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able to give a Man Counsell: (They indeed are best); But 160 even without that, a Man learneth of Himselfe, and bringeth his owne Thoughts to Light, and whetteth his Wits as against a Stone, which it selfe cuts not. In a word, a Man were better relate himselfe' to a Statua', or Picture, then to suffer his Thoughts to passe in smother3.

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Adde now, to make this Second Fruit of Frendship compleat, that other Point, which lieth more open, and falleth within Vulgar Observation; which is Faithfull Counsell from a Frend. Heraclitus saith well, in one of his Ænigmaes, Dry Light is ever the best. And certaine it 170 is that the Light that a man receiveth by Counsell from Another is Drier and purer then that which commeth from his owne Understanding and Iudgement; which is ever infused and drenched in his Affections and Customes". So as there is as much difference betweene the Counsell 175 that a Frend giveth, and that' a Man giveth himselfe, as there is between the Counsell of a Frend and of a Flatterer. For there is no such Flatterer as is a Man's Selfe; And there is no such Remedy against Flattery of a Man's Selfe as the Liberty of a Frend. Counsell is of two Sorts; The 180 one concerning Manners, the other concerning Businesse. For the First; The best Preservative to keepe the Minde in Health is the faithfull Admonition of a Frend. The Calling of a Man's Selfe to a Strict Account is a Medicine, sometime, too Piercing and Corrosive. Reading good 185 Bookes of Morality is a little Flat1o and Dead. Observing our Faults in Others is sometimes unproper" for our Case. But the best Receipt (best, I say, to worke, and best to take) is the Admonition of a Frend. It is a strange thing to behold what grosse Errours and extreme Absurdities 190 Many (especially of the greater Sort) doe commit, for want of a Frend to tell them of them, To the great dammage both of their Fame and Fortune. For, as S. Iames saith,

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they are as Men, that looke sometimes into a Glasse, and 195 presently forget their own Shape and Favour. As for Businesse, a Man may think, if he will, that two Eyes see no more then one; Or that a Gamester seeth alwaies more then a Looker on; Or that a Man in Anger is as Wise as he that hath said over the foure and twenty Letters; Or 200 that a Musket may be shot off as well upon the Arme as upon a Rest; And such other fond and high Imaginations, to thinke Himselfe All in All. But when all is done, the Helpe of good Counsell is that which setteth Businesse straight. And if any Man thinke that he will take Counsell, 205 but it shall be by Peeces, Asking Counsell in one Businesse of one Man, and in another Businesse of another Man, It is well, (that is to say, better perhaps then if he asked none at all;) but he runneth two dangers: One, that he shall not be faithfully counselled; For it is a rare Thing, except it 210 be from a perfect and entire Frend, to have Counsell given, but such as shal be bowed and crooked to some ends which he hath that giveth it: The other, that he shall have Counsell given, hurtfull and unsafe, (though with good Meaning), and mixt partly of Mischiefe and partly of 215 Remedy; Even as if you would call a Physician, that is thought good for the Cure of the Disease you complaine of, but is unacquainted with your body; And therefore may put you in way for a present Cure, but overthroweth your Health in some other kindeR, And so cure the Disease, and 220 kill the Patient. But a Frend that is wholly acquainted with a Man's Estate', will beware by furthering any present Businesse, how he dasheth upon other Inconvenience. And therefore rest not upon Scattered Counsels; They will rather distract and Misleade then Settle and Direct.

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After these two Noble Fruits of Frendship, (Peace in the Affections, and Support of the Iudgement,) followeth the last Fruit, which is like the Pomgranat, full of many kernels; I meane Aid, and Bearing a Part in all Actions

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and Occasions. Here, the best Way to represent to life' the manifold use of Frendship is to cast and see how 230 many Things there are, which a Man cannot doe Himselfe ; And then it will appeare that it was a Sparing Speech of the Ancients to say, That a Frend is another Himselfe : For that a Frend is farre more then Himselfe. Men have their Time, and die many times in desire of some Things 235 which they principally take to Heart'; The bestowing of a Child, The Finishing of a Worke, Or the like. If a Man have a true Frend, he may rest almost secure that the Care of those Things will continue after Him. So that a Man hath as it were two Lives in his desires'. A Man hath a 240 Body, and that Body is confined to a Place; But where Frendship is, all Offices of Life are as it were granted to Him and his Deputy; For he may exercise them by his Frend. How many Things are there which a Man cannot, with any Face or Comelines, say or doe Himselfe? A Man 245 can scarce alledge" his owne Merits with modesty, much lesse extoll them: A man cannot sometimes brooke to Supplicate or Beg; And a number of the like. But all these Things are Gracefull in a Frend's Mouth, which are Blushing in a Man's Owne. So againe, a Man's Person 250 hath many proper Relations 1 which he cannot put off. A Man cannot speake to his Sonne, but as a Father; To his Wife, but as a Husband; To his Enemy, but upon Termes: whereas a Frend may speak as the Case requires, and not as it sorteth with the Person 15. But to enumerate 255 these Things were endlesse: I have given the Rule, where a Man cannot fitly play his owne Part: If he have not a Frend, he may quit the Stage.

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XXVIII

OF EXPENCE

RICHES are for Spending, And Spending for Honour and good Actions. Therefore Extraordinary Expence must be limitted by the Worth of the Occasion; For Voluntary Undoing may be as well for a Man's Country as for the 5 Kingdome of Heaven; But Ordinary Expence ought to be limitted by' a Man's Estate, And governed with such regard as it be within his Compasse; And not subiect to Deceit and Abuse of Servants; And ordered to the best Shew, that the Bils may be lesse then the Estimation 10 abroad. Certainly, if a Man will keep but of Even hand, his Ordinary Expences ought to be but to the Halfe of his Receipts; And if he thinke to waxe Rich, but to the Third Part. It is no Basenesse for the Greatest to descend and looke into their owne Estate. Some forbeare it, not upon 15 Negligence alone, But doubting' to bring Themselves into Melancholy, in respect they shall finde it BrokenR. But Wounds cannot be Cured without Searching. He that cannot looke into his own Estate at all, had need both Choose well those whom he employeth, and change them 20 often; For New are more Timorous and lesse Subtile. He that can looke into his Estate but seldome, it behoveth him to turne all to Certainties 1o. A Man had need, if he be Plentifull" in some kinde of Expence, to be as Saving againe in some other: As if he be Plentifull in Diet, to be 25 Saving in Apparell; If he be Plentifull in the Hall, to be Saving in the Stable; And the like. For he that is Plentifull in Expences of all Kindes will hardly be preserved

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from Decay. In Clearing' of a Man's Estate, he may as well hurt Himselfe in being too sudden as in letting it runne on too long. For hasty Selling is commonly as 30 Disadvantageable as Interest. Besides, he that cleares at once will relapse; For finding himselfe out of Straights", he will revert to his Customes; But hee that cleareth by Degrees, induceth a Habite of Frugalitie, and gaineth as -well upon his Minde as upon his Estate. Certainly, who' 35 hath a State to repaire may not despise small Things: And commonly, it is lesse dishonourable to abridge pettie Charges then to stoope to pettie Gettings. A Man ought warily to beginne Charges, which once begun will Continue: But in Matters that returne not he may be more 40 Magnificent.

XXIX

OF THE TRUE GREATNESSE OF KINGDOMES AND ESTATES9

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THE Speech of Themistocles, the Athenian, which was Haughtie and Arrogant in taking so much to Himselfe, had been 10 a Grave and Wise Observation and Censure", applied at large to others. Desired at a Feast to touch a Lute, he said, He could not fiddle, but yet he could make a small Towne a great Citty. These Words (holpen a little with a Metaphore)" may expresse two differing Abilities in those that deale in Businesse of Estate 13. For if a true Survey be taken of Counsellours and Statesmen, there may be found (though rarely) those which can make a Small State Great, 10 and yet cannot Fiddle: As, on the other side, there will be

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