L I B. VIII. Of the Advancement of Learning, 245 



Wijdom in Converfxtion j IVifdom in Negotiation, and Wijdom in Ctiber- 

 Tiation. 



(j As for Converfation^ certainly it ought not to be afieded, but 

 much lels defpifed 5 feeing a wife moderation thereof, hath both an 

 honour, and grace of Manners in it felf 3 and a powerful influence for 

 the apt manage of Bufineft •-, as well Publick^ as Private. ForarA- 

 Cfion in an Orator is (b much refpefted, (though it be but an out- 

 ward qualityj that it is prefer'd before thofe other Parts which (eem 

 more grave and intrinfick -, (b Ccmverjation and the government there- 

 of, in a man of a Civil Praftick life (however it confifteth in outward 

 ceremonies) finds, if not the chiefeft, yet certainly a very eminent 

 place. Of what (pecial importmcnt the very Countenance is, and the 

 compofure thereof^ the Poet infinuates where he faith, 



Nee vuJtu dejirue verba tuo. 



A man may cancel and utterly betray the force of his words, with 

 his Countenance. Nay the Deeds as well as IVords may likevv^ifc be de • 

 ftroyed by the Countenance, if we may believe Cicero, who when he 

 would commend to his brother Aff^ability towards the Provincials faid, 

 that it did not chiefly confift in this, to give eafieaccels unto his Per- 

 fonjUnlefs likewife he received them courteoufly even with hisC^//«^ 

 tenance ; Nil inter eft habere ofiium apertum,vtdtuffi claufunicltis nothing 

 won J to admit men with an open door , and to receive them with a fuiatus. 

 fimt and referved countenance. So we fee ^///V«/,before the firft inter- 

 view between C<<?/ir and C/ceri? the war depending, did diligently i-ibxii. 

 and ferioufly advife Cicero by a letter touching the compofing and or- ^^'^ ^^ ^"' 

 dering of his countenance zn(^ geUure. And if the government of the 

 Face and Countenance alone be of fuch efFedt, how much more is that 

 offimiliarjpeff/* and other cjrri^^e appertaining to Converjation. And 

 indeed the fumm and abridgement of the Grace and Elegancy of Be- 

 haviour, is for moft part comprized in this, thatwemeajm-e inajuji 

 ballancc and maintain both our own Honour and the Reputation of others. 

 The true Model whereof T. Livius hath well afcribed (though intcn- Liviwr. 

 ded to another purpofe) in the Charafter of a Perfon, Lcji (faith 

 he) Ijliouldfecm either arrogant or obnoxious 3 whereof the one is the hu' 

 mour of a man that forgets the liberty of another ; the other of a man that 

 forgets the liberty of himfelf. But on the other fide \{ Urbanity and out- 

 ward Elegancy of Behaviour be intended too much, they pa(s into a de- 

 formed and counterfeit Affectation. ^Jiid enim deformius quamfce- 

 nam in vitam transferre. To Ai^ a mans life. But though they fall not 

 by infenfible degrees into that vitious extreme 5 yet too much time 

 is confumed in thefe imall matters 3 and the mind by ftudying them 

 is too much depred'd and broken. And therefore as Tutors and Pre- 

 ceptors u(e to advife young Students in Univcrfities, too much addi- 

 cted to keep company , by faying, A/nicos cffcfures temporis : (b cer- 

 tainly this fame continual intention of the mind upon the comelinejiof 

 Behaviour, is a great thief to more folemn Meditations. Again, iuch 

 as are (b exactly accomplifht/«'c'r/'i<w7/>, andfeem, asit were, form'd 

 by nature for this quality alone, are commoaly of fuch a difpofition, , 



a3 



