OF

THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING.

BOOK VIII.

CHAPTER I.

The Division of Civil Knowledge into the Doctrine concerning Conversation, Negotiation, and Empire or State Government.

THERE is an old story, most excellent king, that many philosophers being met together in the presence of the ambassador of a foreign prince, each endeavouring to give a sample of his wisdom, that the ambassador might be able to make a report of the wonderful wisdom of Greece; one of them remained silent and propounded nothing; insomuch that the ambassador turning to him, said, "What have you to say for me to report?" To whom he answered, "Tell your king that you have found a man in Greece, who knew how to hold his tongue.' 99.1 And in truth, in this synopsis of the arts I have forgotten to mention the art of silence, which (since it is commonly deficient) I will now teach by my own example. For since the course of the argument has now brought me down to that

1 This story is told of Zeno. See Plut. de Garrulitate, and Diog. Laert. vii 24.

point, that I should presently handle the art of government; and since I am writing to so great a king who is such a master in that art, wherein he has been trained from his cradle; and since I cannot altogether forget what position I have held under your majesty ; I thought that I should better approve myself by silence on such a matter before your majesty, than by speech. Cicero indeed makes mention not only of an art, but of a kind of eloquence in silence; for in one of his letters to Atticus, after relating a conversation between himself and another person on both sides of a subject, he writes, "Here I borrowed part of your eloquence, for I held my tongue."1 Pindar again (whose peculiar gift it was to surprise men's minds with some striking expression, as with a magic. rod), utters some such saying as this, "Silence sometimes says more than speech."2 Wherefore in this part I have determined to be silent, or to be very brief, which is next thing to silence; but before I come to the arts of government, I must first make some observations touching the other parts of civil knowledge.

Civil knowledge is conversant about a subject, which of all others is most immersed in matter, and with most difficulty reduced to axioms. Nevertheless there are some circumstances to relieve this difficulty; for first, as Cato the Censor used to say of the Romans, "that they were like sheep, for that a man might better drive a flock of them, than one of them; for in a flock, if you could but get some few of them to go right, the rest would follow ;"3 so in that respect the duty of moral philosophy is more difficult than that of policy. Secondly, moral philosophy propounds to itself to im1 Cic. Ep. ad Attic. xii. 42. 2 Pind. Nem. v. 32. 3 Plut. in Cato, c. 8.

bue and endow the mind with internal goodness; but civil knowledge requires only an external goodness, for that suffices for society. And therefore it often comes to pass that there be evil times in good governments; as in the sacred history we find it said more than once in speaking of good and pious kings, "Howbeit the people had not yet directed their heart aright to the Lord God of their Fathers; "1 wherefore in this respect also the office of moral philosophy is more difficult. Thirdly, states as great engines are moved slowly and not without great efforts, whence they are not so soon put out of frame; for as in Egypt the seven good years sustained the seven bad, so in states the good government of previous years prevents the errors of succeeding times from causing immediate ruin; but the resolutions and morality of particular persons are more suddenly subverted. And this makes moral knowledge more difficult, but civil knowledge more

easy.

Civil knowledge has three parts, according to the three summary actions of Society; the knowledge of conversation, the knowledge of negotiation, and the knowledge of empire or government. For there are three kinds of good which men seek in society, comfort against solitude, assistance in business, and protection against injuries; and they are three wisdoms of divers natures, which are often separate; wisdom of behaviour, wisdom of business, and wisdom of state.

The wisdom of conversation ought certainly not to be overmuch affected, but much less despised; for a wise management thereof has not only a grace and honour in itself, but an important influence in business

12 Chron. xx. 33.

and government. For as action in an orator, though an external quality, is held of such account as even to be preferred to those other parts which appear more important and internal; so in a man of business conversation and the management thereof, though employed on external objects, finds, if not the highest, yet at all events an eminent place. For look what an effect is produced by the countenance and the carWell Well says the poet,

riage of it.

Nec vultu destrue verba tuo.1

For a man may destroy and betray the force of his words by his countenance; nay, and the effect of his deeds also, if we believe Cicero; who in recommending to his brother affability towards the provincials, said that it did not so much consist in affording them easy access, as in receiving them with a courteous and open countenance. "It is nothing to have your door open, if your countenance be shut." 2 So we see Atticus before the first interview between Cæsar and Cicero, the war still depending, carefully and seriously advised Cicero touching the composing and ordering of his countenance and gesture.3 And if the government of the face and countenance alone be of such effect; much more is that of the speech and other carriage appertaining to conversation. Indeed all grace and dignity of behaviour may be summed up in the even balancing of our own dignity and that of others, as has been well expressed by Livy, (though not meant for this purpose) in that description which he gives of personal character. "Lest I should appear (says

1 Ovid, De Art. Am. ii. 312.: —

2 De Petit. Cons.

Let not your looks your words betray.

8 Cic. Ep. ad Att. ix. 12.

he) either arrogant or servile, whereof the one were to forget the liberty of others, the other to forget my Own." 1 On the other side, if behaviour and outward carriage be intended too much, it may pass into a deformed and spurious affectation. "And then, what is more uncomely than to bring the manners of the stage into the business of life?" And even if it proceed. not to that faulty extreme, yet too much time is consumed in these frivolous matters, and the mind is employed more than is right in the care of them. And therefore as in the universities preceptors use to advise young students from too much company keeping, by saying, "Friends are the thieves of time; SO certainly the constant attention of the mind to the discretion of the behaviour is a great thief of more serious meditation. Again such as are accomplished in urbanity, and seem as formed by nature for that alone, generally find satisfaction enough therein, and seldom aspire to higher and more solid virtue; whereas those who are conscious of a defect in this point seek comeliness by reputation; for where reputation is, there almost everything is becoming; but where that is not, it must be supplied by manners and behaviour. Again there is no greater nor more common impediment of action than an overcurious observance of external decency, and the attendant of decency, which is an anxious watching of Time and Season. For as Solomon well observes, "He that regards the winds. does not sow, and he that regards the clouds does not reap: a man must make his opportunity as oft as find it. To conclude, this behaviour is as the garment of the mind, and ought to have the conditions of a 1 Livy, xxiii. 12.

2

2 Eccles. xi. 4.