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BACON 



crucem pretium sceleris tulit, hie diadema.'V The poets, in- 

 deed, speak in this manner satirically, and through indigna- 

 tion ; but some books of politics suppose the same positively, 

 and in earnest. For Machiavel is pleased to say, " If Caesar had 

 been conquered, he would have become more odious than Cat- 

 iline " ; as if there was no difference, except in point of fortune, 

 betwixt a fury made up of lust and blood, and a noble spirit, of 

 all natural men the most to be admired, but for his ambition. 

 And hence we see how necessary it is for men to be fully in- 

 structed in moral doctrines and religious duties, before they 

 proceed to politics. For those bred up from their youth in the 

 courts of princes, and the midst of civil affairs, can scarce ever 

 obtain a sincere and internal probity of manners. Again, cau- 

 tion also is to be used even in moral instructions, or at least in 

 some of them, lest men should thence become stubborn, arro- 

 gant, and unsociable. So Cicero says of Cato : " The divine 

 and excellent qualities we see in him are his own ; but the 

 things he sometimes fails in are all derived, not from nature, 

 but his instructors. "s There are many other axioms and direc- 

 tions concerning the things which studies and books beget in 

 the minds of men ; for it is true that studies enter our manners, 

 and so do conversation, reputation, the laws, etc. 



But there is another cure of the mind, which seems still more 

 accurate and elaborate than the rest; depending upon this 

 foundation, that the minds of all men are, at certain times, in 

 a more perfect, and at others in a more depraved state. The 

 design of this cure is, therefore, to improve the good times, and 

 expunge the bad. There are two practical methods of fixing 

 the good times; viz., I. determined resolutions; and 2. ob- 

 servances or exercises ; which are not of so much significancy 

 in themselves, as because they continually keep the mind in its 

 duty. There are also two ways of expunging the bad times ; 

 viz., by some kind of redemption, or expiration of what is past, 

 and a new regulation of life for the future. But this part be- 

 longs to religion, whereto moral philosophy is, as we said be- 

 fore, the genuine handmaid. 



We will therefore conclude these georgics of the mind with 

 that remedy which, of all others, is the shortest, noblest, and 

 most effectual for forming the mind to virtue, and placing it 

 near a state of perfection ; viz., that we choose and propose to 

 ourselves just and virtuous ends of our lives and actions, yet 



