92 BACON'S ESSAYS 



was thought likewise accomplished in the sending of that 

 great fleet, being the greatest in strength, though not in 

 number, of all that ever swam upon the sea. As for 

 Cleon's dream, I think it was a jest. It was, that he was 

 devoured of a long dragon ; and it was expounded of a 

 maker of sausages, that troubled him exceedingly. There 

 are numbers of the like kind; especially if you include 

 dreams, and predictions of astrology. But I have set 

 down these few only of certain credit, for example. My 

 judgment is, that they ought all to be despised ; and ought 

 to serve but for winter talk by the fireside. Though when 

 I say despised, I mean it as for belief; for otherwise, the 

 spreading or publishing of them is in no sort to be 

 despised. For they have done much mischief; and I see 

 many severe laws made to suppress them. That that hath 

 given them grace, and some credit, consisteth in three 

 things. First, that men mark when they hit, and never 

 mark when they miss ; as they do generally also of dreams. 

 The second is, that probable conjectures, or obscure tra- 

 ditions, many times turn themselves into prophecies ; while 

 the nature of man, which coveteth divination, thinks it no 

 peril to foretell that which indeed they do but collect. As 

 that of Seneca's verse. For so much was then subject to 

 demonstration, that the globe of the earth had great parts 

 beyond the Atlantic, which mought be probably conceived 

 not to be all sea : and adding thereto the tradition in 

 Plato's Timaeus, and his Atlanticus, it mought encourage 

 one to turn it to a prediction. The third and last (which 

 is the great one) is, that almost all of them, being infinite 

 in number, have been impostures, and by idle and crafty 

 brains merely contrived and feigned after the event past. 



XXXVI 

 OF AMBITION 



AMBITION is like choler ; which is an humour that maketh 

 men active, earnest, full of alacrity, and stirring, if it be 



