the advancement of learning-第43部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s　of　fortune；　than　the　obtaining　fortune　will　remove　the　impediments　of　the　mind。　In　the　second　place；　I　set　down　wealth　and　means；　which　I　know　most　men　would　have　placed　first；　because　of　the　general　use　which　it　beareth　towards　all　variety　of　occasions。　But　that　opinion　I　may　condemn　with　like　reason　as　Machiavel　doth　that　other；　that　moneys　were　the　sinews　of　the　wars；　whereas；　saith　he；　the　true　sinews　of　the　wars　are　the　sinews　of　men's　arms；　that　is；　a　valiant；　populous；　and　military　nation：　and　he　voucheth　aptly　the　authority　of　Solon；　who；　when　Croesus　showed　him　his　treasury　of　gold；　said　to　him；　that　if　another　came　that　had　better　iron；　he　would　be　master　of　his　gold。　In　like　manner　it　may　be　truly　affirmed；　that　it　is　not　moneys　that　are　the　sinews　of　fortune；　but　it　is　the　sinews　and　steel　of　men's　minds；　wit；　courage；　audacity；　resolution；　temper；　industry；　and　the　like。　In　the　third　place　I　set　down　reputation；　because　of　the　peremptory　tides　and　currents　it　hath；　which；　if　they　be　not　taken　in　their　due　time；　are　seldom　recovered；　it　being　extreme　hard　to　play　an　after　game　of　reputation。　And　lastly；　I　place　honour；　which　is　more　easily　won　by　any　of　the　other　three；　much　more　by　all；　than　any　of　them　can　be　purchased　by　honour。　To　conclude　this　precept；　as　there　is　order　and　priority　in　matter；　so　is　there　in　time；　the　preposterous　placing　whereof　is　one　of　the　commonest　errors：　while　men　fly　to　their　ends　when　they　should　intend　their　beginnings；　and　do　not　take　things　in　order　of　time　as　they　come　on；　but　marshal　them　according　to　greatness；　and　not　according　to　instance；　not　observing　the　good　precept；　QUOD　NUNC　INSTAT　AGAMUS。

39。　Another　precept　of　this　knowledge　is　not　to　embrace　any　matters　which　do　occupy　too　great　a　quantity　of　time；　but　to　have　that　sounding　in　a　man's　ears；

Sed　fugit　interea；　fugit　irreparabile　tempus：

and　that　is　the　cause　why　those　which　take　their　course　of　rising　by　professions　of　burden；　as　lawyers；　orators；　painful　divines；　and　the　like；　are　not　commonly　so　politic　for　their　own　fortune；　otherwise　than　in　their　ordinary　way；　because　they　want　time　to　learn　particulars；　to　wait　occasions；　and　to　devise　plots。

40。　Another　precept　of　this　knowledge　is；　to　imitate　nature；　which　doth　nothing　in　vain；　which　surely　a　man　may　do　if　he　do　well　interlace　his　business；　and　bend　not　his　mind　too　much　upon　that　which　he　principally　intendeth。　For　a　man　ought　in　every　particular　action　so　to　carry　the　motions　of　his　mind；　and　so　to　have　one　thing　under　another；　as　if　he　cannot　have　that　he　seeketh　in　the　best　degree；　yet　to　have　it　in　a　second；　or　so　in　a　third；　and　if　he　can　have　no　part　of　that　which　he　purposed；　yet　to　turn　the　use　of　it　to　somewhat　else；　and　if　he　cannot　make　anything　of　it　for　the　present；　yet　to　make　it　as　a　seed　of　somewhat　in　time　to　come；　and　if　he　can　contrive　no　effect　or　substance　from　it；　yet　to　win　some　good　opinion　by　it；　or　the　like。　So　that　he　should　exact　an　account　of　himself　of　every　action；　to　reap　somewhat；　and　not　to　stand　amazed　and　confused　if　he　fail　of　that　he　chiefly　meant：　for　nothing　is　more　impolitic　than　to　mind　actions　wholly　one　by　one。　For　he　that　doth　so　leeseth　infinite　occasions　which　intervene；　and　are　many　times　more　proper　and　propitious　for　somewhat　that　he　shall　need　afterwards；　than　for　that　which　he　urgeth　for　the　present；　and　therefore　men　must　be　perfect　in　that　rule；　HAEC　OPORTET　FACERE；　ET　ILLA　NON　OMITTERE。

41。　Another　precept　of　this　knowledge　is；　not　to　engage　a　man's　self　peremptorily　in　anything；　though　it　seem　not　liable　to　accident；　but　ever　to　have　a　window　to　fly　out　at；　or　a　way　to　retire：　following　the　wisdom　in　the　ancient　fable　of　the　two　frogs；　which　consulted　when　their　plash　was　dry　whither　they　should　go；　and　the　one　moved　to　go　down　into　a　pit；　because　it　was　not　likely　the　water　would　dry　there；　but　the　other　answered；　TRUE；　BUT　IF　IT　DO；　HOW　SHALL　WE　GET　OUT　AGAIN　？

42。　Another　precept　of　this　knowledge　is；　that　ancient　precept　of　Bias；　construed　not　to　any　point　of　perfidiousness；　but　only　to　caution　and　moderation；　ET　AMA　TANQUAM　INIMICUS　FUTURUS；　ET　ODI　TANQUAM　AMATURUS；　　for　it　utterly　betrayeth　all　utility　for　men　to　embark　themselves　too　far　in　unfortunate　friendships；　troublesome　spleens；　and　childish　and　humorous　envies　or　emulations。

43。　But　I　continue　this　beyond　the　measure　of　an　example；　led；　because　I　would　not　have　such　knowledges；　which　I　note　as　deficient；　to　be　thought　things　imaginative　or　in　the　air；　or　an　observation　or　two　much　made　of；　but　things　of　bulk　and　mass；　whereof　an　end　is　hardlier　made　than　a　beginning。　It　must　be　likewise　conceived；　that　in　these　points　which　I　mention　and　set　down；　they　are　far　from　complete　tractates　of　them；　but　only　as　small　pieces　for　patterns。　And　lastly；　no　man；　I　suppose；　will　think　that　I　mean　fortunes　are　not　obtained　without　all　this　ado；　for　I　know　they　come　tumbling　into　some　men's　laps；　and　a　number　obtain　good　fortunes　by　diligence　in　a　plain　way；　little　intermeddling；　and　keeping　themselves　from　gross　errors。

44。　But　as　Cicero；　when　he　setteth　down　an　idea　of　a　perfect　orator；　doth　not　mean　that　every　pleader　should　be　such；　and　so　likewise；　when　a　prince　or　a　courtier　hath　been　described　by　such　as　have　handled　those　subjects；　the　mould　hath　used　to　be　made　according　to　the　perfection　of　the　art；　and　not　according　to　common　practice：　so　I　understand　it；　that　it　ought　to　be　done　in　the　description　of　a　politic　man；　I　mean　politic　for　his　own　fortune。

45。　But　it　must　be　remembered　all　this　while；　that　the　precepts　which　we　have　set　down　are　of　that　kind　which　may　be　counted　and　called　BONAE　ARTES。　As　for　evil　arts；　if　a　man　would　set　down　for　himself　that　principle　of　Machiavel；　THAT　A　MAN　SEEK　NOT　TO　ATTAIN　VIRTUE　ITSELF；　BUT　THE　APPEARANCE　ONLY　THEREOF；　BECAUSE　THE　CREDIT　OF　VIRTUE　IS　A　HELP；　BUT　THE　USE　OF　IT　IS　CUMBER：　or　that　other　of　his　principles；　THAT　HE　PRESUPPOSE；　THAT　MEN　ARE　NOT　FITLY　TO　BE　WROUGHT　OTHERWISE　BUT　BY　FEAR；　AND　THEREFORE　＇74＇　THAT　HE　SEEK　TO　HAVE　EVERY　MAN　OBNOXIOUS；　LOW；　AND　IN　STRAIT；　which　the　Italians　call　SEMINAR　SPINE；　to　sow　thorns：　or　that　other　principle；　contained　in　the　verse　which　Cicero　citeth；　CADANT　AMICI；　DUMMODO　INIMICI　INTERCIDANT；　as　the　triumvirs；　which　sold；　every　one　to　other；　the　lives　of　their　friends　for　the　deaths　of　their　enemies：　or　that　other　protestation　of　L。　Catilina；　to　set　on　fire　and　trouble　states；　to　the　end　to　fish　in　droumy　waters；　and　to　unwrap　their　fortunes；　EGO　SI　QUID　IN　FORTUNIS　MEIS　EXCITATUM　SIT　INCENDIUM；　ID　NON　AQUA　SED　RUINA　RESTINGUAM：　　or　that　other　principle　of　Lysander；　THAT　CHILDREN　ARE　TO　BE　DECEIVED　WITH　COMFITS；　AND　MEN　WITH　OATHS：　and　the　like　evil　and　corrupt　positions；　whereof；　as　in　all　things；　there　are　more　in　number　than　of　the　good：　certainly　with　these　dispensations　from　the　laws　of　charity　and　integrity；　the　pressing　of　a　man's　fortune　may　be　more　hasty　and　compendious。　But　it　is　in　life　as　it　is　in　ways；　the　shortest　way　is　commonly　the　foulest；　and　surely　the　fairer　way　is　not　much　about。

46。　But　men；　if　they　be　in　their　own　power；　and　do　bear　and　sustain　themselves；　and　be　not　carried　away　with　a　whirlwind　or　tempest　of　ambition；　ought；　in　the　pursuit　of　their　own　fortune；　to　set　before　their　eyes　not　only　that　general　map　of　the　world；　THAT　ALL　THINGS　ARE　VANITY　AND　VEXATION　OF　SPIRIT；　but　many　other　more　particular　cards　and　directions：　chiefly　that　　that　being　without　wellbeing　is　a　curse　　and　the　greater　being　the　greater　curse；　and　that　all　virtue　is　most　rewarded；　and　all　wickedness　most　punished　in　itself：　according　as　the　poet　saith　excellently：

Quae　vobis；　quae　digna；　viri；　pro　laudibus　istis　Praemia　posse　rear　solvi？　pulcherrima　primum　Dii　moresque　dabunt　vestri。

And　so　of　the　contrary。　And；　secondly；　they　ought　to　look　up　to　the　eternal　providence　and　divine　judgment；　which　often　subverteth　the　wisdom　of　evil　plots　and　imaginations；　according　to　that　Scripture；　HE　HATH　CONCEIVED　MISCHIEF；　AND　SHALL　BRING　FORTH　A　VAIN　THING。　And　although　men　should　refrain　themselves　from　injury　and　evil　arts；　yet　this　incessant　and　Sabbathless　pursuit　of　a　man's　fortune　leaveth　not　the　tribute　which　we　owe　to　God　of　our　time；　who　we　see　demandeth　a　tenth　of　our　substance；　and　a　seventh；　which　is　more　strict；　of　our　time：　and　it　is　to　small　purpose　to　have　an　erected　face　towards　heaven；　and　a　perpetual　grovelling　spirit　upon　earth；　eating　dust；　as　doth　the　serpent；

Atque　affigit　humo　divinae　particulam　aurae。

And　if　any　man　flatter　himself　that　he　will　employ　his　fortune　well；　though　he　should　obtain　it　ill；　as　was　said　concerning　Augustus　Cesar；　and　after　of　Septimius　Severus；　THAT　EITHER　THEY　SHOULD　NEVER　HAVE　BEEN　BORN；　OR　ELSE　THEY　SHOULD　NEVER　HAVE　DIED；　they　did　so　much　mischief　in　the　pursuit　and　ascent　of　their　greatness；　and　so　much　good　when　they　were　established；　yet　these　compensations　and　satisfactions　are　good　to　be　used；　but　never　good　to　be　purposed。　And　lastly；　it　is　not　amiss　for　men　in　their　race　toward　their　fortune；　to　cool　themselves　a　little　with　that　conceit　which　is　elegantly　expressed　by　the　Emperor　Charles　the　Fifth；　in　his　instructions　to　the　king　his　son；　THAT　FORTUNE　HATH　SOMEWHAT　OF　THE　NATURE　OF　A　WOMAN；　THAT　IF　SHE　BE　TOO　MUCH　WOOED；　SHE　IS　THE　FARTHER　OFF。　But　this　last　is　but　a　remedy　for　those　whose　tastes　are　corrupted：　let　men　rather　build　upon　that　foundation　which　is　a　cornerstone　of　divinity　and　philosophy；　wherein　they　join　close；　namely；　that　same　PRIMUM　QUAERITE。　For　divinity　saith；　PRIMUM　QUAERITE　REGNUM　DEI；　ET　ISTA　OMNIA　ADJICIENTUR　VOBIS：　　and　philosophy　saith；　PRIMUM　QUAERITE　BONA　ANIMI；　CAETERA　AUT　ADERUNT；　AUT　NON　OBERUNT。　And　although　the　human　foundation　hath　somewhat　of　the　sands；　as　we　see　in　M。　Brutus；　when　he　brake　forth　into　that　speech；

Te　colui；　Virtus；　ut　rem；　at　tu　nomen　inane　es；

yet　the　divine　foundation　is　upon　the　rock。　But　this　may　serve　for　a　taste　of　that　knowledge　which　I　noted　as　deficient。

47。　Concerning　Government；　it　is　a　part　of　knowledge　secret　and　retired；　in　both　these　respects　in　which　things　are　deemed　secret；　for　some　things　are　secret　because　they　are　hard　to　know；　and　some　because　they　are　not　fit　to　utter。　We　see　all　governments　are　ob