Lord Bacon's Essays, or counsels moral and civil: Translated from the Latin ...

and the like. Thus, if any Man has t Rambling Wit, let him study Mathe* maticks: For in Mathematical Demonstrations, if the Mind strays never so. little, he must begin again. If a Man's Wit is not ready at finding out Differences and Distinctions, let him betake himself to the Schoolmen; for they aro Cumini Seftores. If he wants Quick* ness of Wit to run over Matters, and cannot with Dexterity call up one Thing to prove and illustrate another; let him turn over the Lawyers Cafes: So every Indisposition of the Understanding may have its proper Remedy from Learning.

LI. 0/F ACTIONS.

MANY have an Opinion, by no means found, viz. That a Prince, in the Government of his State, and a great Person, in the Direction of his Affairs, ought especially to regard the

Factions

Factions that prevail; and that this i> a principal. Part of Polk}': Whereas, concrariwife, the Top of this AbiBnr confirb chiefly, either in ordering chote Things, which appertain indifferently oo oil in general, and wherein Men.ot divers Factions do, nevertheless, agree; or in careJling, winnings sad dealing with particular Persons one bv one. Yet I lay not, that a due Confederation of Parties is to be neglected. Men of a mean Fortune, in Aar JRhing, muil adhere to some PAK.TT;._bttt for great Men, and such as are in Ptjileiiion. of Honour, it is more advileable, to keep themselves Indirlerent, and Neuters. Yet even in the Cafe of Pursuers, to adhere so moderately, as that a Man may be thought of Op^paxtt, and yet not be odious to theXXher, is the bell Way to Preieiroent. - . . . „

The lower and weaker Faction,

^mugdfc the firmer and steddier.in

QJNifcon: And it is often seen" that

*Kw, ilu: urc mSmad obirinate, do, in the end, tire out and drive down a greater Number, that are more Moderate. ■'•..■'

- When One of the Factions is extinguished, the' remaining One subdivideth: As the Faction of Lucullus and the Nobles, held out awhile against the Fa c T 1 o N of Tompey and Casar; but when the Authority of th« Senate and the Nobles was pulled down, Cæsar and Tompey soon after brake. In like manner, the Faction of Antonius and OEiavianus Casar, a-% gainst Brutus and Cajfius, held out for some Time: But when Brutus and Caffius were overthrown, then soon after Antonius and Ottavianus, with their Parties, brake and subdivided. These Examples (you'll fay) relate to •fa C,t I O N S in War: But the fame Thing holdeth in private Factions. And therefore those that were at first Seconds in Factions, do, many .Times, when the Faction subdivided!, prove Principals: Yet many Times also they lose all Power: For

many many a Man's Strength lies in OppofU tion; and when that fails, he becomes useless. It is commonly seen, and is worth observing, That many, when they have gained their Point, and are in Possession of the Dignity they courted, take immediately to the contrary Fa CXion; thinking, belike, that they are already sure of the Affections of the other Faction^ and now are ready for a new Purchase.

The Traitor in Faction common* ,ly goes away with the Prize; for when Matters have hung long in an equal Ballance, as it were, some one Person's going over to the contrary Side casteth the Scale, and he getteth all the Thanks. The carrying an even Hand between two Factions, proceeds not always from Moderation, but from a crafty Dengn, (as every Man is truftft to himself) of making an Advantage- of both Factions. Certainly m Italy, they hoid it a little suspicious in Poms, when they have often in their Mouth SFWrr rtmtouHe, and take it to be a

Sign of one that meaneth to refer all to the Greatness of his own House.

Kings sliould of all Things take care, how they make themselves of a Side or Faction with any of their Subjects; for Leagues within the State are ever pernicious to Monarchies; for they raise an Obligation paramount to the Obligation of Sovereignty, and make the King, As me ef us\ as was to be seen in the League of France.

When Factions are carried with a high Hand, and barefacedly, it is a Sign of Decay of Power in Princes* and much to the Prejudice both of their Authority and Business. The Motions of Factions under Kings ought to be like the Motions (as the Astronomers speak) of the inferior Orbs, which may have their proper Motions but yet still are quietly carried round by the Higher Motion of the sPrimim Mobile,

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