L I B. VI. Of the Advancement of Learning, 187 



they would 'fpecially commend, it were like that the moft ^cond voices 

 would concurr upon the ableft men. 



The Reprehenjidn. ' 



'T'He fallax of this Colour is in refpecH: oiEnvy : for men are accuftoni- 

 ed after themfelves, and their own faftion, to incline and bend 

 unto them, which of all the reft are the fofteft and weakeft, and are 

 leaft in their way in defpight and derogation of them who have moft 

 infulted over them, and have held them hard eft to it» 



The Colour. 



6 That vehofc excellency, and fnpcrcminency is bettter^ the fame is every 

 tpay better. 



Appertaining to this are the ufual /(?r/«/ 5 Let us not wander in gene- 

 ralities^ let us compare particular voith particular. 



The Reprehenfion, 



'THis Apparence feems to be of ftrength, and rather Logical^ than Rhe- 

 torical: yet is it very often z fallax, Firft, becaufe many things 

 are cafual, which if they efcape, prove excellent •-, fo that in kind they 

 are inferiour, becaufe they are fo fubjeft to peril, and to perifti bcloi 2 

 they come to perfeftion j but in the Individual more noble. Of this 

 fort is the BloJJom of March:, whereof the French Proverb goes 



Burgeon de Mars , Enfans de Paris, 

 ^i UK cfchappe bien vaut diXi 



So that the Blojfom of May generally is better than the Elojfom of March, 

 and yet in particular the beft Blojfom of March, is better than the oeft 

 BloJJbmofMuy. Secondly it deceives, becaufe the nature of things, 

 TajoitK hinds :, orfpecies^is to be more equal, in fome kinds more incqual: 

 as it hath been obferved that warmer climates produce generally more 

 acute witsi but in Northern climates the wits of chief fur-pafs the acuteft 

 wits bf hotter Regions. So in many ArmieSjif the Matter (hould berried 

 by Duel between particular champions fingled out,perchance the vifto- 

 ry fhould go on the one (ide ; if it be tried by the grofs, it would go on 

 the other (ide:for cxrellencies^dind eminencies %o,z% it werCjby chance5but 

 kinds are governed by Nature and Art. So likewjfe generally Metal is 

 more precious than Stonejand yet a Diamond is more precious than Cold. 



The Colour. 



7 That which keeps the Mutter entire in our own hands, is Good j that 

 which leaves no paffige open for retrait, is Evil: for not to be able to 

 come off is a kind of impotency^^ but the Pomr of d/fcngaging ourfelves 

 is good. 



Aa 2 ^'-reof 



