Lib. VIII. Of the Advancement of Learning, 265 



it diredied by any conftant Rule i but new ftratagems muft evei-y 

 day be contrived, the old failing and growing out of ufe. Second- 

 ly^ he that is once attainted with the fame and opinion of a cuntiwg 

 crapy Compa>iion, hath deprived himfelf of a principal Indrument 

 for the manage of his affairs, and a praftical life, that is, Trujl-j and 

 fo he (hall find by experience all things to go Crofs to his defires. Tq 

 conclude, thefe Arts and Shifts , howfoever they promife fair, and 

 much pleafe fuch as praftife them 5 yet are they many times fru- 

 ftrated. Which Tacitus hath well obferved, Confilia Callida ^ an- TacitJ 

 dacia, expeCfatione l<eta , trkSatn dura 3 eUentu trijiia, 



THEPARABLE. 



XXXI. Be not too frecifeiy Right eouy ; 7ior maf^ eccuh, . 

 thy felf too excejjively wife , why foould'fl thou 

 Uttfeafonably facrifice thyfafety ? 



THE EXPLICATION. 



THere are Times (faith Tacitus) wherein too gr^at vertues are ex' jacit.Hift. »; 

 fofed to certain ruine. And this fate befals men eminent for 

 Vertueor Juftice, foraetimes fuddenly, fometimes fore-feen a far off: 

 and if thefe excellent parts be feconded by the acceis of vpifdom^ that 

 is, that they are wary and watchful over their own fafety, then they 

 gain thus much, that their ruine comes fuddenly , altogether by fe- 

 cret and obfcure counfels 5 whereby both envy may be avoided, and 

 deflru(!iion affail them unprovided. As for that Nimiiim^ which is 

 iet down in the Parable, (in as much a.% they are not the words of 

 ,(bme Teriander, but of Solomon^ who now and then notes the evils 

 in man's life, but never comipands them}it muft be underftood, not of ' 

 vertue it felf, in which there is no Nimium or exceftive extremity, bu£ 

 of a vain and invidious Affeftation arid Oftent,ation thereof. A point 

 fomewhat refembling this, Tacitus infinuates in a palTage touching 

 Lepidusy fetting it down as a Miracle, that he had never been the 

 Author of any fervile fentence, and ye& had ftood fafe in fb cruel 

 and bloody times. This thought {{znhht) many times comes into my Annal^wi 

 mind, tphet her thefe things are governed hy Fate ^ or it lies alfd in our 

 own Tower tojieer an even courfe void of Dagger and Indignity , between 

 fervile Flattery and fuUenContumacy. 



THE PARABLE. 



XXXII. Give occafion to a mfeman and his wifdont ptovjis. 

 will be ificreafedj - 



> ' ¥ ' < 



THE EXPLICATION, 



He Parable diflinguifhes between that wifdom which is grown, and 

 and ripened into true Habit-, and that whichfwims only in the Brain 



L 1 find 



