The Second Book 193 



liberty of speech and secresy; in most things liberty; 

 secresy where it importeth; for liberty of speech inviteth 

 and provoketh liberty to be used again, and so bringeth 

 much to a man's knowledge; and secresy, on the other 

 side, induceth trust and inwardness. The last is, the 

 reducing of a man's self to this watchful and serene habit, 

 as to make account and purpose, in every conference and 

 action, as well to observe as to act. For as Epictetus would 

 have a philosopher in every particular action to say to 

 himself, Et hoc volo, et etiam institutum servare} so a politic 

 man in everything should say to himself, Et hoc volo, ac 

 etiam aliquid addiscere. I have stayed the longer upon 

 this precept of obtaining good information, because it is a 

 main part by itself, which answereth to all the rest. But, 

 above all things, caution must be taken that men have- a 

 good stay and hold of themselves, and that this much 

 knowledge do not draw on much meddling; for nothing 

 is more unfortunate than light and rash intermeddling 

 in many matters. So that this variety of knowledge 

 tendeth in conclusion but only to this, to make a better and 

 freer choice of those actions which may concern us, and to 

 conduct them with the less error and the more dexterity. 



23. The second precept concerning this knowledge is, for 

 men to t^ke g ood i nformation touching their own perso n , 

 and well to understand themselves: knowing that, as 

 Strjames^ith, TEbuglT'ihen look oft in a glass,^ yet they 

 do suddenly forget themselves; wherein as the divine glass 

 is the word of God, so the politic glass is the state of the 

 world, or times wherein we live, in the which we are to 

 behold ourselves. 



24. For men ought to_taice_jji„impailiaLy^^ own 

 abilities and virtugSu and again of their wants and impedi- 

 ments; accounting these with the most, and those other 

 with the least ; and from this view and examination to frame 

 the considerations following. 



25. First, to consider how the constitution of their nature 

 sorteth with the general state of the times; which if they 

 find agreeable and fit, then in all things to give themselves 

 more scope and hberty ; but if differing and dissonant, then 



^ Vid. Epictet. Enchir. c. 4. — {\o6aaa6ai) 6i\u, xal t^v ifiavrov 

 vpoaLpeaiv /card <pvcriv ix'^^^"-" rrjprjaai, 

 ■ St. James i. 23, 24. 



