CHAP. III.] EXAMPLES OF ANTITHETA. 253 



Arguments against testimonies 

 make the case appear strange, but 

 not true. 



For. FACILITY. Against. 



Give me the man who complies Facility is want of judgment, 



to another s humour without flat- The good offices of easy natures 



tery. seem debts, and their denials, iu- 



The flexible man comes nearest juries. 



to the nature of gold. He thanks only himself who 



prevails upon an easy man. 



All difficulties oppress a yield 

 ing nature, for he is engaged in 

 all. 



Easy natures seldom come off 

 with credit. 



For. FLATTERY. Against. 



Flattery proceeds from custom Flattery is the style of a slave, 



rather than ill design. Flattery is the varnisli of vice. 



To convey instruction with praise Flattery is fowling with a bird 



ie a form due to the great. call. 



The deformity of flattery is 

 comedy ; but the injury, tnigedy. 

 To convey good counsel is a 

 hard task. 



For. FORTITUDE. Against. 



Nothing is terrible but fear A strange virtue that, to desire 



itself. to destroy, to secure destruction. 



Pleasure and virtue lose their A goodly virtue truly, which 



nature where fear disquiets. evsn drunkenness can cause. 



To view danger is looking out A prodigal of his own life 



to avoid it. threatens the lives of others. 



Other virtues subdue vice, but Fortitude is a virtue of the iron 



fortitude even conquers fortune. age. 



For. FORTUNE. Against. 



Public virtues procure praise ; The folly of one man is the for- 



but private ones, fortune. tune of another. 



Fortune, like the milky way, is This may be commended in for- 



a cluster of small, twinkling, name- tune, that if she maflces no election, 



less virtues. she gives no protection. 



Fortune is to l&amp;gt;e honoured and The great, to decline envy, wor- 



respected, though it were but for ship fortune, 

 her daughters, Confidence and Au 

 thority. 



For. FRIENDSHIP. Against. 



Fiiendship does the same as To contract friendship is to pro- 

 fortitude, but more agreeably. cure incumbrance. 



