mounted, because they can ride along with them, and seem to be foremost in their own opinion.

There be also a reward that accompanyeth the exercise of this urbanity, when a man praiseth that in others in which he himself doth excel. For, as Pliny saith very wittily, "In commending another, thus you do yourself right; for he that you commend must be either superior to you in that which you commend, or inferior. If he be inferior, you doe but blazon the more your own attainments; and if he be superior, and yet not commended, your own pretensions are exceedingly degraded."

But seeing that all these modes of cession or dereliction of glory to others, have in their root a desire of honour, we must especially guard against the intromission of that vain glory which defeateth its own purposes by exciting envy and detraction in others. True it is indeed of fame in learning, that the flight twill be slow without some feathers of ostentation; and that those who have decryed it the most, have nevertheless shown their subjection to its power. "Qui de contemnenda gloria libros scribunt, nomen suum inscribunt." Certainly vain glory helpeth to perpetuate a man's memory; and vertue was never so beholden to humane nature as to dispense with receiving its due at second hand; neither peradventure had the fame of Cicero, Seneca, Plinius Secundus, and other vain-glorious men, born

her age so well, if it had not been joined with some vanity in their speeches and writings, like unto varnish that maketh cielings not only to shine, but endure.

But these are examples of a fortunate rarity, and not to be rashly imitated with impunity.

It is best, with innocence and utility to our fellow men, and to the body politic, to study and to practise the art of a happy life in glid ing gently along its stream, without using much of the oars of flattery, or setting up too much sail of vain-glorious pretension.

In this however we must be oftentimes guided by occasions that fall out, wherein men of obtuser or sharper wits will require greater or lesser dozes of legitimate praise.

If a fausse couche, or abortion of honest praise, shall fall out from peevish humours, or high delicacy in the receiver, a super-fætation of amiable concealed praise may bring our purpose to maturity; as once happened to a courtier in my hearing, who having pushed his kind encomium on his man to dissatisfaction and disgust, immediately exclaimed, That he thought himself happy in the friendship of a sage who was above the reach and magic of legitimate fame. Whereupon his man flew into his arms, and embraced him, as one at the very top of the pyramid of sentiment, who should have discerned this acmé of perfection.

He that is only real had need have exceed

ing great parts of virtue; as the stone had need to be rich that is set without soil. But if a man mark it well, it is in praise and commendation of men as it is in getting and in gains; light gains make heavy purses; many pennies make a pound; for light gains come thick, whereas great come but now and then : so it is true, that small matters of kindness often repeated, win the greatest commendation, whereas great ones come only upon festivals.

**** When a man has vertuously and honestly gained a goodly reputation, let him not think of trading upon it as a stock; but with godly sincerity let him lay it at the foot of the altar of vertue, and press forward to the mark of the high calling that is beyond the grave, where only he can receive the due reward of integrity and benevolence towards men, or of piety towards God.

Fragments of Lord Bacon, continued.

*

(FROM THE BEE.-JULY 3. 1793.)

Art of Life,---Politeness.

IT

is a strange thing, and yet of great veritie, that a man is most encumbered and troubled with business when he is most idle: for when a man is idle, he hath no needle or compass, whereby he may steer his course, and is perpetually beaten about by the various winds of fancy, which force him to be ever at his log-book, and weighing the lead.

Certainly, therefore, it is no small matter in the craft of life, for a man so to order his ways, that he may use his leisure according to right reason, and social virtue; and although it be true, that in the regiment of youth, the plattform for the goodly superstructure of intel· ligent and useful industry ought to be laid, yet" it will ever be found, that a man may do much by putting himself as it were in harness, fencing his eyes from the lusts thereof, by devices figurative of those used for our skittish horses, and fixing himself, (however painful,) in the beginning, to the yoke of duty, and the exercise of reason.

It is easy for a man who belongeth unto others, and is in the tramels of an inferior station, to eschew the disquietude that spring

eth from the misapplication of leisure; for the fear of poverty, the sense of danger, and the authority of his superiors, will constrain him to rectitude.

Such a man being poor, will have few followers; and if he have but the sense to prefer air and exercise with the society of a companion on a holiday, to the turbulent and expensive pleasures of a drinking house or a wake, all will go well, and he will be pleasing unto others.

But it is not so' with the man of landed estate, or with the rich tradesman or merchant, who is cursed with the superfluities of time and of money.

Great and signal therefore is the benefit of that art of life, which leadeth unto the choice of innocent and of useful divertisements.--These do give amenity to the thorny paths of life; and as they do wonderfully afford contentment to a man's self, so they do also not only prevent him from being troublesome unto others, but enable him to minister unto the joys of society, and the good of the commonwealth.

I

Divers useful arts and notable discoveries have had their first beginnings in the pass times of leisure. Witness the noble discoverries of Roger the monk, whose name it is my honour, as to carry his fame my ambition.--Witness the discovery of moveable types in printing, the fruit of boyish curiosity in the laboratory of a goldsmith.