OF COUNSEL 53 



manner ; for that is to clamour councils, not to inform 

 them. A long table and a square table, or seats about the 

 walls, seem things of form, but are things of substance ; 

 for at a long table a few at the upper end, in effect, sway 

 all the business ; but in the other form there is more use 

 of the counsellors' opinions that sit lower. A king, when 

 he presides in council, let him beware how he opens his 

 own inclination too much in that which he propoundeth ; 

 for else counsellors will but take the wind of him, and 

 instead of giving free counsel, sing him a song of placebo. 



XXI 

 OF DELAYS 



FORTUNE is like the market ; where many times, if you 

 can stay a little, the price will fall. And again, it is some- 

 times like Sibylla's offer ; which at first offereth the com- 

 modity at full, then consumeth part and part, and still 

 holdeth up the price. For occasion (as it is in the common 

 verse) turneth a bald noddle, after she hath presented her 

 locks in front, and no hold taken ; or at least turneth the 

 handle of the bottle first to be received, and after the belly, 

 which is hard to clasp. There is surely no greater wisdom 

 than well to time the beginnings and onsets of things. 

 Dangers are no more light, if they once seem light ; and 

 more dangers have deceived men than forced them. Nay, 

 it were better to meet some dangers half way, though they 

 come nothing near, than to keep too long a watch upon 

 their approaches ; for if a man watch too long, it is odds he 

 will fall asleep. On the other side, to be deceived with too 

 long shadows (as some have been when the moon was low 

 and shone on their enemies' back), and so to shoot off 

 before the time ; or to teach dangers to come on, by over 

 early buckling towards them ; is another extreme. The 

 ripeness or unripeness of the occasion (as we said) must 

 ever be well weighed ; and generally it is good to commit 

 the beginnings of all great actions to Argos with his 



