120 THE STATESMAN S SPEECH. 



give her further degrees and approaches to her favour. So 

 that I conclude, I have traced him the way to that, which 

 hath been granted to some few, amare et sapere, to love and 

 be wise. 



THE REPLY OF THE SQUIRE. 



WANDERING Hermit, storming Soldier, and hollow States 

 man, the enchanting orators of Philautia, which have at 

 tempted by your high charms to turn resolved Erophilus 

 into a statue deprived of action, or into a vulture attending 

 about dead bodies, or into a monster with a double heart ; 

 with infinite assurance, but with just indignation, and forced 

 patience, I have suffered you to bring in play your whole 

 forces. For I would not vouchsafe to combat you one by 

 one, as if I trusted to the goodness of my breath, and not 

 the goodness of my strength, which little needeth the ad 

 vantage of your severing, and much less of your disagree 

 ing. Therefore, first, I would know of you all what assu 

 rance you have of the fruit whereto you aspire. 



You, father, that pretend to truth and knowledge, how 

 are you assured that you adore not vain chimaeras and 

 imaginations ? that in your high prospect, when you think 

 men wander up and down, that they stand not indeed still 

 in their place, and it is some smoke or cloud between you 

 and them, which moveth, or else the dazzling of your own 

 eyes? Have not many, which take themselves to be in 

 ward counsellors with nature, proved but idle believers, 

 which told us tales, which were no such matter? And, 

 soldier, what security have you for these victories and gar 

 lands, which you promise to yourself ? Know you not of 

 many, which have made provision of laurel for the victory, 

 and have been fain to exchange it with cypress for the 

 funeral ? of many which have bespoken fame to sound their 

 triumphs, and have been glad to pray her to say nothing of 

 them, and not to discover them in their flights ? 



Corrupt statesman, you that think, by your engines and 

 motions, to govern the wheel of fortune ; do you not mark, 

 that clocks cannot be long in temper ? that jugglers are no 

 longer in request when their tricks and slights are once 

 perceived ? Nay, do you not see, that never any man made 

 his own cunning and practice (without religion and moral 

 honesty) his foundation, but he overbuilt himself, and in 

 the end made his house a windfall ? But give ear now to 

 the comparison of my master s condition, and acknowledge 

 such a difference, as is betwixt the melting hailstone and 

 the solid pearl. Indeed it seemeth to depend, as the globe 

 of the earth seemeth to hang in the air ; but yet it is firm 



