84 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



massive bodies, that they have certain trepidations 

 and waverings before they fix and settle, so it seemeth 

 that by the providence of God this monarchy, before 

 it was to settle in your majesty and your generations 

 (in which I hope it is now established for ever), it had 

 these prelusive changes and varieties. 



9. For lives, I do find strange that these times have 

 so little esteemed the virtues of the times, as that the 

 writings of lives should be no more frequent. For 

 although there be not many sovereign princes or 

 absolute commanders, and that states are most collected 

 into monarchies, yet are there many worthy personages 

 that deserve better than dispersed report or barren 

 elogies. For herein the invention of one of the late 

 poets is proper, and doth well enrich the ancient fiction. 

 For he feigneth that at the end of the thread or web of 

 every man s life there was a little medal containing 

 the person s name, and that Time waited upon the 

 shears, and as soon as the thread was cut, caught the 

 medals, and carried them to the river of Lethe ; and 

 about the bank there were many birds flying up and 

 down, that would get the medals and carry them in 

 their beak a little while, and then let them fall into 

 the river. Only there were a few swans, which if they 

 got a name would carry it to a temple, where it was 

 consecrate. And although many men, more mortal 

 in their affections than in their bodies, do esteem 

 desire of name and memory but as a vanity and 

 ventosity, 



Animi nil magnae laudis egentes ; 



which opinion cometh from that root, Non prius 

 laudes contempsimus, quam laudanda facere desivi- 

 mus : yet that will not alter Salomon s judgement, 

 Memoria justi cum laudibus, at impiorum nomen 

 putrescet : the one flourisheth, the other either con- 

 sumeth to present oblivion, or turneth to an ill odour. 

 And therefore in that style or addition, which is and 

 hath been long well received and brought in use, 

 felicis memoriae, piae memoriae, bonae memoriae, 



