X. 12.] THE SECOND BOOK. 143 



is to say, for any point of ability whereunto the body of 

 man may be brought, whether it be of activity, or of 

 patience ; whereof activity hath two parts, strength and 

 swiftness ; and patience likewise hath two parts, hardness 

 against wants and extremities, and endurance of pain or 

 torment; whereof we see the practices in tumblers, in 

 savages, and in those that suffer punishment. Nay, if 

 there be any other faculty which falls not within any of 

 the former divisions, as in those that dive, that obtain a 

 strange power of containing respiration, and the like, I 

 refer it to this part. Of these things the practices are 

 known, but the philosophy which concerneth them is not 

 much inquired ; the rather, I think, because they are sup 

 posed to be obtained, either by an aptness of nature, 

 which cannot be taught, or only by continual custom, 

 which is soon prescribed : which though it be not true, 

 yet I forbear to note any deficiences : for the Olympian 

 games are down long since, and the mediocrity of these 

 things is for use ; as for the excellency of them it serveth 

 for the most part but for mercenary ostentation. 



13. For arts of pleasure sensual, the chief deficience in 

 them is of laws to repress them. For as it hath been 

 well observed, that the arts which flourish in times while 

 virtue is in growth, are military ; and while virtue is in 

 state, are liberal ; and while virtue is in declination, are 

 voluptuary : so I doubt that this age of the world is some 

 what upon the descent of the wheel. With arts voluptuary 

 I couple practices joculary; for the deceiving of the 

 senses is one of the pleasures of the senses. As for 

 games of recreation, I hold them to belong to civil life 

 and education. And thus much of that particular human 

 philosophy which concerns the body, which is but the 

 tabernacle of the mind. 



