ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 185 



outlets. ' And this persuasion turns upon such forms as these 

 You shall engage yourself ; You shall not be your own carver ; 

 You shall keep the matter in your hands, etc. 



The fallacy of the sophism lies here: i. Because fortune 

 presses so close upon human affairs, that some resolution is 

 necessary ; for not to resolve is to resolve, so that irresolution 

 frequently entangles us in necessities more than resolving. And 

 this seems to be a disease of the mind, like to that of covetous- 

 ness, only transferred from the desire of possessing riches to the 

 desire of free-will and power ; for as the covetous man enjoys no 

 part of his possessions, for fear of lessening them, so the un- 

 resolved man executes nothing, that he may not abridge his 

 freedom and power of acting. 2. Because necessity and the 

 fortune of the throw add a spur to the mind ; whence that say- 

 ing, " In other respects equal, but in necessity superior." q 



Sophism 8 



That evil ive bring upon ourselves, is greater; and that proceed- 

 ing from without us, less 



Because remorse of conscience doubles adversity, as a con- 

 sciousness of one's own innocence is a great support in afflic- 

 tion whence the poets exaggerate those sufferings most, and 

 paint them leading to despair, wherein the person accuses and 

 tortures himself. 



" Seque unam clamat causamque, caputque malorum." Virgil. r 



On the other side, persons lessen and almost annihilate their 

 misfortunes, by reflecting upon their own innocence and merit. 

 Besides, when the evil comes from without, it leaves a man to 

 the full liberty of complaint, whereby he spends his grief and 

 eases his heart ; for we conceive indignation at human injuries, 

 and either meditate revenge ourselves, or implore and expect 

 it from the Divine vengeance. Or if the injury came from for- 

 tune itself, yet this leaves us to an expostulation with the Di- 

 vine Powers 



" Atquc Deos, atquc astra, vocat crudelia mater." Virgil.* 



But if the evil be derived from ourselves, the stings of grief 

 strike inwards, and stab and wound the mind the deeper. 

 This color deceives i. By hope, which is the greatest anti- 



