THE ESSAYS. 



XXXIX 



virtue of adversity is fortitude, which in morals is the more 

 heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old 

 Testament, adversity is the blessing of the New, which 

 carrieth the greater benediction, and the clearer revelation 

 of God s favour. Yet even in the Old Testament, if you 

 listen to David s harp, you shall hear as many hearse-like 

 airs as carols ; and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath 

 laboured more in describing the afflictions of Job than the 

 felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears 

 and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and 

 hopes. We see in needleworks and embroideries, it is more 

 pleasing to have a lively work upon a sad and solemn 

 ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work upon a 

 lightsome ground: judge, therefore, of the pleasure of the 

 heart by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly virtue is like 

 precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed, or 

 crushed : for prosperity doth best discover vice, but ad 

 versity doth best discover virtue.&quot; 



The essays were immediately translated into French and 

 Italian, and into Latin by some of his friends, amongst 

 whom were Racket, Bishop of Litchfield, and his constant 

 affectionate friend, Ben Jonson. (i) 



His own estimate of the value of this work is thus 

 stated in his letter to the Bishop of Winchester : &quot;As for 

 my Essays, and some other particulars of that nature, I 

 count them but as the recreations of my other studies, and 

 in that manner purpose to continue them ; though I am 

 not ignorant that these kind of writings would, with less 

 pains and assiduity, perhaps yield more lustre and repu 

 tation to my name than the others I have in hand.&quot; 



Although it was not likely that such lustre and repu 

 tation would dazzle him, the admirer of Phocion, (k) who, 



(*) Tennison. See note (a), p. 226. (/c) Apothegm. 30, vol. i. p. 356, 



