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XXIII. 38. ]. THE SECOND BOOK. 243 
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 pre- 
cept, 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 accord- 
ing 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 em- 
brace any matters which do occupy too great a quantity 
of time, but to have that sounding in a man’s ears, Sed 
Jugit interea fugit irreparabile tempus: and ‘that is the 
cause why those which take their course of rising by pro- 
fessions of burden, ‘as lawyers, orators, painful divines, 
and the like, are not commonly so politic for their own 
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