XXII. i;.] THE SECOND BOOK. 21 J 



retain pleasure ; confined rather in the subject of it, than 

 in the strength and vigour of it. 



XXIII. i. /^IVIL knowledge is conversant about a 

 subject which of all others is most 

 immersed in matter, and hardliest reduced to axiom. 

 Nevertheless, as Cato the Censor said, That the Romans 

 were like sheep, for that a man were better drive a flock of 

 them, than one of them; for in a flock, if you could get but 

 some few go right, the rest would follow : so in that respect 

 moral philosophy is more difficile than policy. Again, 

 moral philosophy propoundeth to itself the framing of 

 internal goodness ; but civil knowledge requireth only an 

 external goodness ; for that as to society sufficeth. And - 

 therefore it cometh oft to pass that there be evil times 

 in good governments : for so we find in the holy story, 

 when the kings were good, yet it is added, Sed adhuc 

 populus non direxerat cor suum ad Dominum Deum patrum 

 suorum. Again, states, as great engines, move slowly, 

 and are not so soon put out of frame : for as in Egypt 

 the seven good years sustained the seven bad, so govern 

 ments for a time well grounded, do bear out errors fol 

 lowing ; but the resolution of particular persons is more 

 suddenly subverted. These respects do somewhat qualify 

 the extreme difficulty of civil knowledge. 



2. This knowledge hath three parts, according to 

 the three summary actions of society; which are con 

 versation, negotiation, and government. For man seeketh 

 in society comfort, use, and protection : and they be three 

 wisdoms of divers natures, which do often sever : wisdom 

 of the behaviour, wisdom of business, and wisdom of 

 state. 



3. The wisdom of conversation ought not to be over 



