— -■ ' — ■ — - — I — • -^ rrr 



L I B. VIII. Of the Advancement of Learning. 273 



mate confidents, with whom yon frequently and familiarly difconrfe. Po- 

 pular fame is light, and the judgement of fuperiours uncertain 5 for 

 before fuch, men are more raaskt 5 



Q, Cic. dc 



Verier Fama e Domejlicis emanat — . ^^'' ^°°* 



But to alt this part of enquiry, the moft compendious way refteth 

 in three things. F/;^/, to have general acquaintance and inwardnefs 

 with thofe which have moft lookt into the world, and are well verft 

 both in men and matters; but efpecially to endeavour to have pri- 

 vacy and converlation with fome particular friends , who according 

 to thediverlity of Bufinels and Perfbns, are able to give us (olid in- 

 formation, and good intelligence of all pailages. Secondly^ to keep 

 a difcreet temper and mediocrity^ both in liberty of fpeech and Taci- 

 turnity 5 more frequently uling liberty , hm fecrecy where it imports. 

 For liberty of Jpeech invites and provokes others to ufe the fame liberty 

 to ns agtiv , andfo brings much to a mans l^nowlcdge 5 but (ilence in- 

 duceth trtiU and inwardnefs^ fo as men love to lay up their fccrets with 

 Hs ar in a clofet. Thirdly >^ we muft by degrees acquire the Habit of a 

 watchful and prefent wit-, fo as in every conference and aftion we may 

 both promote the main matter in hand^ and yet obfervc other circum- 

 Jiances that may be incident upon the Eye. For as Epi&etus gives it 

 in Precept , a Philofopher in every particular aftion, fhould fay 

 thus to himfelf, Iwilldothisalfo, and yet go on in my coiirfe. So a Epi<5tEnchiri 

 Tolitickyci every particular occurrence lliould make this account and 

 refolution with himfelf; And I will do this Ukewifc^ and yet learn 

 fomething that may be of ufe hereafter. And therefore they who are 

 of fuch a heavy wit and narrow comprehenfion, as to overdo one 

 particular, and are wholly taken up with the bufineft in hand , and 

 do not fo much as think of any matters which intervene (a weak- 

 ness that Montaigne confefTes in himfelf) fuch indeed are the beft in- e%s. 

 ftruments of Princes and of State , but fail in point of their own For- 

 tune. But in the mean time, above all things caution muft be ta- 

 ken, that we have a goodjiay , and hold of our felves , by repreffing 

 a too a&ive forwardnefs of difpofition •■, left that this knowing much , 

 do not draw us on to much meddling ; for nothing is more unfor- 

 tunate, than light and rafti intermeddling in many matters. So that 

 this variety of knowledge of Perfons and Adions, which we give in 

 Precept to be procured, tends in conclufion to this ; to make a ju- 

 dicious choice both of x\io(q Actions we undertake, and of thofe Per- 

 fons whofe advice and 5fliftance we ufe, that fo we may know how 

 to conduft our affairs with more dexterity and fafety. 



§ After the knowledge of others follows the kfiowledge of our felves ; 

 for no lefs diligence, rather more, is to be taken in a true and exaft 

 underftandingof (?«r tf2r/;Per/£>«/; than of the Perfons of others^ for 

 the Oracle, Nofce Teipfum, is not only a rule of univerfal Prudence, 

 but hath a fpecial place in Politick/ •■> for as St. jf^w^cx excellently jacdb.u 

 puts us in mind, that he that views his Face in a Cl,ij^, yet in/iantly 

 forgets what one he w.fs ; fo that there is need of a very frequent in* 

 fpeftion. The fame holds alfb in Civil Affairs ; but there are indeed 



M m diver* 



