20 BACON'S ESSAYS 



there seemeth not much added to their fortune ; and envy 

 is as the sunbeams, that beat hotter upon a bank or steep 

 rising ground, than upon a flat. And for the same reason 

 those that are advanced by degrees are less envied than 

 those that are advanced suddenly, and per saltum. 



Those that have joined with their honour great travels, 

 cares, or perils, are less subject to envy. For men think 

 that they earn their honours hardly, and pity them some- 

 times ; and pity ever healeth envy. Wherefore you shall 

 observe that the more deep and sober sort of politic per- 

 sons, in their greatness, are ever bemoaning themselves, 

 what a life they lead ; chanting a quanta patimur. Not 

 that they feel it so, but only to abate the edge of envy. 

 But this is to be understood of business that is laid upon 

 men, and not such as they call unto themselves. For 

 nothing increaseth envy more than an unnecessary and 

 ambitious engrossing of business. And nothing doth ex- 

 tinguish envy more than for a great person to preserve all 

 other inferior officers in their full rights and pre-eminences 

 of their places. For by that means there be so many 

 screens between him and envy. 



Above all, those are most subject to envy, which carry 

 the greatness of their fortunes in an insolent and proud 

 manner ; being never well but while they are shewing how 

 great they are, either by outward pomp, or by triumphing 

 over all opposition or competition ; whereas wise men will 

 rather do sacrifice to envy, in suffering themselves some- 

 times of purpose to be crossed and overborne in things that 

 do not much concern them. Notwithstanding so much is 

 true, that the carriage of greatness in a plain and open 

 manner (so it be without arrogancy and vain glory) doth 

 draw less envy than if it be in a more crafty and cunning 

 fashion. For in that course a man doth but disavow 

 fortune ; and seemeth to be conscious of his own want 

 in worth ; and doth but teach others to envy him. 



Lastly, to conclude this part ; as we said in the be- 

 ginning that the act of envy had somewhat in it of 

 witchcraft, so there is no other cure of envy but the cure 

 of witchcraft ; and that is, to remove the lot (as they call it) 



