OF STUDIES 125 



differences, let him study the schoolmen ; for they are 

 cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and 

 to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let 

 him study the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind 

 may have a special receipt. 



LI 

 OF FACTION 



MANY have an opinion, not wise, that for a prince to 

 govern his estate, or for a great person to govern his pro- 

 ceedings, according to the respect of factions, is a principal 

 part of policy; whereas contrariwise, the chiefest wisdom 

 is either in ordering those things which are general, and 

 wherein men of several factions do nevertheless agree ; or 

 in dealing with correspondence to particular persons, one 

 by one. But I say not that the consideration of factions 

 is to be neglected. Mean men, in their rising, must 

 adhere ; but great men, that have strength in themselves, 

 were better to maintain themselves indifferent and neutral. 

 Yet even in beginners, to adhere so moderately, as he be a 

 man of the one faction which is most passable with the 

 other, commonly giveth best way. The lower and weaker 

 faction is the firmer in conjunction; and it is often seen 

 that a few that are stiff do tire out a greater number that 

 are more moderate. When one of the factions is ex- 

 tinguished, the remaining subdivideth; as the faction 

 between Lucullus and the rest of the nobles of the senate 

 (which they called Optimates) held out awhile against the 

 faction of Pompey and Caesar ; but when the senate's 

 authority was pulled down, Caesar and Pompey soon after 

 brake. The faction or party of Antonius and Octavianus 

 Caesar against Brutus and Cassius, held out likewise for a 

 time ; but when Brutus and Cassius were overthrown, then 

 soon after Antonius and Octavianus brake and subdivided. 

 These examples are of wars, but the same holdeth in 

 private factions. And therefore those that are seconds in 



