36 BACON'S ESSAYS 



speedily bring a state of necessity ; and so doth likewise an 

 overgrown clergy ; for they bring nothing to the stock ; 

 and in like manner, when more are bred scholars than 

 preferments can take off. 



It is likewise to be remembered, that forasmuch as the 

 increase of any estate must be upon the foreigner (for 

 whatsoever is somewhere gotten is somewhere lost), there 

 be but three things which one nation selleth unto another ; 

 the commodity as nature yieldeth it ; the manufacture ; and 

 the vecture, or carriage. So that if these three wheels 

 go, wealth will flow as in a spring tide. And it cometh 

 many times to pass, that materiam superabit opus ; that the 

 work and carriage is more worth than the material, and 

 enricheth a state more ; as is notably seen in the Low- 

 Countrymen, who have the best mines above ground in 

 the world. 



Above all things, good policy is to be used that the 

 treasure and monies in a state be not gathered into few 

 hands. For otherwise a state may have a great stock, and 

 yet starve. And money is like muck, not good except it 

 be spread. This is done chiefly by suppressing, or at the 

 least keeping a strait hand upon the devouring trades of 

 usury, ingrossing, great pasturages, and the like. 



For removing discontentments, or at least the danger of 

 them ; there is in every state (as we know) two portions of 

 subjects ; the nobless and the commonalty. When one of 

 these is discontent, the danger is not great ; for common 

 people are of slow motion, if they be not excited by the 

 greater sort ; and the greater sort are of small strength, 

 except the multitude be apt and ready to move of them- 

 selves. Then is the danger, when the greater sort do but 

 wait for the troubling of the waters amongst the meaner, 

 that then they may declare themselves. The poets feign, 

 that the rest of the gods would have bound Jupiter ; which 

 he hearing of, by the counsel of Pallas, sent for Briareus, 

 with his hundred hands, to come in to his aid. An emblem, 

 no doubt, to shew how safe it is for monarchs to make sure 

 of the good will of common people. 



To give moderate liberty for griefs and discontentments 



