OF YOUTH AND AGE 105 



old ; and imaginations stream into their minds better, and 

 as it were more divinely. Natures that have much heat 

 and great and violent desires and perturbations, are not 

 ripe for action till they have passed the meridian of their 

 years ; as it was with Julius Caesar, and Septimius Severus. 

 Of the latter of whom it is said, Juventutem egit erroribus^ 

 imo furoribus, pknam. And yet he was the ablest emperor, 

 almost, of all the list. But reposed natures may do well 

 in youth. As it is seen in Augustus Caesar, Cosmus Duke 

 of Florence, Gaston de Fois, and others. On the other 

 side, heat and vivacity in age is an excellent composition 

 for business. 



Young men are fitter to invent than to judge ; fitter for 

 execution than for counsel ; and fitter for new projects 

 than for settled business. For the experience of age, in 

 things that fall within the compass of it, directeth them ; 

 but in new things, abuseth them. The errors of young 

 men are the ruin of business ; but the errors of aged men 

 amount but to this, that more might have been done, or 

 sooner. Young men, in the conduct and manage of 

 actions, embrace more than they can hold ; stir more than 

 they can quiet; fly to the end, without consideration of 

 the means and degrees ; pursue some few principles which 

 they have chanced upon absurdly ; care not to innovate, 

 which draws unknown inconveniences ; use extreme re- 

 medies at first ; and that which doubleth all errors, will not 

 acknowledge or retract them ; like an unready horse, that 

 will neither stop nor turn. Men of age object too much, 

 consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and 

 seldom drive business home to the full period, but content 

 themselves with a mediocrity of success. Certainly it is 

 good to compound employments of both ; for that will be 

 good for the present, because the virtues of either age may 

 correct the defects of both ; and good for succession, that 

 young men may be learners, while men in age are actors ; 

 and, lastly, good for extern accidents, because authority 

 followeth old men, and favour and popularity youth. But 

 for the moral part, perhaps youth will have the pre- 

 eminence, as age hath for the politic. 



