thing, so that he giveth another occasion ESSAY LII. of satiety, maketh himself cheap. To apply Of Ceremonies and Respects. one's self to others is good; so it be with demonstration that a man doth it upon regard, and not upon facility. It is a good precept generally in seconding another, yet to add somewhat of one's own: as if you will grant his opinion, let it be with some distinction; if you will follow his motion, let it be with condition; if you allow his counsel, let it be with alleging further reason. Men had need beware how they be too perfect in compliments; for be they never so sufficient otherwise, their enviers will be sure to give them that attribute, to the disadvantage of their greater virtues. It is loss also in business to be too full of respects, or to be too curious in observing times and opportunities. Solomon saith, 'he that considereth the wind shall not sow, and he that looketh to the clouds shall not reap.' A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. Men's behaviour should be like their apparel, not too strait or point device, but free for exercise or motion.

ESSAY LIII.

(Praise is the reflection of virtue; but it Of Praise. is as the glass, or body, which giveth the reflection. If it be from the common people, it is commonly false and naught, and rather followeth vain persons than virtuous: for the common people understand not many excellent virtues: the lowest virtues draw praise from them, the middle virtues work in them astonishment or admiration; but of the highest virtues they have no sense or perceiving at all; but shows and appearances resembling virtues' serve best with them. Certainly, fame is like a river, that beareth up things light and swollen, and drowns things weighty and solid;) but if persons of quality and judgment concur, then it is, as the Scripture saith, 'a good name is like sweet-smelling ointment'; it filleth all round about, and will not easily away; for the odours of ointments are more durable than those of flowers. There be so many false points of praise, that a man may justly hold it a suspect. Some praises proceed merely of flattery; and if he be an ordinary flatterer, he will have certain com

mon attributes which may serve every man; ESSAY LIII. if he be a cunning flatterer, he will follow of Praise. the arch-flatterer, which is a man's self, and wherein a man thinketh best of himself, therein the flatterer will uphold him most: but if he be an impudent flatterer, look wherein a man is conscious to himself that he is most defective, and is most out of countenance in himself, that will the flatterer entitle him to perforce, 'disregarding his own conscience.' Some praises come of good wishes and respects, which is a form due in civility to kings and great persons, 'to instruct under the form of praise'; when by telling men what they are, they represent to them what they should be; some men are praised maliciously to their hurt, thereby to stir envy and jealousy towards them; 'the worst kind of enemies are those who flatter'; insomuch as it was a proverb amongst the Grecians that 'he that was praised to his hurt, should have a push rise upon his nose'; as we say, 'that a blister will rise upon one's tongue that tells a lie.' Certainly moderate praise, used with oppor

ESSAY LIII. tunity and not vulgar, is that which doth Of Praise. the good. Solomon saith, he that praiseth his friend aloud, rising early, it shall be to him no better than a curse.' Too much magnifying of man or matter doth irritate contradiction, and procure envy and scorn. To praise a man's self cannot be decent, except it be in rare cases; but to praise a man's office or profession, he may do it with good grace, and with a kind of magnanimity. The cardinals of Rome, which are theologues, and friars, and schoolmen, have a phrase of notable contempt and scorn towards civil business; for they call all temporal business of wars, embassages, judicature, and other employments, 'sbirrerie,' which is undersheriffries,' as if they were but matters for under - sheriffs and catch - poles; though many times those under-sheriffries do more good than their high speculations. St Paul, when he boasts of himself, he doth oft interlace 'I speak like a fool'; but speaking of his calling, he saith, 'I will magnify my apostleship.'

It was prettily devised of Aesop, 'the ESSAY LIV. fly sat upon the axletree of the chariot-wheel of Vain Glory. and said, "What a dust do I raise." So are there some vain persons that, whatsoever goeth alone, or moveth upon greater means, if they have never so little hand in it, they think it is they that carry it. They that are glorious must needs be factious; for all bravery stands upon comparisons. They must needs be violent, to make good their own vaunts; neither can they be secret, and therefore not effectual; but according to the proverb, 'much cry, little wool.' Yet, certainly, there is use of this quality in civil affairs: where there is an opinion and fame to be created, either of virtue or greatness, these men are good trumpeters. Again, as Titus Livius noteth in the case of Antiochus and the Aetolians, there are sometimes great effects of cross lies; as if a man that negotiates between two princes, to draw them to join in a war against the third, doth extol the forces of either of them above measure, the one to the the other: and sometimes he that