OF DISPATCH 6 1 



backward, and be more tedious while he waits upon his 

 memory, than he could have been if he had gone on in his 

 own course. But sometimes it is seen that the moderator 

 is more troublesome than the actor. 



Iterations are commonly loss of time. But there is no 

 such gain of time as to iterate often the state of the ques- 

 tion ; for it chaseth away many a frivolous speech as it is 

 coming forth. Long and curious speeches are as fit for 

 dispatch as a robe or mantle with a long train is for race. 

 Prefaces and passages, and excusations, and other speeches 

 of reference to the person, are great wastes of time ; and 

 though they seem to proceed of modesty, they are bravery. 

 Yet beware of being too material when there is any impedi- 

 ment or obstruction in men's wills ; for pre-occupation of 

 mind ever requireth preface of speech ; like a fomentation 

 to make the unguent enter. 



Above all things, order, and distribution, and singling 

 out of parts, is the life of dispatch ; so as the distribution 

 be not too subtle : for he that doth not divide will never 

 enter well into business ; and he that divideth too much 

 will never come out of it clearly. To choose time is to 

 save time ; and an unseasonable motion is but beating the 

 air. There be three parts of business; the preparation, 

 the debate or examination, and the perfection. Whereof, 

 if you look for dispatch, let the middle only be the work 

 of many, and the first and last the work of few. The pro- 

 ceeding upon somewhat conceived in writing doth for the 

 most part facilitate dispatch : for though it should be wholly 

 rejected, yet that negative is more pregnant of direction 

 than an indefinite ; as ashes are more generative than dust 



XXVI 

 OF SEEMING WISE 



IT hath been an opinion, that the French are wiser than 

 they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are. 

 But howsoever it be between nations, certainly it is so 



