78 ESSA YS CIVIL AND MORAL. 



discontentment conceived against some other : whereupon commonly 

 cnsucth that ill intelligence that we may many times see between 

 great personages. Likewise glorious followers, who make themselves 

 as trumpets of the commendation of those they follow, are full of incon 

 venience; for they taint business through want of secrecy; and they 

 export honour from a man, and make him a return in envy. There is 

 a kind of followers likewise, which are dangerous, being indeed espials ; 

 which inquire the secrets of the house, and bear tales of them to others. 

 Yet such men many times are in great favour ; for they are officious, 

 and commonly exchange tales. The following by certain estates of 

 men answerable to that which a great person himself professeth, as of 

 soldiers to him that hath been employed in the wars, and the like, hath 

 ever been a thing civil, and well taken even in monarchies; so it be 

 without too much pomp or popularity. But the most honourable 

 kind of following, is to be followed as one that apprehendeth to advance 

 virtue and desert in all sorts of persons. And yet where there is no 

 eminent odds in sufficiency, it is better to take with the more passable 

 than with the more able. And besides, to speak truth, in base times 

 active men are of more use than virtuous. It is true, that in govern 

 ment, it is good to use men of one rank equally : for to countenance 

 some extraordinarily, is to make them insolent, and the rest discontent ; 

 because they may claim a due. But contrariwise in favour, to use men 

 with much difference and election is good ; for it makcth the persons pre 

 ferred more thankful, and the rest more officious ; because all is of favour. 

 It is good discretion not to make too much of any man at the first ; because 

 one cannot hold out that proportion. To be governed, as we call it, 

 by one, is not safe ; for it shows softness, and gives a freedom to scan 

 dal and disreputation ; for those that would not censure, or speak ill of 

 a man immediately, will talk more boldly of those that are so great 

 with them, and thereby wound their honour. Yet to be distracted with 

 many, is worse ; for it makes men to be of the last impression, and full 

 of change. To take advice of some few friends is ?cr honourable ; 

 for lookers-on many times see more than the gamesters ; and the vale 

 best discovereth the hill. There is little friendship in the world, and 

 least of all between equals, which was wont to be magnified. 

 That that is, is between superior and inferior, whose fortunes may 

 comprehend the one the other. 



XLIX. OF SUITORS. 



Many ill matters and projects are undertaken : and private suits 

 do putrify the public good. Many good matters are undertaken with 

 bad minds; 1 mean not only corrupt minds, but crafty minds, that intend 

 not performance. Some embrace suits, which never mean to deal effec 

 tually in them ; but it they see there maybe life in the matter by some 

 other mean, they will be content to win a thank, or take a second 

 reward, or at least to make use in the mean time of the suitor s hopes. 

 Some take hold of suits, only for an occasion to cross some other, or to 

 make an information, whereof they could not otherwise have apt pre- 



