Sylva sylvarum (century IX-X) Physiological remains. Medical remains ...

lord thanked the messenger, and said, "He could not "at present requite the count better than in returning "him the like; that he wished his lordship a good "Passover."

12. My lord chancellor Elsmere, when he had read a petition which he disliked, would say, "What, "you would have my hand to this now?" And the party answering, "Yes;" he would say farther, "Well, so you shall: nay, you shall have both my "hands to it." And so would, with both his hands, tear it in pieces.

13. Sir Francis Bacon was wont to say of an angry man who suppressed his passion, "That he thought "worse than he spake;" and of an angry man that would chide, "That he spoke worse than he «thought"

14. He was wont also to say, "That power in an "ill man was like the power of a black witch; he "could do hurt, but no good with it." And he would add, "That the magicians could turn water "into blood, but could not turn the blood again to "water."

15. When Mr. Attorney Coke, in the exchequer, gave high words to Sir Francis Bacon, and stood much upon his higher place; Sir Francis said to him, "Mr. "Attorney, the less you speak of your own greatness, "the more I shall think of it: and the more, the less."

16. Sir Francis Bacon coming into the earl of Arundel's garden, where there were a great number of ancient statues of naked men and women, made a stand, and, as astonished, cried out, "The resur"rection!"

17. Sir Francis Bacon, who was always for moderate counsels, when one was speaking of such a reformation of the Church of England, as would in effect make it no Church; said thus to him, " Sir, the "subject we talk of is the eye of England; and if ** there be a speck or two in the eye, we endeavour to take them off; but he were a strange oculist who "would pull out the eye."

18. The same Sir Francis Bacon was wont to

say, "That those who left useful studies for useless "scholastic speculations, were like the Olympic "gamesters, who abstained from necessary labours, "that they might be fit for such as were not so."

19. He likewise often used this comparison: ** * The empirical philosophers are like to pismires; "they only lay up and use their store. The rationalTM ists are like the spiders; they spin all out of their "own bowels. But give me a philosopher, who "like the bee hath a middle faculty, gathering from "abroad, but digesting that which is gathered by his "own virtue."

20. The lord St. Alban, who was not over-hasty to raise theories, but proceeded slowly by experiments, was wont to say to some philosophers, who would not go his pace, " Gentlemen, nature is a labyrinth, in "which the very haste you move with, will make "you lose your way."

21. The same lord, when he spoke of the Dutchmen, used to say, " That we could not abandon "them for our safety, nor keep them for our profit." And sometimes he would express the same sense in this manner; " We hold the Belgic Hon by the ears."

22. The same lord, when a gentleman seemed not much to approve of his liberality to his retinue, said to him, "Sir, I am all of a piece; if the head be lifted "up, the inferior parts of the body must too."

23. The lord Bacon was wont to commend the advice of the plain old man at Buxton, that sold besoms: a proud lazy young fellow came to him for a besom upon trust; to whom the old man said, "Friend, "hast thou no money? borrow of thy back, and bor"row of thy belly, they'll ne'er ask thee again, I shall "be dunning thee every day."

24. Jack Weeks said of a great man, just then dead, who pretended to some religion, but was none of the best livers, "Well, I hope he is in heaven. Every "man thinks as he wishes; but if he be in heaven, "'twere pity it were known."

* See the substance of this in Novum Organum; and Cogitatt tt Vita.

ORNAMENTA RATIONALIA:

OR,

ELEGANT SENTENCES,

SOME MADE, OTHERS COLLECTED BY THE LORD BACON; AND BY HIM PUT UNDER THE ABOVESAID TITLE.

COLLECTED OUT OF THE MIMI OF PUBLICS, AKD fUBLlSHEB CX THE REMAINS.

1. Aleatoh, quant o in arte est melior, tan to est nequior. A gamester, the greater master he is in his art, the worse man he is. 2. Arcum, intensio frangit; animum, remissio. Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending, the mind.

3. Bis vincit, qui se vincit in victoria.

He conquers twice, who upon victory overcomes himself.

4. Cum vitia prosint, peccat, qui rectefacit.

If vices were upon the whole matter profitable, the virtuous man would be the sinner.

5. Bene dormit, qui non sentit quod male dormiat. He sleeps well, who feels not that he sleeps ill.

6. Deliberare utilia, mora est tulissima.

To deliberate about useful things, is the safest delay.

7. Dolor decrescit, ubi quo crescat non habet. The flood of grief decreaseth, when it can swell no higher.

8. Etiam innoccntes cogit mentiri dolor. Pain makes even the innocent man a liar.

9. Etiam celeritas in desiderio, mora est. In desire, swiftness itself is delay.

7

10. Etiam capillus unus habet umbram suam> The smallest hair casts a shadow.

11. Fidem qui perdit, quo se servat in reliquum? He that has lost his faith, what has he left to

live on? -. -..\f.

12. Formosa fades muta commendatio est.
A beautiful face is a silent commendation.

13. Fortuna nimium quern fovet, stultumfacit. Fortune makes him a fool, whom she makes her darling.

14. Fortuna obesse nulli contenta est semel. Fortune is not content to do a man but one ill turn.

15. Facit gratum fortuna, quam nemo videt. The fortune which nobody sees, makes a man happy and unenvied.

16. Heu! quam miserurn est ab illo ladi, de quo

nonpossis queri.

O! what a miserable thing it is to be hurt by such a one of whom it is in vain to complain. • . :~ -', .' 17- Homo toties moritur quoties amittit suos. A man dies as often as he loses his friends. 18. Haredis fietus sub persona risus est.

The tears of an heir are laughter under a vizard. 19. Jucundum nihil est, nisi quod refcit varietas. Nothing is pleasant, to which variety does not give a relish.

20. Invidiam ferre, aut fortis, aut felix potest': He may bear envy, who is either courageous or happy.

21. In malis sperare botium, nisi innocens, nemo potest. None but a virtuous man can hope well in ill circumstances.

22. In vindicando, criminosa est celeritas.

In taking revenge, the very haste we make is criminal.

23. In calamitoso risus etiam injuria est. When men are in calamity, if we do but laugh we offend.

VOl. II. H H

24. Improbe Neptunum accusat, qui itcrum nau

'fragium facit. He accuseth Neptune unjustly, who makes shipwreck a second time.

25. Multis minatur, qui uni facit injuriam. He that injures one, threatens an hundred.

26. Mora omnis ingrata est, sedfacit sapientiam. All delay is ungrateful, but we are not wise without it.

27. Mori estfelicis antequam mortem invocet. Happy he who dies ere he calls for death to

take him away.

28. Malus ubi bonum se simulat, tunc est pessimus. An ill man is always ill; but he is then worst

of all, when he pretends to be a saint. 29- Magna cum periculo custoditur, quod multis placet. Lock and key will scarce keep that secure, which pleases every body.

30. Male vivunt qui se semper victuros putant. They think ill, who think of living always.

31. Male secum agit ager, medicum qui haredem

facit. That sick man does ill for himself, who makes his physician his heir.

32. Multos timere debet, quern multi timent.

He of whom many are afraid, ought himself to fear many. S3. Nulla tarn bona estfortuna, de qua nil possis queri. There is no fortune so good, but it bates an ace. 34. Pars beneficii est, quod petitur si bene neges. It is part of the gift, if you deny genteely what is asked of you.

85. Timidus vocat se cautum, parcum sordidus. The coward calls himself a wary man; and the miser says, he is frugal.

86. O vita! misero longa, felici brevis.

O life! an age to him that is in misery; and to him that is happy, a moment.