The Second Book 189 



contemplation and doctrine. Neither doth learning admire 

 or esteem of this architecture of fortune, otherwise than as 

 of an inferior work: for no man's fortune can be an end 

 worthy of his being ; and many times the worthiest men do 

 abandon their fortune wilhngly for better respects: but 

 nevertheless fortune, as an organ of virtue and merit, 

 deserveth the consideration. 



14, First, therefore, the precept which I conceive to be most 

 summary towards the prevaiHng in fortune, is to obtain 

 that window which Momus did require: ^ who' seeing in the 

 frame of man's heart such angles and recesses, found fault 

 that there was not a window to look into them ; that is, to 

 procure good informations of particulars touching persons, 

 their natures, their desires and ends, their customs and 

 fashions, their helps and advantages, and whereby they 

 chiefly stand: so again their weaknesses and disadvantages, 

 and where they he most open and obnoxious ; their friends, 

 factions, and dependencies; and again their opposites, 

 enviers, competitors, their moods and times, 



Sola viri molles aditus et tempora noras ; • 



their principles, rules, and observations, and the like : and 

 this not only of persons, but of actions; what are on foot 

 from time to time, and how they are conducted, favoured, 

 opposed, and how they import, and the like. For the 

 knowledge of present actions is not only material in itself, 

 but without it also the knowledge of persons is very 

 erroneous: for men change with the actions; and whiles 

 they are in pursuit they are one, and when they return 

 to their nature they are another. These informations of 

 particulars, touching persons and actions, are as the minor 

 propositions in every active syllogism; for no excellency 

 of observations, which are as the major propositions, can 

 suffice to ground a conclusion, if there be error and mis- 

 taking in the minors. 



15. That this knowledge is possible, Salomon is our surety; 

 who saith. Consilium in corde viri tanquam aqua profunda ; 

 sed vir prudens exhauriet illud.^ And although the know- 



I ledge itself falleth not under precept, because it is of indivi- 

 duals, yet the instructions for the obtaining of it may. 

 * Lucian. Hermot. 20. ' Virg. ^n. iv. 423. 



• Prov. XX. s. 



