146 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



which is nothing but an excellent table of Caesar s virtue, and 

 made to his face ; besides the example of many other excellent 

 persons, wiser a great deal than such observers ; and we will 

 never doubt, upon a full occasion, to give just praises to present 

 or absent. 



(9) But to return ; there belongeth further to the handling 

 of this part, touching the duties of professions and vocations, 

 a relative or opposite, touching the frauds, cautels, impostures, 

 and vices of every profession, which hath been likewise handled ; 

 but how ? rather in a satire and cynically, than seriously and 

 wisely ; for men have rather sought by wit to deride and 

 traduce much of that which is good in professions, than with 

 judgment to discover and sever that which is corrupt. For, 

 as Solomon saith, he that cometh to seek after knowledge with 

 a mind to scorn and censure shall be sure to find matter 

 for his humour, but no matter for his instruction : Qucerenti 

 derisori scientiam ipsa se abscondit ; sed studioso fit obviam. 

 But the managing of this argument with integrity and truth, 

 which I note as deficient, seemeth to me to be one of the best 

 fortifications for honesty and virtue that can be planted. For, 

 as the fable goeth of the basilisk that if he see you first, you 

 die for it ; but if you see him first, he dieth so is it with 

 deceits and evil arts, which, if they be first espied they leese 

 their life ; but if they prevent, they endanger. So that we 

 are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write what 

 men do, and not what they ought to do. For it is not possible 

 to join serpentine wisdom with the columbine innocency, ex 

 cept men know exactly all the conditions of the serpent ; his 

 baseness and going upon his belly, his volubility and lubricity, 

 his envy and sting, and the rest that is, all forms and natures 

 of evil. For without this, virtue lieth open and unfenced. 

 Nay, an honest man can do no good upon those that are 

 wicked, to reclaim them, without the help of the knowledge of 

 evil. For men of corrupted minds presuppose that honesty 

 groweth out of simplicity of manners, and believing of 

 preachers, schoolmasters, and men s exterior language. So as, 

 except you can make them perceive that you know the utmost 

 reaches of their own corrupt opinions, they despise all morality. 

 Non recipit stultus verba prudentics, nisi ea dixeris qua, versan- 

 tur in corde ejus. 



(10) Unto this part, touching respective duty, e.oth also 

 appertain the duties between husband and wife, parent and 

 child, master and servant. So likewise the laws of friendship 

 and gratitude, the civil bond of companies, colleges, and politic 

 bodies, of neighbourhood, and all other proportionate duties ; 



