XXIII. 38.] THE SECOND BOOK. 243 



variety of occasions. But that opinion I may condemn 

 with like reason as Machiavel doth that other, that 

 moneys were the sinews of the wars; whereas (saith he) 

 the true sinews of the wars are the sinews of men s arms, 

 that is, a valiant, populous, and military nation : and he 

 voucheth aptly the authority of Solon, who, when Crcesus 

 showed him his treasury of gold, said to him, that if 

 another came that had better iron, he would be master 

 of his gold. In like manner it may be truly affirmed, 

 that it is not moneys that are the sinews of fortune, but 

 it is the sinews and steel of men s minds, wit, courage, l 

 audacity, resolution, temper, industry, and the like. In 

 the third place I set down reputation, because of the 

 peremptory tides and currents it hath ; which, if they be 

 not taken in their due time, are seldom recovered, it 

 being extreme hard to play an after game of reputation. 

 And lastly I place honour, which is more easily won by 

 any of the other three, much more by all, than any of 

 them can be purchased by honour. To conclude this pre 

 cept, as there is order and priority in matter, so is there 

 in time, the preposterous placing whereof is one of the 

 commonest errors : while men fly to their ends when they 

 should intend their beginnings, and do not take things in 

 order of time as they come on, but marshal them accord 

 ing to greatness and not according to instance; not 

 observing the good precept, Quod nunc instat agamus. 



39. Another precept of this knowledge is not to em 

 brace any matters which do occupy too great a quantity 

 of time, but to have that sounding in a man s ears, Sed 

 fugit interea fugit irreparabile iempus : and that is the 

 cause why those which take their course of rising by pro 

 fessions of burden, as lawyers, orators, painful divines, 

 and the like, are not commonly so politic for their own 

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