Lib. VIII. Of the Advancement of Learning, 26 j 



to be endeavour'd, that it may become no left various in the Applica- 

 tion, than it is in the R-eprefentationj 



'^i fapit^ intiumerjs Morihus aptus erit. Ovid.ds A,A, 



THus have we Raid perchance fomewhat longer upon thefe Para- 

 bles of Solomon^ than is agreeable to the proportion of an ex- 

 ample, being carried away thus far for the Dignity both of the matter 

 it felf^ and of the Author. Neither was this in u(e only with the He- 

 brews, but it is generally to be found in the wife men of ancient 

 times i that if any mans obfervation lite upon any thing that was 

 good and beneficial to the common praftick courfc of life, he would 

 reduce and contract it into (omeJJoort Jentence or Parable^ or clkfome 

 Fable. But for Fables fas we have noted ellewherej they were in times i-U>-icap. 13, 

 ^z^ Vicegerents, znAjufplements of Examples -j now that the times a- 

 bound with H//?(7/-/, the aim is more right and Aftive, whentheMark 

 is alive. But the form of writing which bed agrees with (b variable 

 and univerfal an Argument fas is the handling o^ negotiations andfcat- 

 terd Occafions) that would be of all other the fitteft which JlLichiavd 

 made choice of, for the handling of matters of /'tf/7V;'4»<^(?tfz;er/////c»/; nifcorfoja 

 namely by Obfervations or Difcourfes, as they term them, upon H/Jio' tiv. 

 rj> and Examples. For knowledge drawn frelhly, and, as it were in 

 our view, out of Particulars, knows the way befk to Particulars a- 

 gain, and it hath much greater life for Praftice, when the Difcourfe 

 or Difceptation attends upon the Example, than when the Example at- 

 tends upon the Difceptation : for here not only Order but Subjiance is 

 refpefted. For when the Example isfet down as the Ground of the 

 DifpHtntion, it ufeth to be propounded with the preparation of cir- 

 cumftances, which may fometimes controul the dijcofirfe thereupon 

 made; fometimes fupply it-, Co it may be in place of a pattern for i- 

 mitation and pradice : whereas on the contrary, examples alledged 

 fot the Difputationsfsike, are cited fuccinftly and fimply, and as bond- 

 men wait, in a lervil afpeft, upon the commands of the Dijcairfc. But 

 this difference is not amifs to be obferved, that as Hifiories of Times 

 afford t/Se beii matter for Difconrfes upon Politickj, fuch as are thofc of 

 Machiavel •■, So the Hifiories of lives, are the be(i InfiniBions for dif- 

 courfe of Bufinejs '■, becaufe they comprize all variety of Occafions and 

 Negotiations, as well great as fraall. 



§ Nay there is a ground of Difcourfe for Precepts touching Buftnefr^ 

 more accommodate than both thoCeJorts of History •■, which is, vphen 

 Difconrfes are made upon Letters, but fuch as are wife and ferions, as 

 thoCe o( Cicero ad Atticttm, and others. For letters ufually reprefent 

 Bufine/s more particularly, and niore to the life ; than either chroni- 

 cles or Lives. Thus have we fpoken both of the Matter and Form of 

 thehrfl: portion of the Knomkdge of Negotiation, which handles difpcr- 

 fed Occafions, which we deliver up upon the accompts of Defici- 

 ents. * 

 II. Thereis alfo another portion of the /j«/e ivw^jrW^e, which dif fabrr 

 ferethas much from that other, whereof we have fpoken asy^/Jtrt-, and ^?^^\^- 

 fibijapere: fortheonefeemstomoveas it were , frofjj the centre to the Arab'itu^vi:*. 



L 1 2 circumference 



