L I B. V 1 1 1. Of the Advancement of Learning. 255 



Perfonages of high rank, and wife men 5 and on whom the charge 

 of State affairs did then princ^ally depend ; whofe common, and,' 

 to them, peculiar cuftom it was , that fo often as they were tonego- 

 ciate with their Princes about their own affairs ; never to clofe their 

 conference with any matter referring to that bufinels j but ever feek 

 diverfions, either by way of jeft , or by fomewhat that was delight- 

 ful to hear , and fo, as the Adages render it, wafi over at the conclnffon 

 cfal/, their Sea-iratcr difcourfes^ withfrejh fountain tvater. And this 

 u(age was one of their chief Arts. 



THE. PARABLE 



XL As dead Flies, canfe the hefl oyntment to fend Ecdd,-.-, 

 for than ill Odonr; fo doth a little folly him that is in 

 reputation for ivifdom andbanoHr. 



THE EXPLICATION. 



THe cafe of Men remarkable /^r eminent gifts ^ is very unhap» 

 py and miferable (as the Parable excellently notes,) becaule 

 their errors, be they never fo fmall find no remiffion. But as in a. 

 pure Diamond every leaft grain, or little cloud ftrikes the eyCjand af- 

 fefts it with a kind of trouble 5 which upon a more grofs Diamond 

 would hardly be difcerned: even fb in men of eminent parts, the 

 leaft infirmities are prefently fpied, talked of, and more deeply cen- 

 fur'd j which in men of more mean and obfcure gifts, and rank , 

 vj^ould either altogether pals without notice, or eafily procure par- 

 don. Therefore a little Folly in a very wife man'-) and a fmall ojfence 

 in a very honcji man':, and a flight indecency of /Manners^ in a man of 

 Courtly and Elegant behaviour j much derogates from their fame and re- 

 putation. So that it is not the worft courfe for eminent perfons, to 

 mingle fome abfurdities (fo it may be done without guilt) in their A-- 

 Bions 5 that they may retain a kind of liberty to themfelves, and con- 

 found the charafters of fmaller defei^s. 



THE PARABLE. 



XII. Scornful men infiare a City , hut wife men di- ptov.xxix^ 

 'vert Wrath, 



THE EXPLICATION. 



IT may feem ftrange, that Solomon in the defcription of men made, 

 as it were, and by nature fram'd to the ruine and deftruftion of a 

 ftate, hath chofen the charafter^ w/<?/aproud and infolentraan; 

 not of a tyrannical and cruel nature, not of a. radi and violent man 5 



f!0$ 



