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The rising unto place is laborious; and by pains, men come
to greater pains; and it is sometimes base; and by indignities, men
come to dignities. The standing is slippery, and the regress is either
a downfall, or at least an eclipse, which is a melancholy thing. Cum
non sis qui fueris, non esse cur velis vivere. Nay, retire men
cannot when they would, neither will they, when it were reason; but
are impatient of privateness, even in age and sickness, which
require the shadow; like old townsmen, that will be still sitting at
their street door, though thereby they offer age to scorn. Certainly
great persons had need to borrow other men's opinions, to think
themselves happy; for if they judge by their own feeling, they
cannot find it; but if they think with themselves, what other men
think of them, and that other men would fain be, as they are, then
they are happy, as it were, by report; when perhaps they find the
contrary within. For they are the first, that find their own griefs,
though they be the last, that find their own faults. Certainly men
in great fortunes are strangers to themselves, and while they are in
the puzzle of business, they have no time to tend their health, either
of body or mind. Illi mors gravis incubat, qui notus nimis omnibus,
ignotus moritur sibi. In place, there is license to do good, and evil;
whereof the latter is a curse: for in evil the best condition is not
to will; the second, not to can. But power to do good, is the true and
lawful end of aspiring. For good thoughts (though God accept them)
yet, towards men, are little better than good dreams, except they be
put in act; and that cannot be, without power and place, as the
vantage, and commanding ground. Merit and good works, is the end of
man's motion; and conscience of the same is the accomplishment of
man's rest. For if a man can be partaker of God's theatre, he shall
likewise be partaker of God's rest. Et conversus Deus, ut aspiceret
opera quae fecerunt manus suae, vidit quod omnia essent bona nimis;
and then the sabbath. In the discharge of thy place, set before thee
the best examples; for imitation is a globe of precepts. And after a
time, set before thee thine own example; and examine thyself strictly,
whether thou didst not best at first. Neglect not also the examples,
of those that have carried themselves ill, in the same place; not to
set off thyself, by taxing their memory, but to direct thyself, what
to avoid. Reform therefore, without bravery, or scandal of former
times and persons; but yet set it down to thyself, as well to create
good precedents, as to follow them. Reduce things to the first
institution, and observe wherein, and how, they have degenerate; but
yet ask counsel of both times; of the ancient time, what is best;
and of the latter time, what is fittest. Seek to make thy course
regular, that men may know beforehand, what they may expect; but be
not too positive and peremptory; and express thyself well, when thou
digressest from thy rule. Preserve the right of thy place; but stir
not questions of jurisdiction; and rather assume thy right, in silence
and de facto, than voice it with claims, and challenges. Preserve
likewise the rights of inferior places; and think it more honor, to
direct in chief, than to be busy in all. Embrace and invite helps, and
advices, touching the execution of thy place; and do not drive away
such, as bring thee information, as meddlers; but accept of them in
good part. The vices of authority are chiefly four: delays,
corruption, roughness, and facility. For delays: give easy access;
keep times appointed; go through with that which is in hand, and
interlace not business, but of necessity. For corruption: do not
only bind thine own hands, or, thy servants' hands, from taking, but
bind the hands of suitors also, from offering. For integrity used doth
the one; but integrity professed, and with a manifest detestation of
bribery, doth the other. And avoid not only the fault, but the
suspicion. Whosoever is found variable, and changeth manifestly
without manifest cause, giveth suspicion of corruption. Therefore
always, when thou changest thine opinion or course, profess it
plainly, and declare it, together with the reasons that move thee to
change; and do not think to steal it. A servant or a favorite, if he
be inward, and no other apparent cause of esteem, is commonly thought,
but a by-way to close corruption. For roughness: it is a needless
cause of discontent: severity breedeth fear, but roughness breedeth
hate. Even reproofs from authority, ought to be grave, and not
taunting. As for facility: it is worse than bribery. For bribes come
but now and then; but if importunity, or idle respects, lead a man, he
shall never be without. As Solomon saith, To respect persons is not
good; for such a man will transgress for a piece of bread. It is
most true, that was anciently spoken, A place showeth the man. And
it showeth some to the better, and some to the worse. Omnium
consensu capax imperii, nisi imperasset, saith Tacitus of Galba; but
of Vespasian he saith, Solus imperantium, Vespasianus mutatus in
melius; though the one was meant of sufficiency, the other of manners,
and affection. It is an assured sign of a worthy and generous
spirit, whom honor amends. For honor is, or should be, the place of
virtue and as in nature, things move violently to their place, and
calmly in their place, so virtue in ambition is violent, in
authority settled and calm. All rising to great place is by a
winding star; and if there be factions, it is good to side a man's
self, whilst he is in the rising, and to balance himself when he is
placed. Use the memory of thy predecessor, fairly and tenderly; for if
thou dost not, it is a debt will sure be paid when thou art gone. If
thou have colleagues, respect them, and rather call them, when they
look not for it, than exclude them, when they have reason to look to
be called. Be not too sensible, or too remembering, of thy place in
conversation, and private answers to suitors; but let it rather be
said, When he sits in place, he is another man.
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A strange thing, that
that of an orator, which is but superficial and rather the virtue of a
player, should be placed so high, above those other noble parts, of
invention, elocution, and the rest; nay, almost alone, as if it were
all in all. But the reason is plain. There is in human nature
generally, more of the fool than of the wise; and therefore those
faculties, by which the foolish part of men's minds is taken, are most
potent. Wonderful like is the case of boldness in civil business: what
first? boldness; what second and third? boldness. And yet boldness
is a child of ignorance and baseness, far inferior to other parts. But
nevertheless it doth fascinate, and bind hand and foot, those that are
either shallow in judgment, or weak in courage, which are the greatest
part; yea and prevaileth with wise men at weak times. Therefore we see
it hath done wonders, in popular states; but with senates, and princes
less; and more ever upon the first entrance of bold persons into
action, than soon after; for boldness is an ill keeper of promise.
Surely, as there are mountebanks for the natural body, so are there
mountebanks for the politic body; men that undertake great cures,
and perhaps have been lucky, in two or three experiments, but want the
grounds of science, and therefore cannot hold out. Nay, you shall
see a bold fellow many times do Mahomet's miracle. Mahomet made the
people believe that he would call an hill to him, and from the top
of it offer up his prayers, for the observers of his law. The people
assembled; Mahomet called the hill to come to him, again and again;
and when the hill stood still, he was never a whit abashed, but
said, If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet, will go to the
hill. So these men, when they have promised great matters, and
failed most shamefully, yet (if they have the perfection of
boldness) they will but slight it over, and make a turn, and no more
ado. Certainly to men of great judgment, bold persons are a sport to
behold; nay, and to the vulgar also, boldness has somewhat of the
ridiculous. For if absurdity be the subject of laughter, doubt you not
but great boldness is seldom without some absurdity. Especially it
is a sport to see, when a bold fellow is out of countenance; for
that puts his face into a most shrunken, and wooden posture; as
needs it must; for in bashfulness, the spirits do a little go and
come; but with bold men, upon like occasion, they stand at a stay;
like a stale at chess, where it is no mate, but yet the game cannot
stir. But this last were fitter for a satire than for a serious
observation. This is well to be weighed; that boldness is ever
blind; for it seeth not danger, and inconveniences. Therefore it is
ill in counsel, good in execution; so that the right use of bold
persons is, that they never command in chief, but be seconds, and
under the direction of others. For in counsel, it is good to see
dangers; and in execution, not to see them, except they be very great.
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I take goodness in this sense, the affecting of the weal of men,
which is that the Grecians call philanthropia; and the word
humanity, (as it is used) is a little too light to express it.
Goodness I call the habit, and goodness of nature, the inclination.
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OF
GOODNESS
& GOODNESS
OF NATURE
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This of all virtues, and dignities of the mind, is the greatest; being
the character of the Deity: and without it, man is a busy,
mischievous, wretched thing; no better than a kind of vermin. Goodness
answers to the theological virtue, charity, and admits no excess,
but error. The desire of power in excess, caused the angels to fall;
the desire of knowledge in excess, caused man to fall: but in
charity there is no excess; neither can angel, nor man, come in danger
by it. The inclination to goodness, is imprinted deeply in the
nature of man; insomuch, that if it issue not towards men, it will
take unto other living creatures; as it is seen in the Turks, a
cruel people, who nevertheless are kind to beasts, and give alms, to
dogs and birds; insomuch, as Busbechius reporteth, a Christian boy, in
Constantinople, had like to have been stoned, for gagging in a
waggishness a long-billed fowl. Errors indeed in this virtue of
goodness, or charity, may be committed. The Italians have an
ungracious proverb, Tanto buon che val niente: so good, that he is
good for nothing. And one of the doctors of Italy, Nicholas Machiavel,
had the confidence to put in writing, almost in plain terms, That
the Christian faith, had given up good men, in prey to those that
are tyrannical and unjust. Which he spake, because indeed there was
never law, or sect, or opinion, did so much magnify goodness, as the
Christian religion doth. Therefore, to avoid the scandal and the
danger both, it is good, to take knowledge of the errors of an habit
so excellent. Seek the good of other men, but be not in bondage to
their faces or fancies; for that is but facility, or softness; which
taketh an honest mind prisoner. Neither give thou AEsop's cock a
gem, who would be better pleased, and happier, if he had had
barley-corn. The example of God, teacheth the lesson truly: He sendeth
his rain, and maketh his sun to shine, upon the just and unjust; but
he doth not rain wealth, nor shine honor 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 neighbors, but the portraiture.
Sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor, and follow me: 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 difficulties, 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
loading part: not so good as the dogs, that licked Lazarus' sores; but
like Ries, that are still buzzing upon any thing that is raw;
misanthropi, that make it their practice, to bring men to the bough,
and yet never a tree for the purpose in their gardens, as Timon had.
Such dispositions, are the very errors of human nature; and yet they
are the fittest timber, to make great pontics 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 shows 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 shows
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 shows
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 anathema from Christ, for the
salvation of his brethren, it shows much of a divine nature, and a
kind of conformity with Christ himself.
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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 stirps 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. 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
surcharge 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 honor 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 has 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 reason, the memory of their virtues remain to their
posterity, and their faults die with themselves. 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 motions of
envy. On the other side, nobility extinguisheth the passive envy
from others, towards them; because they are in possession of honor.
Certainly, kings that have able men of their nobility, shall find ease
in employing them, and a better slide into their business; for
people naturally bend to them, as born in some sort to command.
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