i86 Of the Advancement of Learning. L i b. VI. 



The Reprehenjioa. 



Btit the Colour deceives three ways : Firft, in refpeft oiDeJiitution .• 

 Secondly, in refpeft of Obfcuration : Thirdly, in refpeft of Pre 

 te&ion. In regard of Dejiitution, it comes to pals that thole things , 

 which in their kind are moft ample, and do moft excel, do (as much as 

 may be) ingrofs all to themfelves, and leave that which is next them 

 deftitute and pined ; wherefore you Ihall never find thriving Shoots of 

 Under- wood near great Ipread Trees ; fo he faid well 



-Divitis fervi maxitne fervi 5 — *— 



and the derifion was plealant of him that compared the lower Train of 

 Attendants in the Courts of Princes, to Fajting-days which were next 

 to Holy-days, but otherways were the leaneft days in all the week. In 

 regard of Objcuration^ for this is the quality of things in their nature 

 excellent and predominant, that though they do not extenuate and im- 

 poverilh the fubftance of things adjoyning to them, yet they darken 

 and fhadow them : And this the Aftronomers obferve of the the Sun, 

 that it is good by Afpeft, but evil by Conjundtion and Approximation. 

 In regard of Prote&ion 5 for things approach and congregate not only 

 for conlbrtand fimilitude of Nature j but even that which is evil (e- 

 fpecialiy in Civil Matters) approacheth to good for Concealment and 

 Trotedion'j fo wicked perlbns betake themfelves to the lanftuaryof 

 the Gods, and Vice it felfalTumes thefhapeand fhadow of Virtue, 



S£pe latet vitium proximtate boni. 



So on the other fide, Good draws near to Evil , not for Ibciety, but for 

 converfion and reformation of it into G(?(7^ ; and therefore Phyficians 

 are more converlant with the fick than the found 5 and it was objeded 

 Mat.p. ^o our Saviour that he converfed with Publicans and Sinners, 



m 



The Colour. 



5 Thatjide^to rphich all other Parties and SeBs unanimoujly confer fecond 

 voices^ after every particular hath ajj'erted a Primacy to it felf, feents to 

 bejtijily preferred before the reji : for every Se^ may beprejum'd to ufurp 

 the firji place ^ out of Pajfion and Partiality '-^ but to yield the fecond 

 f lace J out of Truth and Merit, 



So Cicero went about to prove the Se&: ofAcademickh which fufpend- 

 ed all alTeverationjfor to be the belt of all Phifofophies 5 for (faith he) 

 Cicero. asl{^ a Stoick^which SeS is better than other, he vpi II prefer his oxen before 

 QA. the reJi : Then ask^ him mhich approacheth next in dignity, he will confefs 

 the Academick-, fo deal with an Epicure that wi life ant endure the Stoic ^ 

 to be in the fight of him, fofoon as he hath placed himfelf in the chief room^ 

 he rpill place the Academick^ next him. So if a place were void, and a 

 Princefliould examine Competitors feverally, whom next themfelves 



they 



