io 
a 
222 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [XXII. 6. 
retiring is of all courses the unfittest; for a man leaveth 
things at worst, and depriveth himself of means to make 
them better. 
Erat civitas parva, ef pauct in ea virt: venit contra eam 
rex magnus, et vallavit eam, instruxitque munitiones per 
gyrum, et perfecia est obsidio; inventusque est in ea vir 
pauper et sapiens, et liberavit eam per sapientiam suam; et 
nullus deinceps recordatus est hominis illus pauperis. Were 
the corruption of states is set forth, that esteem not virtue 
or merit longer than they have use of it. 
\\ Mollis responsio frangit tram. Here is noted that 
ne 
silence or rough answer exasperateth; but an answer 
present and temperate pacifieth. 
\\ Ltr pigrorum quasi sepes spinarum. Here is lively 
represented how laborious sloth proveth in the end: for 
when things are deferred till the last instant, and nothing 
prepared beforehand, every step findeth a brier or im- 
pediment, which catcheth or stoppeth. 
Melior est finis orationis quam principium. Here is 
taxed the vanity of formal speakers, that study more about 
_ prefaces and inducements, than upon the conclusions and 
issues of speech, 
Qui cognoscit in judicio faciem, non bene facits iste et pro 
buccella panis deseret veritatem. Tere is noted, that a 
judge were better be a briber than a respecter of per- 
sons; for a corrupt judge offendeth not so lightly as a 
facile. . 
Vir pauper calumnians pauperes similis est imbrt vehem- 
enit, in quo paratur fames. Here is expressed the ex- 
tremity of necessitous extortions, figured in the ancient 
fable of the full and the hungry horseleech. 
Fons turbatus pede, et vena corrupta, est justus cadens 
coram impio. Were is noted, that one judicial and 
