i 
, tne, 
re 1 
concerneth the regiment and government of every man 
over himself, and not over others. And as in architecture 
the direction of framing the posts, beams, and other parts 
of building, is not the same with the manner of joining 
them and erecting the building; and in mechanicals, 
the direction how to frame an instrument or engine, is 
not the same with the manner of setting it on work and 
employing it; and yet nevertheless in expressing of the 
one you incidently express the aptness towards the other; 
so the doctrine of conjugation of men in society differeth 
from that of their conformity thereunto. 
47. This part of duty is subdivided into two parts: 
the common duty of every man, as a man or member 
of a state; the other, the respective or special duty of 
every man, in his profession, vocation, and place. The 
first of these is extant and well laboured, as hath been 
said. The second likewise I may report rather dispersed 
than deficient; which manner of dispersed writing in 
this kind of argument I acknowledge to be best. For 
who can take upon him to write of the proper duty, 
virtue, challenge, and right of every several vocation, pro- 
fession, and place? For although sometimes a looker on 
may see more than a gamester, and there be a proverb 
more arrogant than sound, Zhat the vale best discovereth 
the hill; yet there is small doubt but that men can write 
best and most really and materially in their own profes- 
sions; and that the writing of speculative men of active 
matter for the most part doth seem to men of experience, 
as Phormio’s argument of the wars seemed to Hannibal, 
to be but dreams and dotage. Only there is one vice 
which accompanicth them that write in their own pro- 
fessions, that they magnify them in excess. But gener- 
ally it were to be wished (as that which would make 
Pa 
198 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [XxI. 6. 
7 
