38 BACON'S ESSAYS 



non potuit dictare : for it did utterly cut off that hope which 

 men had entertained, that he would at one time or other 

 give over his dictatorship. Galba undid himself by that 

 speech, kgi a se militem, non emi: for it put the soldiers out 

 of hope of the donative. Probus likewise, by that speech, 

 si vixero, non opus erit amplius Romano imperio militibus : a 

 speech of great despair for the soldiers. And many the 

 like. Surely princes had need, in tender matters and 

 ticklish times, to beware what they say ; especially in these 

 short speeches, which fly abroad like darts, and are thought 

 to be shot out of their secret intentions. For as for large 

 discourses, they are flat things, and not so much noted. 



Lastly, let princes, against all events, not be without 

 some great person, one or rather more, of military valour, 

 near unto them, for the repressing of seditions in their 

 beginnings. For without that, there useth to be more 

 trepidation in court upon the first breaking out of 

 troubles than were fit. And the state runneth the danger 

 of that which Tacitus saith ; Atque is habitus animorum 

 fuit, ut pessimum f acinus auderent pauci^ plures vellent, omnes 

 paterentur. But let such military persons be assured, and 

 well reputed of, rather than factious and popular ; holding 

 also good correspondence with the other great men in the 

 state ; or else the remedy is worse than the disease. 



XVI 

 OF ATHEISM 



I HAD rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the 

 Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame 

 is without a mind. And therefore God never wrought 

 miracles to convince atheism, because his ordinary works 

 convince it. It is true, that a little philosophy inclineth 

 man's mind to atheism ; but depth in philosophy bringeth 

 men's minds about to religion. For while the mind of 

 man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may some- 

 times rest in them, and go no further ; but when it 



