XXXII. OF DISCOURSE

SOME in their discourse desire rather commendation of wit, in being able to hold all arguments, than of judgment in discerning what is true; as if it were a praise to know what might be said, and not what 5 should be thought. Some have certain commonplaces and themes° wherein they are good, and want variety; which kind of poverty is for the most part tedious, and, when it is once perceived, ridiculous.

The honourablest part of talk is to give the occa10 sion, and again to moderate,° and pass to somewhat else; for then a man leads the dance.° It is good in discourse and speech of conversation to vary and intermingle speech of the present occasion with arguments, tales with reasons, asking of questions 15 with telling of opinions, and jest with earnest; for it is a dull thing to tire, and, as we say now, to jade° anything too far. As for jest, there be certain things which ought to be privileged° from it; namely, religion, matters of state, great persons, any man's 20 present business of importance, and any case that deserveth pity. Yet there be some that think their wits have been asleep, except they dart out somewhat that is piquant and to the quick. That is a vein which would be bridled:

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"Parce, puer, stimulis, et fortius utere loris."

And generally men ought to find the difference between saltness and bitterness. Certainly, he that

hath a satirical vein, as he maketh others afraid of his wit, so he had need be afraid of others' memory.

He that questioneth much shall learn much and content much; but especially if he apply his questions to the skill° of the persons whom he asketh, 5 for he shall give them occasion to please themselves in speaking, and himself shall continually gather knowledge. But let his questions not be troublesome, for that is fit for a poser. And let him be sure to leave other men their turns to speak. Nay, 10 if there be any that would reign, and take up all the time, let him find means to take them off and bring others on; as musicians use to do with those that dance too long galliards.°

If you dissemble sometimes your knowledge of 15 that you are thought to know, you shall be thought another time to know that you know not.

Speech of a man's self ought to be seldom, and well chosen. I knew one was wont to say in scorn, "He must needs be a wise man, he speaks so much of him- 20 self." And there is but one case wherein a man may commend himself with good grace, and that is in commending virtue in another, especially if it be such a virtue whereunto himself pretendeth.

Speech of touch towards others should be spar- 25 ingly used; for discourse ought to be as a field, without coming home to any man. I knew two noblemen of the west part of England, whereof the one was given to scoff, but kept ever royal cheer in his house; the other would ask of those that had been at the other's 30

table, "Tell truly, was there never a flout or dry blow given?" To which the guest would answer, such and such a thing passed. The lord would say "I thought he would mar a good dinner."

5 Discretion of speech is more than eloquence, and to speak agreeably to him with whom we deal is more than to speak in good words or in good order. A good continued speech, without a good speech of interlocution, shows slowness; and a good reply, or 10 second speech, without a good settled speech, showeth shallowness and weakness. As we see in beasts, that those that are weakest in the course are yet nimblest in the turn, as it is betwixt the greyhound and the hare. To use too many circumstances ere 15 one come to the matter, is wearisome; to use none at all, is blunt.

XXXIII. OF PLANTATIONS

PLANTATIONS are amongst ancient, primitive, and heroical works. When the world was young it begat more children, but now it is old it begets fewer; for 20 I may justly account new plantations to be the children of former kingdoms.

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I like a plantation in a pure soil, that is, where people are not displanted to the end to plant in others; for else it is rather an extirpation than a plantation.

Planting of countries is like planting of woods, for you must make account to lose almost twenty years'

profit, and expect your recompense in the end; for the principal thing that hath been the destruction of most plantations hath been the base and hasty drawing of profit in the first years. It is true, speedy profit is not to be neglected, as far as may stand with 5 the good of the plantation, but no further.

It is a shameful and unblessed thing to take the scum of people, and wicked condemned men, to be the people with whom you plant; and not only so, but it spoileth the plantation: for they will ever 10 live like rogues, and not fall to work, but be lazy, and do mischief, and spend victuals, and be quickly weary, and then certify° over to their country to the discredit of the plantation. The people wherewith you plant ought to be gardeners, ploughmen, labour- 15 ers, smiths, carpenters, joiners, fishermen, fowlers, with some few apothecaries, surgeons, cooks, and bakers.

In a country of plantation, first look about what kind of victual the country yields of itself to hand: 20 as chestnuts, walnuts, pine-apples, olives, dates, plums, cherries, wild honey, and the like; and make use of them. Then consider what victual or esculent° things there are, which grow speedily and within the year as parsnips, carrots, turnips, onions, radish, 25 artichokes of Jerusalem, maize, and the like. For wheat, barley, and oats, they ask too much labour; but with pease and beans you may begin, both because they ask less labour, and because they serve for meat as well as for bread. And of rice likewise 30

cometh a great increase, and it is a kind of meat. Above all, there ought to be brought store of biscuit oatmeal, flour, meal, and the like, in the beginning, till bread may be had. For beasts or birds, take 5 chiefly such as are least subject to diseases and multiply fastest: as swine, goats, cocks, hens, turkeys, geese, house-doves, and the like.

The victual in plantations ought to be expended almost as in a besieged town, that is, with certain° 10 allowance. And let the main part of the ground employed to gardens or corn be to a common stock, and to be laid in and stored up, and then delivered out in proportion; besides some spots of ground that any particular person will manure for his own 15 private.°

Consider likewise what commodities the soil where the plantation is doth naturally yield, that they may some way help to defray the charge of the plantation; so it be not, as was said, to the untimely prejudice 20 of the main business, as it hath fared with tobacco in Virginia. Wood commonly aboundeth but too much, and therefore timber is fit to be one. If there be iron ore, and streams whereupon to set the mills, iron is a brave° commodity where wood abound25 eth. Making of bay-salt, if the climate be proper for it, would be put in experience. Growing silk° likewise, if any be, is a likely commodity. Pitch and tar, where store of firs and pines are, will not fail. So drugs and sweet woods, where they are, cannot 30 but yield great profit; soap-ashes, likewise, and other