Lib. VIII. Of the Advancement of Learning. 275 



men^ fokmn andfdent natures^ to others hold and boating humours arc 

 acceptable--) and many of the like fort. Certainly it is worth the ob- 

 lervation, to fee of what difpofition the friends and followers of Ju- 

 lius Cafar were, (as Antonius^ Hirtius^ Panfa, Oppiffs^Balhus, DolabeUa^ 

 ToUio, the reft) theie were wont to fwear, ita vivente Cstfare mortar ; 

 bearing an infinite affeftion to C<efar, but towards all others difdain- 

 ful and arrogant, and they were men in publick Bufinefs aftive and 

 effeftual ^ in fame and reputation, not folemn and celebrated. 



Thefijth Confidpration may be that a man take heed hotv he guide him- 

 felfby Examples^ and that he do not fondly affeCt the Imitation of o- 

 thers 5 as if that which if pervious to others, mufi needs be as patent to 

 him, never confidering with himfelf what difference perhaps there is be- 

 twixt his and their natures and carriages, whom he hath chofen for his 

 pattern and example. This was manifcftly Tompeius'% error, who, as 

 Cicero reports it, was wont often to fay, Syllapotuit, Ego non potero .<? 

 wherein he was much abufed , the nature and proceedings of him- 

 felf and Sylla, being the unlikelieft in the worlds the one being 

 fierce, violent, and preffing the faft ; the other (blemn,reverencing 

 Laws, direfting all to Majefty and Fame, and therefore the lels 

 effectual and powerful to go thorough with his defigns. There 

 are more Precepts of this nature, but thefe (hall fufhcc for Example 

 to the reft. 



§ Hvr is the well underfian ding, and difcerhing of a man's felf fuf- 

 ftcient, but he muji confult with himfelf upon a way how he may aptly 

 and wifely open and reveal himfelf , andinfumm, become flexible and 

 moulded to the fever al forms and impreffions of occaftons. As for the 

 Revealing of a mansfelf, we fee nothing more ufual, than for the lefs 

 able man to make the greater (hew. Wherefore it is a great advan- 

 tage to good parts, if a man can by a kind of Art and Gracie^ef forth 

 himfelf to others, by aptly revealing (fo it be done without diftafte 

 or arrogance) his Vertues, Merits and Fortune 5 and on the contra- 

 ry by covering artificially his weakneffes, defefts, misfortunes and 

 difgracesi ftaying upon thofe, and as it were, turning them 

 to the light 5 Aiding from thefe, and leflening them by an apt ex- 

 pofition, and the like. Wherefore Tacitm faith of Mucianus, who 

 was the wifeft man and the greateft Politick of his time^ Omniz 

 qu£ dixerat fecerdtq'-) Arte quadam ofientator. This fet ting forth of a ^[fj^- 

 «w<i«*jye/^ requires indeed (bme Art, left it turn tedious and arrogant 5 

 but yet fb, as fomekind oi Ofientation, though it be to the firft de- 

 gree of vanity, feems rather a vice in the Ethic^s, than in the Poli' 

 tick/. For as it is ufually faid of slander, Auda^er caluminare, femper 

 aliquidharet. So it may be faid of Ofientation Cunlefs it be in a groft 

 manner deform'd and ridiculous) Auda&erte vendita, femper aliquid 

 h<eret 5 it will ftick certainly with the more ignorant and inferiour 

 fort of men, though the more wife and folemn finile at it, and de- 

 fpife. Therefore the Efiimation won with many,j}}al/ countervail the dif- 

 dain of a few. But if this O^etitation of a mansfelf, whereof we fpeak, 

 be carried with decency and difcretion , for example, if it make (hew 

 of a native candor and inbred ingenuity 3 or if it be afl'um'd at times, 

 when other Perils approach ("as in Military perlbns in time ofLVVaj) 



Mm 2 or V 



