THE SECOND BOOK 363 



just price ; which is done in three manners : by offering 

 and obtruding a man's self; wherein men think he is 

 rewarded, when he is accepted: by doing too much; which 

 will not give that which is well done leave to settle, and in 

 the end induceth satiety : and by finding too soon the fruit 

 of a man's virtue, in commendation, applause, honour, 

 favour ; wherein if a man be pleased with a little, let him 

 hear what is truly said, Cave ne insuetus rebus majoribus 

 videaris, si haec te res parua sicuti magna delectat. 



But the covering of defects is of no less importance than 

 the valuing of good parts ; which may be done likewise in 

 three manners ; by Caution, by Colour, and by Confidence. 

 Caution is when men do ingeniously and discreetly avoid to 

 be put into those things for which they are not proper : 

 whereas contrariwise bold and unquiet spirits will thrust 

 themselves into matters without difference, and so publish 

 and proclaim all their wants. Colour is when men make a 

 way for themselves to have a construction made of their 

 faults or wants as proceeding from a better cause, or 

 intended for some other purpose : for of the one it is well 

 said, Saepe latet vitium proximitate boni, and therefore what- 

 soever want a man hath, he must see that he pretend the 

 virtue that shadoweth it ; as if he be dull, he must affect 

 gravity ; if a coward, mildness ; and so the rest : for the 

 second, a man must frame some probable cause why he 

 should not do his best, and why he should dissemble his 

 abilities ; and for that purpose must use to dissemble those 

 abilities which are notorious in him, to give colour that his 

 true wants are but industries and dissimulations. For 

 Confidence, it is the last but the surest remedy ; namely, 

 to depress and seem to despise whatsoever a man cannot 

 attain ; observing the good principle of the merchants, who 

 endeavour to raise the price of their own commodities, and 

 to beat down the price of others. But there is a confidence 

 that passeth this other ; which is, to face out a man's own 

 defects, in seeming to conceive that he is best in those 

 things wherein he is failing ; and, to help that again, to 

 seem on the other side that he hath least opinion of himself 

 in those things wherein he is best : like as we shall see it 



