ESSA YS CIVIL AND MORAL. , 5 



and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, 

 ;md make himself subject, though not of the mouth, as beasts are, yet of 

 the eye, which was given him for higher purposes. It is a strange 

 thing to note the excess of this passion ; and how it braves the natu7e 

 and value of things by this, that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole 

 is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase ; 

 for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch flatterer, with whom 

 all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man s self; certainly the 

 lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly 

 well of himself as the lover doth of the person loved ; and therefore it 

 was well said, that it is impossible to love, and to be wise. Neither 

 doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved, 

 but to the loved most of all ; except the love be reciproque. For it is 

 a true rule, that love is ever rewarded either with the reciproque, or 

 with an inward and secret contempt : by how much the more men 

 ought to beware of this passion, which loscth not only other things but 

 itself. As for the other losses, the poet s relation doth well figure them ; 

 that he that preferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas : 

 for whosoever esteemeth too much of amourous affection, quitteth 

 both riches and wisdom. This passion hath its floods in the very 

 times of weakness, which are great prosperity, and great adversity ; 

 though this latter hath been less observed : which both times kindle 

 love, and make it more fervent, and therefore, show it to be the child 

 of folly. They do best, who, if they cannot but admit love, yet make 

 it keep quarter ; and sever it wholly from their serious affairs and 

 actions of life : for if it check once with business, it troublcth men s 

 fortunes, and maketh men that they can no ways be true to their own 

 ends. I know not how, but martial men arc given to love : I think it 

 is, but as they are given to wine ; for perils commonly ask to be paid 

 in pleasures. There is in man s nature a secret inclination and motion 

 towards love of others, which, if it be not spent upon some one or a 

 few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men to 

 become humane and charitable ; as it is seen sometimes in friers. Nup 

 tial love maketh mankind ; friendly love pcrfecteth it ; but wanton love 

 -corrupteth and embascth it. 



XI. OF C.KI.AT I l.ACE. 



Men in great place are thrice servants : servants of the sovereign 

 or state; servants of fame; and servants of business : so as they have 

 no freedom, neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in thoir 

 times. It is a strange desire, to seek power, and to lose liberty; or 

 to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man s self. The 

 rising unto place is laborious; and by pains men come to greater 

 pains; and it is sometimes base; and by indignities men come to 

 dignities. The standing is slippery, and the regress is cither a down 

 fall, or at least an eclipse, which is a melancholy thing. &quot;Cum non 

 sis qui fucris, non esse cur velis vivcre?&quot; Nay, retire men cannot 

 when they would; neither will they when it were reason; but arc im- 



