192 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



by puntos and compliments. Again, there is no greater 

 impediment of action than an over-curious observance 

 of decency, and the guide of decency, which is time and 

 season. For as Salomon saith, Qui respicit ad ventos, 

 non seminat ; et qui respicit ad nubes, non metet : a 

 man must make his opportunity, as oft as find it. To 

 conclude, behaviour seemeth to me as a garment of the 

 mind, and to have the conditions of a garment. For it 

 ought to be made in fashion ; it ought not to be too 

 curious ; it ought to be shaped so as to set forth any 

 good making of the mind and hide any deformity ; and 

 above all, it ought not to be too strait or restrained for 

 exercise or motion. But this part of civil knowledge 

 hath been elegantly handled, and therefore I cannot 

 report it for deficient. 



4. The wisdom touching negotiation or business hath 

 DenefjotUs not been hitherto collected into writing, 

 gerendis. to the great derogation of learning, and 



the professors of learning. For from this root springeth 

 chiefly that note or opinion, which by us is expressed 

 in adage to this effect, that there is no great concur 

 rence between learning and wisdom. For of the three 

 wisdoms which we have set down to pertain to civil 

 life, for wisdom of behaviour, it is by learned men for 

 the most part despised, as an inferior to virtue and an 

 enemy to meditation ; for wisdom of government, they 

 acquit themselves well when they are called to it, but 

 that happeneth to few ; but for the wisdom of business, 

 wherein man s life is most conversant, there be no books 

 of it, except some few scattered advertisements, that 

 have no proportion to the magnitude of this subject. 

 For if books were written of this as the other, I doubt 

 not but learned men with mean experience, would far 

 excel men of long experience without learning, and 

 outshoot them in their own bow. 



5. Neither needeth it at all to be doubted, that this 

 knowledge should be so variable as it falleth not under 

 precept ; for it is much less infinite than science of 

 government, which we see is laboured and in some part 

 reduced. Of this wisdom it seemeth some of the ancient 



