I B. VII. Of the Advancement of Learning, 2 :? :? 



I. Fjyft therefore^ in this as in all things which are Priaftical, we * 

 ought to cafl: up our account, what is in our porver^ and what vot : georgicaa- 

 for the one may he dealt with by vpay of Alteration --^ the other by way of five^e cultu- 

 Jppliciiion only. The Husband-man cannot command eitherthena- " Morura. 

 ture of the Earth, or the feafbns of the weathers no more can the 

 Phyfician the natural temper or conftitution ofthe Patient or the va- 

 riety of Accidents. Now in the Cultnre ofthe mind of Man^ and the 

 cure ofthe Difeafes thereof j three things fall into confideration : The 

 divers CharaUers of Difpofitions 3 the AffeSions 3 and the Remedies. 

 As in curing the Body three things are propounded, the CompleQion 

 or Conjiitution of the Patient j theDifeafe 'j and the Cure ^ and ofthefe 

 three, the Jaft only is in our power, the two former are not. Yet 

 even in thofe things which are not in our power, no left diligent in- 

 quiry is to be made thereof^ th^n in thole which are fubjeftto our 

 power j for a diftindt and exadt kftpwledge of them is to be laid as 

 a ground-work to the kjiorvledge of the Remedies --y that they may be 

 more aptly and fuccefsfully applied,, for neither can a garment be well 

 fitted to the Body, unlefs you firft take the meafure of the Body. 

 § JFhcrefore the firft article of this knowledge ofthe Culture ofthe 

 Mind^ (hall be converfant about the divers Characters of mens natures 

 or difpofitions. Neither do we here fpeak of thofe common Proclivi- 

 ties to virtues and vices ; or Perturbations and Paffions : but of thofe 

 which are more intrinfick and radical. Surely for this part of know- 

 ledge, I do much wonder that it lliould be, for moft part, fo negle- 

 ftedor flightlypaft over, by writers Moral and Political 5 confide- 

 ring it cafts fuch refplendent Beams upon both thofe kinds of 

 knowledges. In the Traditions oi' Ajirology, the natures and difpo- 

 fitions of men, are not without fome colour of truth, diftinguiftit 

 from the Predominancies of Planets ^ as that fome are by nature made 

 and proportioned ^or contemplation j others for matters Civil '-^ others 

 for IVar j others for Advancement '-, others for Pleafure •-, others for 

 Arts 3 others for changeable cpurfe of life. So among the Poets. 

 Heroical, Satyrical, Tragedians, Comedians, you lliall find every 

 where, the Images of wits, although commonly with excefs and be- 

 yond the bounds of Truth. Nay this fime Argument ofthe divers 

 Chara3ers of Nature, is one of thofe Subje^s, wherein the common 

 difcourfes of men, (which very feldora, yctfometimes falls out) are 

 more wife than Books. But the beft provifion and colle(3:ion for fuch 

 a treatife, ought to be fetcht from the obfervations ofthe wifeft fort 

 of Hiftorians^ not only from Elogies and Panegyricks, which com- 

 monly follow the death of a Perfon j but much more from the entire 

 body of a Hiftory, fo often as fuch a perfbnage doth, as it were, en- 

 ter upon the ftage. For this inter-woven Image, feems to be a more 

 lively defcription, than the cenfure of an Elogy^ fuch as is that in 

 T. liviusy of Africannsj and oiCato the Elder ^ in Tacitus of Tiberius, 

 Claudius and Nero j in- Herodian, of Septimius Severus j in Philip de 

 Commines^of Lewis the XL King of i ranee :^ in Frd. Guicciardine^ of 

 Ferdinand King of Spain 5 Maximilian the Emperor ^ Leo and Clemens ^ 

 Bijlwps of Rome. For thofe writers fixing their eyes continually on 

 the Images ofthefe Perfons, whom they made choice of to decipher, 



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