314 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



human nature the love of novelty or variety. But this 

 affection is greatly limited in the pleasures of the senses, 

 which make the greatest part of passive good. To consider 

 how often the same things come over in life as meals, 

 sleep, and diversion it might make not only a resolute, 

 a wretched, or a wise, but even a delicate person wish to 

 die. 3 But in actions, enterprises, and desires, there is a 

 remarkable variety, which we perceive with great pleasure, 

 while we begin, advance, rest, go back to recruit, approach, 

 obtain, etc.: whence it is truly said, &quot;That life without 

 pursuit is a vague and languid thing&quot;; 4 and this holds true 

 both of the wise and unwise indifferently. So Solomon 

 says, &quot;Even a brain- sick man seeks to satisfy his desire, 

 and meddles in everything.&quot; 5 And thus the most potent 

 princes, who have all things at command, yet sometimes 

 choose to pursue low and empty desires, which they prefer 

 to the greatest affluence of sensual pleasures: thus Nero 

 delighted in the harp, Commodus in fencing, Antonius in 

 racing, etc. So much more pleasing is it to be active than 

 in possession. 



It must, however, be well observed, that active, indi 

 vidual good differs entirely from the good of communion, 

 notwithstanding they may sometimes coincide ; for although 

 this individual active good often produces works of benefi 

 cence, which is a virtue of communion, yet herein they 

 differ, that these works are performed by most men, not 

 with a design to assist or benefit others, but wholly for their 

 own gratification or honor, as plainly appears when active 

 good falls upon anything contrary to the good of commu 

 nion; for that gigantic passion wherewith the great dis 

 turbers 6 of the world are carried away, as in the case of 



8 Seneca. 4 Seneca, Epist. xxiv. 23-25. 5 Prov. xxi. 25. 



6 So Barrow, &quot;Sermon iii. on Redemption. &quot; There are some persons of that 

 wicked and gigantic disposition, contracted by evil practice, that should one 

 offer to instruct them in truth or move them to piety, would exclaim with. 

 Polyphemus 



*Os /*e 0eois xe Aeeu q 5ei8i/*ej&amp;gt;, ij cUcaadat. OdySS. ix. 273, 



