ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 379 



again ; for it is a &quot;hopeless attempt to recover a lost reputa 

 tion. In the last place, we set down honors, which are easier 

 acquired by any of the former three, much more by a con 

 junction of them all, than any one of them can be procured 

 by honors. But as much depends upon observing the order 

 of things, so likewise in observing the order of time, in dis 

 turbing of which men frequently err and hasten to the end, 

 when they should only have consulted the beginning, and 

 suddenly flying at the greatest things of all, rashly skip over 

 those in the middle thus neglecting the useful precept, 

 &quot;Attend to what is immediately before you&quot; 



&quot;Quod nunc instat agamus.&quot; 91 



Our second precept is, to beware of being carried by 

 greatness and presumption of mind to things too difficult, 

 and thus of striving against the stream. It is a prudent ad 

 vice, in the raising of one s fortune, to yield to necessity. 



&quot;Fatis accede, deisque. &quot; 92 



Let us look all round us, and observe where things lie open, 

 where they are inclosed and locked up, where they stoop, 

 and where they mount, and not misemploy our strength 

 where the way is impassable: in doing this we shall prevent 

 repulse, not stick too long in particulars, win a reputation 

 of being moderate, give little offence, and lastly, gain an 

 opinion of felicity; while the things that would probably 

 have happened of themselves, will be attributed to our own 

 industry. 



A third precept, which seems somewhat to cross the 

 former, though not when well understood, is, that we do 

 not always wait for opportunities, but sometimes excite and 

 lead them. This Demosthenes intimates in a high strain, 

 when he says, That as it is a maxim for the general to lead 

 his army, so a wise man should lead things, make them exe- 



91 Yirg. Eclog. ix. 66. 



92 Lucan, viii. 486. Quoted also by Jeremy Taylor in his &quot;Life of Christ,&quot; 

 Preface. 



