The Second Book 179 



them meet, and rarely all three. As for pleasure, we have 

 likewise determined that the mind ought not to be reduced 

 to stupid,^ but to retain pleasure; confined rather in the 

 subject of it, than in the strength and vigour of it. 



CXIII. I. — 



Civil knowledge is conversant about a subject which of all 



others is most immersed in matter, and hardliest reduced 



to axiom. Nevertheless, as Cato the Censor said, That the 



Romans were like sheep, for that a man might better drive a 



flock of them, than one of them ; for in a flock, if you could 



hut get some few to go right, the rest would follow : ^ so in 



that respect moral philosophy is more difficile than policy. 



Again, moral philosophy propoundeth to itself the framing 



of internal goodness; but civil knowledge requireth only 



I an external goodness; for that as to society sufficeth. 



I And therefore it cometh oft to pass that there be evil times 



I in good governments: for so we find in the holy story, 



I when the kings were good, yet it is added, Sed adhuc populus 



I non direxerat cor suum ad Dominum Deum patrum suorum.^ 



Again, states, as great engines, move slowly, and are not 



so soon put out of frame : for as in Egypt the seven good 



years sustained the seven bad, so governments for a time 



well grounded, do bear out errors following; but the 



resolution of particular persons is more suddenly subverted. 



These respects do somewhat qualify the extreme difficulty 



of civil knowledge. 



j 2. This knowledge hath three parts, according to the three 



! summary actions of society; which are conversation, 



negotiation, and government. For man seeketh in society 



comfort, use, and protection: and they be three wisdoms 



i of divers natures, which do often sever: wisdom of the 



! behaviour, wisdom of business, and wisdom of state. 



3. The wisdom of conversation ought not to be over much 



affected, but much less despised; for it hath not only an 



honour in itself, but an influence also into business and 



government. The poet saith, 



Nee vultu destrue verbo tuo: • 



I Should this be stupidity or stupor ? In the Latin it is " reddat 

 animum — non stupidum, sed voluptatis — sensum vivide retinen- 

 tem." « Plut. Vit. Cat. 



* 1 Chron. xx. 33. • Ovid, Ars Am. ii. ^12. 



