precept generally in seconding another, yet to add somewhat of one's own: as if you will grant his opinion, let it be with some distinction; if you will follow his motion, let it be with condition; if you allow his counsel, let it be with alleging further reason. Men had need beware how they be too perfect in compliments; for be they never so sufficient otherwise, their enviers will be sure to give them that attribute,2 to the disadvantage of their greater virtues. It is loss also in business to be too full of respects, or to be curious in observing times and opportunities. Salomon saith, He that considereth the wind shall not sow, and he that looketh to the clouds shall not reap. A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. Men's behaviour should be like their apparel, not too strait or point device, but free for exercise or motion.

LIII. OF PRAISE.

PRAISE is the reflexion of virtue. But it is as the glass or body which giveth the reflexion.8 If it be from the common people, it is commonly false and naught; and rather followeth vain persons than virtuous. For the common people understand not many excellent virtues. The lowest virtues draw praise from them; the middle virtues work in them astonishment or admiration; but of the highest virtues they have no sense of perceiving at all. But shews, and species vir1 cæremoniis et formulis.

2 audies tamen ab invidis, in nominis tui detrimentum, urbanus tantum et affectator.

3 atque ut fit in speculis, trahit aliquid e natura corporis quod reflexionem præbet.

tutibus similes, serve best with them. Certainly fame is like a river, that beareth up things light and swoln, and drowns things weighty and solid. But if persons of quality and judgment concur, then it is (as the Scripture saith), Nomen bonum instar unguenti fragrantis; [a good name like unto a sweet ointment.] It filleth all round about, and will not easily away. For the odours of ointments are more durable than those of flowers. There be so many false points 2 of praise, that a man may justly hold it a suspect. Some praises proceed merely of flattery; and if he be an ordinary flatterer, he will have certain common attributes, which may serve every man; if he be a cunning flatterer, he will follow the arch-flatterer, which is a man's self; and wherein a man thinketh best of himself, therein the flatterer will uphold him most: but if he be an impudent flatterer, look wherein a man is conscious to himself that he is most defective, and is most out of countenance in himself, that will the flatterer entitle him to perforce, spretâ conscientia. Some praises come of good wishes and respects, which is a form due in civility to kings and great persons, laudando præcipere; when by telling men what they are, they represent to them what they should be. Some men are praised maliciously to their hurt, thereby to stir envy and jealousy towards them; pessimum genus inimicorum laudantium; [the worst kind of enemies are they that praise;] insomuch as it was a proverb amongst the Grecians, that he that was praised to his hurt, should

1 cum vulgo concurrunt.

2 conditiones fallaces.

8 a voluntate bonâ cum reverentiâ conjunctâ proficiscuntur.

4 humiliter moneas.

have a push rise upon his nose; as we say, that a blister will rise upon one's tongue that tells a lie. Certainly moderate praise, used with opportunity, and not vulgar, is that which doth the good.2 Salomon saith, He that praiseth his friend aloud, rising early, it shall be to him no better than a curse. Too much magnifying of

man or matter doth irritate contradiction, and procure envy and scorn. To praise a man's self cannot be decent, except it be in rare cases; but to praise a man's office or profession, he may do it with good grace, and with a kind of magnanimity. The Cardinals of Rome, which are theologues, and friars, and schoolmen, have a phrase of notable contempt and scorn towards civil business: for they call all temporal business of wars, embassages, judicature, and other employments, sbirrerie, which is under-sheriffries; as if they were but matters for under-sheriffs and catchpoles though many times those under-sheriffries do more good than their high speculations.3 St. Paul, when he boasts of himself, he doth oft interlace, I speak like a fool; but speaking of his calling, he saith, magnificabo apostolatum meum: [I will magnify my mission.]

LIV. OF VAIN-GLORY.

Ir was prettily devised of Æsop; the fly sat upon the axle-tree of the chariot wheel, and said, What a dust do I raise! So are there some vain persons, that whatso1 tempestive irrogatos.

2 honori vel maxime esse.

8 ac si artes illæ memoratæ magis ejusmodi homines, quam in fastigio Cardinalatus positos, decerent: et tamen (si res rite penderetur) speculativa cum civilibus non male miscentur.

ever goeth alone or moveth upon greater means,1 if they have never so little hand in it, they think it is they that carry it. They that are glorious must needs be factious; for all bravery stands upon comparisons.2 They must needs be violent, to make good their own vaunts. Neither can they be secret, and therefore not effectual; but according to the French proverb, Beaucoup de bruit, peu de fruit; Much bruit, little fruit. Yet certainly there is use of this quality in civil affairs. Where there is an opinion and fame to be created either of virtue or greatness, these men are good trumpeters. Again, as Titus Livius noteth in the case of Antiochus and the Etolians, There are sometimes great effects of cross lies; as if a man that negociates between two princes, to draw them to join in a war against the third, doth extol the forces of either of them above measure, the one to the other: and sometimes he that deals between man and man, raiseth his own credit with both, by pretending greater interest than he hath in either. And in these and the like kinds, it often falls out that somewhat is produced of nothing; for lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance. In militar 6 commanders and soldiers, vain-glory is an essential point;7 for as iron sharpens iron, so by glory one courage sharpeneth another. In cases of great enterprise upon charge and

1 cum aliquid vel sponte procedit, vel manu potentiore cietur.

2 nulla ostentatio sine comparatione sui est.

8 ideoque opere ut plurimum destituuntur.

4 hujusmodi ingeniis.

5 mendacia reciproca, et ex utrâque parte.

6 So in the original. It is the form of the word which Bacon always

(I believe) uses.

7 non inutile est.

adventure,1 a composition of glorious natures doth put life into business; and those that are of solid and sober natures have more of the ballast than of the sail. In fame of learning, the flight will be slow without some feathers of ostentation. Qui de contemnenda gloriá libros scribunt, nomen suum inscribunt. [They that write books on the worthlessness of glory, take care to put their names on the title page.] Socrates, Aristotle, Galen, were men full of ostentation. Certainly vain-glory helpeth to perpetuate a man's memory; and virtue was never so beholding to human nature, as it received his due at the second hand. Neither had the fame of Cicero, Seneca, Plinius Secundus, borne her age so well, if it had not been joined with some vanity in themselves; like unto varnish, that makes ceilings not only shine but last. But all this while, when I speak of vain-glory, I mean not of that property that Tacitus doth attribute to Mucianus; Omnium, quæ dixerat feceratque, arte quâdam ostentator: [A man that had a kind of art of setting forth to advantage all that he had said or done:] for that proceeds not of vanity, but of natural magnanimity and discretion; 6 and in some persons 7 is not only comely, but gracious. For excusations, cessions, modesty itself well governed, are but arts of ostentation. And amongst those arts there is none better than that which Plinius Secundus

1 quæ sumptibus et periculo privatorum suscipiuntur.

2 (magna nomina) ingenio jactabundo erant.

8 Neque virtus ipsa tantum humanæ naturæ debet propter nominis sui celebrationem, quam sibi ipsi.

4 ad hunc usque diem vix durasset, aut saltem non tam vegeta.

5 vanitate et jactantiâ.

6 ex arte et prudentiâ, cum magnanimitate quâdam conjunctâ.

7 in aliquibus hominibus qui naturâ veluti comparati ad eam sunt.