honour and virtues, upon men equally. Common benefits are to be communicate with all; but peculiar benefits with choice. And beware how in making the portraiture thou breakest the pattern. For divinity maketh the love of ourselves the pattern; the love of our neighbours but the portraiture. Sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor, and follow me:1 but sell not all thou hast, except thou come and follow me; that is, except thou have a vocation wherein thou mayest do as much good with little means as with great; for otherwise in feeding the streams thou driest the fountain. Neither is there only a habit of goodness, directed by right reason; but there is in some men, even in nature, a disposition towards it; as on the other side there is a natural malignity. For there be that in their nature do not affect the good of others. The lighter sort of malignity turneth but to a crossness, or frowardness, or aptness to oppose, or difficilness,2 or the like; but the deeper sort to envy and mere mischief. Such men in other men's calamities are, as it were, in season, and are ever on the loading3 part: not so good as the dogs that licked Lazarus' sores; but like flies that are still buzzing upon any thing that is raw; misanthropi,5 that make it their practice to bring men to the bough, and yet have never a tree 4 1 "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me." Matthew xix. 21. 2 Difficilness. Unreasonableness, stubbornness. 3 Loading. Present participle active, 'that loads'; hence burdening, aggravating, oppressive. 4 Luke xvi. 21. Misanthropi. Misanthropes, that is, from the Greek, haters of mankind. for the purpose in their gardens, as Timon1 had. Such dispositions are the very errours of human nature; and yet they are the fittest timber to make great politiques of; like to knee timber, that is good for ships, that are ordained to be tossed; but not for building houses, that shall stand firm. The parts and signs of goodness are many. If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shews he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them. If he be compassionate towards the afflictions of others, it shews that his heart is like the noble tree that is wounded itself when it gives the balm. If he easily pardons and remits offences, it shews that his mind is planted above injuries; so that he cannot be shot. If he be thankful for small benefits, it shows that he weighs men's minds, and not their trash. But above all, if he have St. Paul's perfection, that he would wish to be an anathema3 from Christ for the salvation of his brethren, it shews much of a divine nature, and a kind of conformity with Christ himself. 1 Timon of Athens, the Misanthrope. Plutarch, in his Life of Marcus Antonius, tells the story that Timon one day mounted the rostrum in the market-place to announce that he had a fig-tree in his garden on which many citizens had hanged themselves, that he meant to cut the fig-tree down to build on the spot, and thought it well to make the fact known, so that, "if any of you be desperate, you may there go hang yourselves." 2 Knee-timber. Timber having a natural angular bend, suitable for making 'knees' in shipbuilding or carpentry. 3 Anathema, from the Greek, meaning, anything devoted, especially to evil, a curse. The Bible reference is to Romans ix. 3: "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." Compare Advancement of Learning, II. xx. 7. sons. XIV. OF NOBILITY. WE will speak of Nobility first as a portion of an estate;1 then as a condition of particular perA monarchy where there is no nobility at all, is ever a pure and absolute tyranny; as that of the Turks. For nobility attempers sovereignty, and draws the eyes of the people somewhat aside from the line royal. But for democracies, they need it not; and they are commonly more quiet and less subject to sedition, than where there are stirps2 of nobles. For men's eyes are upon the business, and not upon the persons; or if upon the persons, it is for the business sake, as fittest, and not for flags and pedigree. We see the Switzers last well, notwithstanding their diversity of religion and of cantons. For utility is their bond, and not respects.3 The united provinces of the Low Countries in their government excel; for where there is an equality, the consultations are more indifferent, and the payments and tributes more cheerful. A great and potent nobility addeth majesty to a monarch, but diminisheth power; and putteth life and spirit into the people, but presseth their fortune. It is well when nobles are not too great for sovereignty nor for justice; and yet maintained in that height, as the insolency of inferiors may be broken upon them before it come on too fast upon the majesty of kings. A numerous nobility causeth poverty and inconvenience in a state; for it is a surcharge1 of expense; and besides, it being of necessity that many of the nobility fall in time to be weak in fortune, it maketh a kind of disproportion between honour and means. As for nobility in particular persons; it is a reverend thing to see an ancient castle or building not in decay; or to see a fair timber tree sound and perfect. How much more to behold an ancient noble family, which hath stood against the waves and weathers of time. For new nobility is but the act of power, but ancient nobility is the act of time. Those that are first raised to nobility are commonly more virtuous, but less innocent, than their descendants; for there is rarely any rising but by a commixture of good and evil arts. But it is reason2 the memory of their virtues remain to their posterity, and their faults die with themselves.3 Nobility of birth commonly abateth industry; and he that is not industrious, envieth him that is. Besides, noble persons cannot go much higher: and he that standeth at a stay when others rise, can hardly avoid 1 Surcharge. An extra charge. 2 Reason. A matter agreeable to reason; the idiom is from the old French, il est raison, c'est (bien) raison. 3 Compare the turn of this thought as twice expressed by Shakspere. "The evil that men do lives after them; Shakspere. Julius Caesar. iii. 2. "Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues Shakspere. King Henry VIII. iv. 2. • Stay. Standstill; at a stay, that is, at a standstill. motions1 of envy. tinguisheth the passive envy from others towards them; because they are in possession of honour. Certainly, kings that have able men of their nobility shall find ease in employing them, and a better slide2 into their business; for people naturally bend to them, as born in some sort to command. On the other side, nobility ex XV. OF SEDITIONS AND TROUBLES. SHEPHERDS of people had need know the calendars of tempests in state; which are commonly greatest, when things grow to equality; as natural tempests are greatest about the Equinoctia.3 And as there are certain hollow blasts of wind and secret swellings of seas before a tempest, so are there in states: -Ille etiam cæcos instare tumultus Sæpe monet, fraudesque et operta tumescere bella.1 Libels and licentious discourses against the state, when they are frequent and open; and in like sort, false news often running up and down to the disadvantage of the state, and hastily embraced; are 1 Motions. Natural impulses, especially of the mind or soul. "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death." Romans vii. 5. 2 Slide. Smooth and easy passage. 8 Equinoctia. Equinoxes. He even often warns that secret tumults are impending, and that treason and open wars are ready to burst forth. Vergil. Georgicon Liber I. 464-465. |