198 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [XXI. 6. 



concerneth the regiment and government of every man 

 over himself, and not over others. And as in architecture 

 the direction of framing the posts, beams, and other parts 

 of building, is not the same with the manner of joining 

 them and erecting the building; and in mechanicals, 

 the direction how to frame an instrument or engine, is 

 not the same with the manner of setting it on work and 

 employing it ; and yet nevertheless in expressing of the 

 one you incidently express the aptness towards the other ; 

 so the doctrine of conjugation of men in society differeth 

 from that of their conformity thereunto. 



7. This part of duty is subdivided into two parts: 

 the common duty of every man, as a man or member 

 of a state; the other, the respective or special duty of 

 every man, in his profession, vocation, and place. The 

 first of these is extant and well laboured, as hath been 

 said. The second likewise I may report rather dispersed 

 than deficient; which manner of dispersed writing in 

 this kind of argument I acknowledge to be best. For 

 who can take upon him to write of the proper duty, 

 virtue, challenge, and right of every several vocation, pro 

 fession, and place ? For although sometimes a looker on 

 may see more than a gamester, and there be a proverb 

 more arrogant than sound, That the vale best discovered 

 the hill; yet there is small doubt but that men can write 

 best and most really and materially in their own profes 

 sions ; and that the writing of speculative men of active 

 matter for the most part doth seem to men of experience, 

 as Phormio s argument of the wars seemed to Hannibal, 

 to be but dreams and dotage. Only there is one vice 

 which accompanieth them that write in their own pro 

 fessions, that they magnify them in excess. But gener 

 ally it were to be wished (as that which would make 



