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for satisfaction sake. Use also such persons as affect the business wherein they are employed; for that quickeneth much; and such as are fit for the matter; as bold men for expostulation, fair-spoken men for persuasion, crafty men for inquiry and observation, froward1 and absurd men for business that doth not well bear out2 itself. Use also such as have been lucky, and prevailed before in things wherein you have employed them; for that breeds confidence, and they will strive to maintain their prescription. It is better to sound a person with whom one deals afar off, than to fall upon the point at first; except you mean to surprise him by some short question. It is better dealing with men in appetite, than with those that are where they would be. If a man deal with another upon conditions, the start or first performance is all; which a man cannot reasonably demand, except either the nature of the thing be such, which must go before; or else a man can persuade the other party that he shall still need him in some other thing; or else that he be counted the honester man. All practice5 is to discover, or to work. Men discover themselves in trust, in passion, at unawares, and of necessity, when they would have somewhat done and cannot find an apt pretext. If you would work any man,

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1 Froward. Difficult to deal with; refractory; ungovernable; perverse. "Russell had always been froward, arrogant, mutinous." Macaulay. History of England. Vol. IV. Chapter xix. 233 (1867). 2 To bear out. To justify; to establish.

3 Prescription. Custom continued until it has the force of law; a right acquired by long or immemorial use.

4 Appetite. Inclination; desire.

5 Practice.

• Work.

Negotiation.

To manage; handle.

you must either know his nature and fashion,1 arī so lead him; or his ends, and so persuade him; his weakness and disadvantages, and so awe him; or those that have interest in him and so govern him. In dealing with cunning persons, we must ever consider their ends, to interpret their speeches; and it is good to say little to them, and that which they least look for. In all negociations of difficulty, a man may not look to sow and reap at once; but must prepare business, and so ripen it by degrees.

XLVIII. OF FOLLOWERS AND FRIENDS.

COSTLY followers are not to be liked; lest while a man maketh his train longer, he make his wings shorter. I reckon to be costly, not them alone which charge the purse, but which are wearisome and importune2 in suits. Ordinary followers ought to challenge no higher conditions than countenance, recommendation, and protection from wrongs. Factious followers are worse to be liked, which follow not upon 3 affection to him with whom they range themselves, but upon discontentment1 conceived against some other; whereupon commonly

"Let's do it after the high Roman fashion." Shakspere. Antony and Cleopatra. iv. 15.

2 Importune. Importunate.

3 Upon.

In consequence of; from.

Discontentment. Discontent.

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nsueth that ill intelligence1 that we many times see between great personages. Likewise glorious 2 followers, who make themselves as trumpets of the commendation of those they follow, are full of inconvenience; for they taint business through want of secrecy; and they export honour from a man, and make him a return in envy. There is a kind of followers likewise which are dangerous, being indeed espials; which inquire the secrets of the house, and bear tales of them to others. Yet such men, many times, are in great favour; for they are officious, and commonly exchange tales. The following by certain estates of men, answerable to that which a great person himself professeth, (as of soldiers to him that hath been employed in the wars, and the like,) hath ever been a thing civil,5 and well taken even in monarchies; so it be without too much pomp or popularity. But the most honorable kind of following is to be followed as one that apprehendeth to advance virtue and desert in all sorts of persons. And yet, where there is no eminent odds in sufficiency, it is better to take with the more passable, than with the more able. And besides, to speak truth, in base times active

1 Intelligence. A relation or footing between persons or parties; a good (or other) understanding 'between' or 'with.'

2 Glorious. Boastful; vainglorious.

3 Officious. Active or zealous in doing one's duty; dutiful; useful.

"Come, come, be every one officious

To make this banquet."

Shakspere.

4 Estates of men.

Order of men.

Titus Andronicus. v. 2.

5 Civil. Decorous; proper.

• Popularity. Active in sense, a desire to obtain favor with the people.

7 Apprehend. To anticipate; to expect.

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men are of more use than virtuous. It is true that in government it is good to use men of one rank equally: for to countenance some extraordinarily, is to make them insolent, and the rest discontent; 1 because they may claim a due. But contrariwise, in favour, to use men with much difference2 and election is good; for it maketh the persons preferred more thankful, and the rest more officious because all is of favour. It is good discretion not to make too much of any man at the first; because one cannot hold out that proportion. To be governed (as we call it) by one, is not safe; for it shews softness, and gives a freedom to scandal and disreputation; for those that would not censure or speak ill of a man immediately, will talk more boldly of those that are so great with them, and thereby wound their honour. Yet to be distracted with many is worse; for it makes men to be of the last impression, and full of change. To take advice of some few friends is ever honourable; for lookers-on many times see more than gamesters; and the vale best discovereth the hill. There is little friendship in the world, and least of all between equals, which was wont to be magnified. That that is, is between superior and inferior, whose fortunes may comprehend the one the other.

1 Discontent. Discontented.

2 Difference. Distinction.

3 Softness. Weakness. "A satire against the softness of prosperity." Shakspere. Timon of Athens. Disreputation. Disrepute.

v. 1.

XLIX. OF SUITORS.

MANY ill matters and projects are undertaken; and private suits do putrefy the public good. Many good matters are undertaken with bad minds; I mean not only corrupt minds, but crafty minds, that intend not performance. Some embrace suits, which never mean to deal effectually in them; but if they see there may be life in the matter by some other mean,1 they will be content to win a thank,2 or take a second 3 reward, or at least to make use in the mean time of the suitor's hopes. Some take hold of suits only for an occasion to cross some other; or to make an information whereof they could not otherwise have apt pretext; without care what become of the suit when that turn is served; or, generally, to make other men's business a kind of entertainment 5 to bring in their own. Nay some undertake suits, with a full purpose to let them fall; to the end to gratify the adverse party or competitor. Surely there is in some sort a right in every suit; either a right in equity, if it be a suit of controversy; or a right of desert, if it be a suit of petition. If

1 Mean. Means.

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2 Thank. Expression of gratitude. Now plural. "For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also love those that love them." Luke vi. 32.

3 Second. Secondary; inferior.

4 To make an information. To inform one's self.

5 Entertainment. A preliminary occupation; spending (of time). "Sir Nathaniel, as concerning some entertainment of time, some show in the posterior of this day, to be render'd by our assistance, at the King's command, and this most gallant, illustrate, and learned gentleman, before the Princess,-I say none so fit to present as the Nine Worthies." Shakspere. Love's Labour's Lost. v. 1.