190 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



and commonly sever. For it is easy to observe, that 

 many have strength of wit and courage, but have 

 neither health from perturbations, nor any beauty or 

 decency in their doings : some again have an elegancy 

 and fineness of carriage, which have neither soundness 

 of honesty, nor substance of sufficiency : and some 

 again have honest and reformed minds, that can neither 

 become themselves nor manage business : and some 

 times two of them meet, and rarely all three. As for 

 pleasure, we have likewise determined that the mind 

 ought not to be reduced to stupid, but to retain plea 

 sure ; confined rather in the subject of it, than in the 

 strength and vigour of it. 



XXIII. 1. Civil knowledge is conversant about 

 a subject which of all others is most immersed in matter, 

 and hardliest reduced to axiom. Nevertheless, as Cato 

 the Censor said, That the Romans were like sheep, for 

 that a man were better drive a flock of them, than one 

 of them ; for in a flock, if you could get but some few 

 go right, the rest would follow : so in that respect 

 moral philosophy is more difficile than policy. Again, 

 moral philosophy propoundeth to itself the framing of 

 internal goodness ; but civil knowledge requireth only 

 an external goodness ; for that as to society sufficeth. 

 And therefore it cometh oft to pass that there be evil 

 times in good governments : for so we find in the holy 

 story, when the kings were good, yet it is added, Sed 

 adhuc populus non direxerat cor suum ad Dorninum 

 Deum patrum suorum. Again, states, as great engines, 

 move slowly, and are not so soon put out of frame : 

 for as in Egypt the seven good years sustained the 

 seven bad, so governments for a time well grounded, 

 do bear out errors following ; but the resolution of 

 particular persons is more suddenly subverted. These 

 respects do somewhat qualify the extreme difficulty of 

 civil knowledge. 



2. This knowledge hath three parts, according to the 

 three summary actions of society ; which are conver 

 sation, negotiation, and government. For man seeketh 

 in society comfort, use, and protection : and they be 



