ISO OF THE COLOURS OF GOOD AND EVIL 



A TABLE OF COLOURS OR APPEARANCES OF GOOD AND 



EVIL, AND THEIR DEGREES, AS PLACES OF PERSUASION 

 AND DISSUASION, AND THEIR SEVERAL FALLAXES, AND 

 THE BLENCHES OF THEM. 



I 



Cut ceterae partes vel sectae secundas unanimiter deferunt, cum 

 singulae principatum sibi vindicent, melior reliquis videtur. 

 Nam primas quaeque ex zelo videtur sumere^ secundas autem 

 ex vero et merito tribuere. 



So Cicero went about to prove the sect of Academics, 

 which suspended all asseveration, for to be the best ; for, 

 saith he, ask a Stoic which philosophy is true, he will 

 prefer his own. Then ask him which approacheth next the 

 truth, he will confess the Academics. So deal with the 

 Epicure, that will scant endure the Stoic to be in sight of 

 him ; as soon as he hath placed himself, he will place the 

 Academics next him. 



So if a prince took divers competitors to a place, and 

 examined them severally, whom next themselves they would 

 rathest commend, it were like the ablest man should have 

 the most second votes. 



The fallax of this colour happeneth oft in respect of 

 envy ; for men are accustomed after themselves and their 

 own faction to incline unto them which are softest, and are 

 least in their way, in despite and derogation of them that 

 hold them hardest to it. So that this colour of meliority 

 and pre-eminence is a sign of enervation and weakness. 



II 



Cujus excellentia vel exuperantia melior, id toto genere melius. 



Appertaining to this are the forms : Let us not wander in 

 generalities : Let us compare particular with particular, etc. 



This appearance, though it seem of strength, and rather 

 logical than rhetorical, yet is very oft a fallax. 



Sometimes because some things are in kind very casual, 



