360 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



liberty ; secrecy where it importeth : for liberty of speech 

 inviteth and provoketh liberty to be used again, and so 

 bringeth much to a man's knowledge ; and secrecy, on the 

 other side, induceth trust and inwardness. The last is the 

 reducing of a man's self to this watchful and serene habit, 

 as to make account and purpose, in every conference and 

 action, as well to observe as to act. For as Epictetus 

 would have a philosopher in every particular action to say 

 to himself, Et hoc volo, et etiam institutum servare, so a politic 

 man in every thing should say to himself, Et hoc volo, ac 

 etiam aliquid addiscere. I have stayed the longer upon this 

 precept of obtaining good information, because it is a main 

 part by itself, which answereth to all the rest. But, above 

 all things, caution must be taken that men have a good 

 stay and hold of themselves, and that this much knowledge 

 do not draw on much meddling ; for nothing is more 

 unfortunate than light and rash intermeddling in many 

 matters ; so that this variety of knowledge tendeth in con- 

 clusion but only to this, to make a better and freer choice 

 of those actions which may concern us, and to conduct 

 them with the less error and more dexterity. 



The second precept concerning this knowledge is, for 

 men to take good information touching their own person, 

 and well to understand themselves : knowing that, as St. 

 James saith, though men look oft in a glass, yet they do 

 suddenly forget themselves ; wherein as the divine glass is 

 the word of God, so the politic glass is the state of the 

 world or times wherein we live ; in the which we are to 

 behold ourselves. 



For men ought to take an unpartial view of their own 

 abilities and virtues ; and again of their wants and impedi- 

 ments ; accounting these with the most, and those other 

 with the least ; and from this view and examination to 

 frame the considerations following. 



First, to consider how the constitution of their nature 

 sorteth with the general state of the times ; which if they 

 find agreeable and fit, then in all things to give themselves 

 more scope and liberty ; but if differing and dissonant, 

 then in the whole course of their life to be more close, 



