284 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



human virtue can hardly reach. So when Caesar said to the 

 master of the ship in a storm, &quot;Thou earnest Caesar and his 

 fortune 1 ; if he should have said, &quot;Thou earnest Caesar 

 and his virtue,&quot; it had been but a small support against 

 the danger. 2. Because those things which proceed from 

 virtue and industry are imitable, and lie open to others; 

 whereas felicity is inimitable, and the prerogative of a singu 

 lar person: whence, in general, natural things are preferred 

 to artificial, because incapable of imitation; for whatever is 

 imitable seems common, and in every one s power. 3. The 

 things that proceed from felicity seem free gifts unpurchased 

 by industry, but those acquired by virtue seem bought: 

 whence Plutarch said elegantly of the successes of Timoleon 

 (an extremely fortunate man), compared with those of his 

 contemporaries Agesilaus and Epaminondas, &quot;that they 

 were like Homer s verses, and besides their other excel 

 lences, ran peculiarly smooth and natural.&quot; 4. Because 

 what happens unexpectedly is more acceptable, and enters 

 the mind with greater pleasure; but this effect cannot be 

 had in things procured by our own industry. 



XII. What consists of many divisible parts is gr.eater, and more one than what 

 consists of fewer ; for all things when viewed in their parts seem greater, 

 whence also a plurality of parts shows bulky ; but a plurality of parts has 

 the stronger effect, if they lie in no certain order, for thus they resemble 

 infinity and prevent comprehension 



This sophism appears gross at first sight; for it is not 

 plurality of parts alone, without majority, that makes the 

 total greater; yet the imagination is often carried away, and 

 the sense deceived with this color. Thus to the eye the 

 road upon a naked plain may seem shorter, than where 

 there are trees, buildings, or other marks, by which to dis 

 tinguish and divide the distance. So when a moneyed man 

 divides his chests and bags, he seems to himself richer than 

 he was; and therefore a way to amplify anything is to break 

 it into several parts, and examine them separately. And 

 this makes the greater show, if done without order; for 

 confusion shows things more numerous than they are. 



