be not regarded which makes me thinke the bodies thus happy substances of Christall transparent When I meete with a dull fellow that hath no other testimony of his being awake but that his eyes are open I determine him a fellow droâ—ned in â—legme and puddle for any thing I know he hath no soule for there appeares nothing but a durty peece of flesh At me cum legcris etiam formosa videbor Saith the Poet this is to be compleate when the eye shall be satisfied and the soule not displeased There is hardly another thing so absolute as to be able to giue them both intertainement together Of Particularities me thinkes Courtesie chalengeth the chiefe place and would be dispatched first truely among all other vertues except it be Liberality I know none rewarded by men but this and if for nothing else me thinkes it should be esteemed for the present paiment It payes a great sort and is neuer the poorer satisfies euery man and lessens not the stocke It is the true Character of a good natured Discretion and so powerfull as the shadow of it hath raised many men to great fortunes but that 's the abuse I would Vertue would put away Patience and become chollerick and reuenge she neuer had more cause being made a Bawde to herselfe Euery man musters himselfe in the band of Vertue when there is any pay to be taken but at the day of battaile except it be some fellow out of a hole she hath not a follower I mislike not a common Affability so it reserue the state of the party for otherwise it is not humility it is basenesse I owe vnto euery man a Salutation and likewise my Cap but not familiarity except I be sure his worthinesse deserues it I betray my selfe There is a certaine maiesty in Behauiour well-becomming without pride or Affectation for they spoile all the least dram of them makes all taste of Indiscretion no this is the naturall Garde of Vertue the fortification to resist basenesse and to keepe out sawcy incrochers We must not be carelesse of these outward matters but seeke to make them compleate yet there is an inward thing which vnlesse it be added to this makes all this to be nothing A Schoole-master had in his place of Exercise a Glasse wherein he caused his Schollers to behold themselues If they were faire handsome he would tell them what pittie it was such goodly bodyes should be possessed with defectiue mindes If foule and ill-fauoured that they might make their bodyes faire with dressing their mindes handsomely this was somewhat too good for a Pedant my Application If his behauiour be good the adorning his minde doubles that Excellency if ill it will make it good when your minde performeth what your body promiseth not It is without exception when the Actions of the body are lighted by the giftâ— of the minde I allow not too lauish a discourse it is as if one meant to sell himselfe he that will still talke aduentureth himselfe too much It is not valour but foole-hardinesse he depraues himselfe of obseruation It were good in this to imitate cunning shop-keepers who â—hew their ware in a halfe light Vpon occasion I would speake but niggardly and rather starue then surfet my Auditory Auoide Affectation and loue Vertue and for outward gestures if those naturally yours be not deformed change them not for they sit you best The gifts of the minde are not so easily obtained these you must purchase with paine and difficulty and great reason for it were pitty such preciousnesse might be had for the taking Essay 22. Of Alehouses I Write this in an Alehouse into which I am driuen by night which would not giue me leaue to finde out an honester harbour I am without any Company but Inke and Paper and them I vse in stead of talking to my selfe my Hoste hath already giuen me his knowledge but I am little bettered I am now trying whether my selfe be his better in discretion The first note here is to see how honestly euery place speakes and how ill euery man liues not a Poste nor a painted cloth in the house but cryes out Feare God and yet the Parson of the Towne scarce keepes this Instruction It is a straunge thing how men bely themselues euery one speakes well and meanes nâ—ughtily They cry out if man with man breake his word and yet no Body keepes promise with Vertue But why should these Inferiours be blamed since the noblest professions are become base Their Instructions rest in the Example of higher fortunes and they are blinde and lead men into sensualitie Me thinkes a drunken Cobler and a meere hawking Gentleman
Diuinitie so easie to be comprehended by our sences neither is there any that carries more terrour with it When our inticing Fantasie hath dressed a Delight pleasingly and presents it to the râ—st they all like it and it is speedily bought afterward our Conscience showes vs our choyse when behold it is most ougly and deformed our Senses we cry out haue deceiued vs but that will not serue our once kissing it makes it follow vs perpetually Here hath she cause to weep and to pittie our torments enforcing vs to remorse and an after care with impression of her lamentations Essay 18. Of Sleepe MY custome is about this time of day to sleepe to auoide which now I choose to write so if this be a drowsie stile and sleepily done yet if it be not worse then sleepe I goe not backward for it serues in sleeps roome This Sleepe is to me in the nature that Dung is to Ground it makes the soyle of my Apprehension more solid and tough it makes it not so light and pleasant and I am glad of it for I finde my selfe too much subiect to a verball quicknesse thus I thinke it good for me that am of a drye barraine mould but for others it may hap to make them too waterish the cause of this is common as the effect yet as some bodyes are more subiect to it then others so meates of one kinde prouoke it more then another This makes me often play the Epicure making my stomack a coward to fight with Partridge Phesant and such fowle whose Airye parts are more fine and poyson not the Braine with thick vapours These foure-footed Beafts are dull and grosse and so is what proceeds from them Well for my part I will put away this sleepy Humour for it is an extreame spender When I come at the end of a weeke to reckon how I haue bestowed it in that seuen Dayes I finde nothing but Item in sleepe Item in sleepe And in the end Summa totalis seuen nights seuen Afternoones beside halfe houres and quarters at vnaccustomed times there is no proportion in this especially to bestowe so much on winking I cannot blame Alexander though he misliked it and held that and Lust the Arguments of Mortalitie If he had vsed eight of clock-houres the Persian Empire might yet haue stood Not so much but good Husbands hate it And Pedantes haue made it a mayne supporter of their instructions I would liken it to Death but that it is more terrible for it is Idlenesse yet thus it is Death for it killes Eternitie Fame neuer yet knew a perpetuall Bed-presser Is it not a pittifull thing to see a fellow bestow halfe his Patrimony in hobby-horses then pitty all them who hauing but a little time dedicate halfe that to sleepe But this is the effect of our Bodies who in despight of our soules Diuinitie will follow their naturall Inclinations to lye along and be sencelesse like their Earthly Originall Essay 19. Of Life and the fashions of Life THere haue beene great Contentions about my Minde and my Body about this Argument of Life they are both very obstinate in their Desires I cannot blame them for which so euer preuailes depriues the other of the greatest Authority My Soule extolles Contemplation and perswades me that way my Body vnderstands not that language but is all for Action He tels me it is vnproper being of the world not to liue so and that I am borne to my Countrey to whom imbracing this contemplatiue life I am vnprofitable the other wants not reasons forcible and celestiall It hath beene my continuall labour to worke a reconciliation between them for I could not perfect any course by reason of this Diuision Earth Heauen cannot be made one therefore impossible to ioyne them together onely thus much I haue done they are content I shall take my choise All this time I was not Masterlesse nor idle I put the common phrase out of fashion he that sayes of me onely He liues well speakes too sparingly of me for I liue to better my minde and to cure my body of his Innate diseases I must choose the Actiue course my birth commaunds me to that I am set aboue many other in the Herralds bookes not to sit â—ighest at a Table nor to be worshipped with caps and knees but to haue a care of my countrey The aduancer of my House first did certainely see some worth in my predecessours meete to gouerne or at least wise to be an example to lower degrees to that end they were erected higher then ordinarie that euery eye might behold them If their blood were refined by the Prince on that condition if I pay it not after them I am worthy to forfeite it I will then religiously obserue the dooing my Country seruice If she imploy me not I sinne not though I betake my selfe to the secret betterer of mindes Contemplation Howsoeuer I must begin here for as Nurâ—â—es Lectures instruct little Children by seuerall obiects to know sensible things and by that little giue them the knowledge of a Boy Being past that Age and come to the new life of a man Philosophy must then be his Nurse and as his first institution taught him words and to distinguish of things by words this teacheth him the meaning of those and to distinguish things by Reason he receiued first single obiects by the intelligence of the sences In that time hee learned to speake the Schoolemaster taught him to put together and to inlarge his building he made him capable of vniuersalities and the highest knowledges Noâ— Radij solis neque lucida tela Dâ—ei Discutiunt animos It is so he gouernes by gesse that is not a Philosopher he is a daungerous states-man for when vncontrowled Affections meete with a high fortune they beget Tyrannie and Oppression I haue not then altogether lost my time I haue beene adorning my house within It is my Desire not to haue it lye slouenly I make it ready for Ghests that is for Imployment if they come not it is no matter it shall be the better for my selfe to liue in I care not though some nice Brainestaxe me of Immodestie for protesting my selfe thus desirous to do my Countrey seruice my Soule can witnesse for me it is no particular Loue thankes be to God I know not much of want neither desire I Riches I am borne to sufficient It is true I thirst after Honour and would be glad to leaue my House some testimonie I haue not beene vnprofitable that way which may be purchased in an honest quiet life aswell as in the other I am afraid of nothing but that in this contemplatiue life I should be thought idle and in eschewing company to be of Domitians â—ect a Fly-catcher We Gentlemen are very subiect to this therefore it is not Iealousie but Prouidence in me to suspect we are indeed generally slothfull our contention is not which is the most honorable life but which affordes most
he lost it in the 〈◊〉 of his countrie this mouth of reproche had beene stopped it beeing an action so iust and so worthy as farre over valueth either an eye or a life A vertuous maide needes no perswasion to this it beeing the first lesson of vertue to her disciples to flie a mercenary gaping after rewarde so indifferent shee stands for the applause or honour of the world receiuing outward testimonies of gratuitye rather to satissie the giuer not to seeme a despiser of his fauour then needing giftes honour or riches so for her imploiment labouring truly where she is set not appointing the worlde which roome is meetelt for her I confesse a strangenesse in this position that from some minds I take hereby euen the very spirite of their indeuours but such minds know how wauering and perplexed they liue so crushed and battered with giuing liberty to hope and feare as their life is no life but the harborer of liuing griefes or a ship of glasse nauigating in the sea of errors as the Poet saith O vita vitae non ma viue Affoâ—ne Naue di vitro ni mar di cieco errore Sotto pioggia di Piaxto et di dolore Che sempre cresce con-vergogna et danno There needes no great examination of this for euen their very behauiour giues purblinde sights knowledge of their continuall suffering which who can get vertue to remedy and to be his champion against these hatefull bereauers of contentment he will shortlie crie out O felice quel di che ' l graue giogo Sento far lieâ—e I wish to a minde that desires to carie his life euery way graciously not vnder the colour of recreation to giue any sports leaue to possesse him too much I remember Terence makes a Father commend his sonne that all those things were esteemed of him equally and not too much which he reioyced in and he had good cause for they are things of too light a colour to bee worne by grauitie they spend much time a thing not of the least coÌ„sequeÌ„ce for either himselfe or his country still needs it it lightens the minde filles it with thoughts of pleasure and gaming it is the entrance of corruption for who resists riches is often taken by a meaner thing fitting his pleasure If I should tell you that the fighting game of Quailes was Anthonies ouerthrowe it would be thought fetcht a great waye about but it is truth that Augustus ouer-comming him in those wagers gaue an entrance to the perswasion of his flatterers that his spirite was obscured by Caesars and that hee should speed better wheÌ„ more remote so that hee left Rome and went into Aegipt left temperance fell to sensuality which if you will not graunt this the cause of yet can it not be denied for a motiue more attractiue then the occasion was worthy of The body must haue recreatioÌ„ but it is to haue it in my opinioÌ„ but as Phisick for necessities sake But we must goe no farther in this then the auoyding which without a great power in himself none can do it being naturally in men violently to run from one extreame to another Let not this shunning pleasure destroy affability grauity is not boud to frowne and bite his lip this becomes singularity the destroyer of the loue of others neither so strictly is the life to be ordered as shall make men flie your imitation Good is to be done in a common wealth not onely by Iustice but by perswasion to meete the humours of men sometimes gaines men and the putting of authoritie vsing familiarity preuailes as much as the bloodiest sentence of Iustice whose seuerity ofteÌ„ makes offendours obstinate which though it endes with the smart of the accused yet doth it discredit gouernement as much to haue many put to death as it doth a PhisitioÌ„ to haue many patients perrish vnder his cure Of flattery the bane of vertue and the destinated disease killing greatnesse euery one can speake though few avoide The good Augustus that mannaged principallitie as fairely as it was possible for a man vnasisted by diuinitie was taken heere but the safest that might be I cannot finde that suffered it to lay hold of his wisedome or gouernement but it catch'd him by the eyes for he loued well that other eyes should confesse a weakenesse to his not be able to behold them long Gaudebat si quis sibi acrius contuenti quasi ad sulgorem solis vultum submistures The extremitie of this seldome comes but from meane estates whom if they bar from such altberty of speaking as may giue oppertunitie to adulation they may preuent this daunger If it come from such as wee holde friends their life and honestye examined will tell what they meane Anthony whome I late mentioned was deceiued by such as would tell him of his faults but so little of them mixed with so many praises as their reproofes seemed but like sharpe fauce to make him deuoure their commendations more hungerly But this was a cunning trick and those lesse cunning are hardly auoyded since they meete so right with the generall inclination of man selfe-loue as commonly they speake no more then wee thinke The last and best remedy that I know is that which was giuen me by the worthiest friend I haue by way of aduise when commended examine vnpartially your owne deserts where if you finde not what is laide to your charge note that toung for the instrument of flattery I cannot thinke of a better remedy only I must say it is not to be done without vertue for all the examinations of vice are partiall corrupt For friends there is no safety but in honest meÌ„ for others will betray vs if not by our selues yet with himselfe for becoming once his friend wisdom nor forecast nor the discrying danger ought keepe vs froÌ„ perishing with him I holde it no lesse vnsafe to choose one onely for greatnes for we make choise of them but for our owne sakes which they are apt enough to find as apt to make vse of vs to their owne profit we may fall with these but our rising is in their power thus the friends of Seianus when Tiberius had discryed him paide deerly for their nearenesse Here a power to descrye into the natures of men is of great importance but it is a power as difficult few being worthy of knowledge that withall haue not an ability to obscure their defects wherevpon one saith Gioue tu aesti par chiari segnali Onâ—e l'argento et l or siseuopre Ma nessun Segno in human corpo appare Ond ' il buon huom ' 〈◊〉 firiconosce To finde out the secret passages of a mans nature I deuise not to talke so much with him as with his man his chamber actions discouer more then his appearance in assemblies I like nothing better in Montaigne then his desire of knowing Brutus priuate actions wishing more to know what he did in Tent then in