222 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [XXIII. 6. 



retiring is of all courses the unfittest ; for a man leaveth 

 things at worst, and depriveth himself of means to make 

 them better. 



Erat civitas parva, et pauci in ea mri: venit contra earn 

 rex magnus, et vallavit earn, instruxitque munitiones per 

 gyrum, et perfecta est obsidio ; inventusque esl in ea vir 

 pauper et sapiens, et liber av it earn per sapientiam suam; et 

 nullus deinceps recordatus est hominis illius pauperis. Here 

 the corruption of states is set forth, that esteem not virtue 

 or merit longer than they have use of it. 



Mollis responsio frangit iram. Here is noted that 

 silence or rough answer exasperateth ; but an answer 

 present and temperate pacifieth. 



Iter pigrorum quasi sepes spinarum. Here is lively 

 represented how laborious sloth proveth in the end : for 

 when things are deferred till the last instant, and nothing 

 prepared beforehand, every step findeth a brier or im 

 pediment, which catcheth or stoppeth. 



Melior est finis oraiionis quam principium. Here is 

 taxed the vanity of formal speakers, that study more about 

 prefaces and inducements, than upon the conclusions and 

 issues of speech. 



Qui cognoscit in judicio faciem, non benefacit; iste et pro 

 buccella panis deseret veritatem. Here is noted, that a 

 judge were better be a briber than a respecter of per 

 sons ; for a corrupt judge offendeth not so lightly as a 

 facile. 



Vir pauper calumnians pauper es similis est imbri vehem- 

 enti, in quo paratur fames. Here is expressed the ex 

 tremity of necessitous extortions, figured in the ancient 

 fable of the full and the hungry horseleech. 



Fons turbatus pede, et vena corrupta, est Justus cadens 

 coram impio. Here is noted, that one judicial and 



