adust,1 and thereby malign and venomous. So ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and still get forward, they are rather busy. than dangerous; but if they be checked in their desires, they become secretly discontent,2 and look upon men, and matters with an evil eye, and are best pleased when things go backward; which is the worst property in a servant of a prince or state. Therefore it is good for princes, if they use ambitious men, to handle it so as they be still progressive and not retrograde; which because it cannot be without inconvenience, it is good not to use such natures at all. For if they rise not with their service, they will take order to make their service fall with them. But since we have said it were good not to use men of ambitious natures, except it be upon necessity, it is fit we speak in what cases they are of necessity. Good commanders in the wars must be taken, be they never so ambitious; for the use of their service dispenseth with the rest; and to take a soldier without ambition is to pull off his spurs. There is also great use of ambitious men in being screens to princes in matters of danger and envy; for no man 1 Adust. Parched; fiery. "High in front advanc't, The brandisht sword of God before them blaz'd Began to parch that temperate clime." 2 Discontent. Discontented. 3 Take order. To take measures or steps; to make arrange ments. "Now will we take some order in the town, iii. 2. 4 Dispense with. To excuse. will take that part, except he be like a seeled1 dove, that mounts and mounts because he cannot see about him. There is use also of ambitious men in pulling down the greatness of any subject that overtops; as Tiberius used Macro2 in the pulling down of Sejanus.3 Since therefore they must be used in such cases, there resteth to speak how they are to be bridled, that they may be less dangerous. There is less danger of them if they be of mean birth, than if they be noble; and if they be rather harsh of nature, than gracious and popular: and if they be rather new raised, than grown cunning and fortified in their greatness. It is counted by some a weakness in princes to have favourites; but it is of all others the best remedy against ambitious great-ones. For when the way of pleasuring and displeasuring lieth by the favourite, it is impossible any other should be over-great. Another means to curb them, is to balance them by others as proud 5 1 Seel. To close the eyes of. The eyes of a newly taken hawk were 'seeled' in training it. 2 Naevius Sertorius Macro, killed 38 A.D., was prefect of the Roman pretorians under Tiberius and Caligula. 3 Aelius Sejanus, died 31 A.D., Roman courtier under Augustus and Tiberius. His story is the subject of Ben Jonson's tragedy, Sejanus his Fall; when this play was first acted, in 1603, Shakspere was one of the "principal Tragoedians" who took part in the representation. 4 Rest. To be left; to remain. "Well then; nought rests But that she fit her love now to her fortune." Ben Jonson. The Alchemist. iv. 2. 5 Cunning. Skilful. "And the boys grew: and Esau was 8 cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents." Genesis xxv. 27. • Pleasure. To give pleasure to; to please. "I count it one of my greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman." Shakspere. Timon of Athens. iii. 2. 7 Displeasure. To displease, annoy. as they. But then there must be some middle counsellors, to keep things steady; for without that ballast the ship will roll too much. At the least, a prince may animate and inure1 some meaner persons, to be as it were scourges to ambitious men. As for the having of them obnoxious2 to ruin; if they be of fearful natures, it may do well; but if they be stout and daring, it may precipitate their designs, and prove dangerous. As for the pulling of them down, if the affairs require it, and that it may not be done with safety suddenly, the only way is, the interchange continually of favours and disgraces; whereby they may not know what to expect, and be as it were in a wood. Of ambitions, it is less harmful, the ambition to prevail in great things, than that other to appear in every thing; for that breeds confusion, and mars business. But yet it is less danger to have an ambitious man stirring in business, than great in dependances. He that seeketh to be eminent amongst able men hath a great task; but that is ever good for the public. But he that plots to be the only figure amongst ciphers is the decay of a whole age. Honour hath three things in it: the vantage ground to do good; the approach to kings and principal persons; and the raising of a man's own fortunes. He that hath the best of these intentions, when he aspireth, is an honest man; and that prince that can discern of these intentions in another that aspireth, is a 1 Inure. To make use of. 2 Obnoxious. Liable, subject, or exposed (to anything harmful or undesirable). 3 Disgrace. Disfavor, dishonor, affront. 4 • Dependance. A body of dependants or subordinates; a retinue. wise prince. Generally, let princes and states choose such ministers as are more sensible of duty than of rising; and such as love business rather upon conscience than upon bravery;1 and let them discern a busy nature from a willing mind. XXXVII. OF MASQUES AND TRIUMPHS.3 THESE things are but toys, to come amongst such serious observations. But yet, since princes will have such things, it is better they should be graced with elegancy than daubed with cost. Dancing to song, is a thing of great state and pleasure. I understand it, that the song be in quire, placed aloft, and accompanied with some broken music;5 2 Masque. A form of dramatic entertainment popular at Court and among the nobility of England during the Elizabethan age; originally consisting of dancing and acting in dumb show, the performers being masked and dressed in character, but afterwards including dialogue (usually in verse), and song. Milton wrote, Comus. A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634. Before John, Earl of Bridgewater, then President of Wales. 3 Triumph. A public festivity or display; a stately procession or pageant. Beaumont and Fletcher's Four Plays in One consists of four Triumphs-of Honor, of Love, of Death, and of Time. 4 Francis Bacon was concerned as author, or "chief contriver," or "chief encourager" of six Elizabethan masques. Two were for entertainments given to Queen Elizabeth by the Earl of Essex; three were Gray's Inn masques; and he was "chief contriver" of Beaumont's masque The Marriage of the Thames and the Rhine, written for the marriage of the Princess Elizabeth, and presented February 20, 1613. 5 Broken music. Music arranged for different instruments, 'part' or concerted music. "And so likewise in that music which we call broken music, or consort music, some consorts of instruments are sweeter than others (a thing not sufficiently yet observed): as the Irish harp and base viol agree well; the recorder and stringed music and the ditty fitted to the device. Acting in song, especially in dialogues, hath an extreme good grace; I say acting, not dancing (for that is a mean and vulgar thing); and the voices of the dialogue would 2 be strong and manly, (a base and a tenor; no treble;) and the ditty high and tragical; not, nice 3 or dainty. Several quires, placed one over against another, and taking the voice by catches,5 anthemwise, give great pleasure. Turning dances into figure is a childish curiosity. And generally let it be agree well; organs and the voice agree well, &c; but the virginals and the lute, or the Welsh harp and Irish harp, or the voice and pipes alone, agree not so well." Bacon. Sylva Sylvarum. Century III. 278. 1 Ditty. 2 Would. 3 Nice. A song; now, a short, simple song. "And near, and nearer as they row'd, Should. Scott. The Lady of the Lake. II. xviii. Fine, delicate, finicky. "Why, brother, wherefore stand you on nice points?" Shakspere. III. King Henry VI. iv. 7. 4 Dainty. Choice; excellent. "Ay? indeed a scheme o' yours? that must be a denty ane!" Scott. Old Mortality. VI. 5 Catch. Originally, a short musical composition in which each succeeding singer takes up or 'catches' his part in turn; a round. Subsequently, especially applied to rounds, in which the words are so arranged as to produce ludicrous effects, one singer 'catching' at the words of another. "Sir Toby. Shall we rouse the night-owl in a catch that will draw three souls out of one weaver? shall we do that? Sir Andrew. An you love me, let 's do 't: I am a dog at a catch. Clown. By 'r Lady, sir, and some dogs will catch well. Sir Andrew. Most certain. Let our catch be, Thou knave. Clown. Hold thy peace, thou knave, knight? I shall be constrained in 't to call thee knave, knight. Sir Andrew. 'T is not the first time I have constrained one to call me knave. Begin, Fool: it begins, Hold thy peace. Clown. I shall never begin, if I hold my peace. Sir Andrew. Good, i' faith. Come, begin. [They sing the catch.]" Shakspere. Twelfth Night. ii. 3. |