ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 259 



gently informing ourselves of the particular persons we have 

 to deal with their tempers, desires, views, customs, habits; 

 the assistances, helps, and assurances whereon they principally 

 rely, and whence they receive their power; their defects and 

 weaknesses, whereat they chiefly lie open and are accessible; 

 their friends, factions, patrons, dependants, enemies, enviers, 

 rivals ; their times and manners of access 



" Sola viri molles aditus et tempera noras;"* 



their principles, and the rules they prescribe themselves, etc. 

 But our information should not wholly rest in the persons, 

 but also extend to the particular actions, which from time 

 to time come upon the anvil; how they are conducted, with 

 what success, by whose assistance promoted, by whom op- 

 posed, of what weight and moment they are, and what their 

 consequences. For a knowledge of present actions is not 

 only very advantageous in itself, but without it the knowledge 

 of persons will be very fallacious and uncertain ; for men change 

 along with their actions, and are one thing whilst entangled 

 and surrounded with business, and another when they return to 

 themselves. And these particular informations, with regard to 

 persons as well as actions, are like the minor propositions in 

 every active syllogism ; for no truth, nor excellence of observa- 

 tions or axioms, whence the major political propositions are 

 formed, can give a firm conclusion, if there be an error in the 

 minor proposition. And that such a kind of knowledge is 

 procurable, Solomon assures us, who says, that " counsel in 

 the heart of man is like a deep water, but a wise man will draw 

 it out " ; k for although the knowledge itself does not fall under 

 precept, because it regards individuals, yet instructions may be 

 given of use for fetching it out. 



Men may be known six different ways, viz. I. by their 

 countenances ; 2. their words ; 3. their actions ; 4. their tem- 

 pers ; 5. their ends ; and, 6. by the relation of others, i. As to 

 the countenance, there is no great matter in that old proverb, 

 " Fronti nulla fides " ; / for although this may be said with 

 some truth of the external and general composure of the 

 countenance and gesture, yet there lie concealed certain more 

 subtile motions and actions of the eyes, face, looks, and be- 

 havior, by which the gate, as it were, of the mind is unlocked 

 and thrown open.* Who was more close than Tiberius? yet 



