OF PRAISE 129 



out of countenance in himself, that will the flatterer en- 

 title him to perforce, spretd conscientid. Some praises come 

 of good wishes and respects, which is a form due in civility 

 to kings and great persons, laudando praecipere ; when by 

 telling men what they are, they represent to them what 

 they should be. Some men are praised maliciously to 

 their hurt, thereby to stir envy and jealousy towards them ; 

 pessimum genus inimicorum laudantium ; insomuch as it was a 

 proverb amongst the Grecians, that * he that was praised to 

 his hurt, should have a push rise upon his nose ' ; as we say, 

 ' that a blister will rise upon one's tongue that tells a lie.' 

 Certainly moderate praise, used with opportunity, and not 

 vulgar, is that which doth the good. Solomon saith, * He 

 that praiseth his friend aloud, rising early, it shall be to 

 him no better than a curse.' Too much magnifying of 

 man or matter doth irritate contradiction, and procure 

 envy and scorn. To praise a man's self cannot be decent, 

 except it be in rare cases ; but to praise a man's office or 

 profession, he may do it with good grace, and with a kind 

 of magnanimity. The Cardinals of Rome, which are 

 theologues, and friars, and schoolmen, have a phrase of 

 notable contempt and scorn towards civil business : for 

 they call all temporal business of wars, embassages, judica- 

 ture, and other employments, sbirrerie, which is ' under- 

 sheriffries ' ; as if they were but matters for under-sheriffs 

 and catch-poles : though many times those under-sherifFries 

 do more good than their high speculations. St. Paul, when 

 he boasts of himself, he doth oft interlace, ' I speak like a 

 fool ' ; but speaking of his calling, he saith, magnificabo 

 apostolatum meum. 



LIV 

 OF VAIN-GLORY 



IT was prettily devised of Aesop; 'the fly sat upon the 

 axle-tree of the chariot wheel, and said, What a dust do I 

 raise ! ' So are there some vain persons, that whatsoever 



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