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IVIL Knowledge is converfant about a fubject which of all others is most im

mersed in matter, and hardlieft reduced to Axiom. Nevertheless, as

Cato the Cenfor faid, That the Romans were like Sheep, for that a man might better drive a flock of them, than one of them; for in a flock, if you could but get fome few to go right, the rest would follow : so in that respect Moral Philosophy is more difficile than Policy. Again, moral Philosophy propoundeth to itself the framing of internal goodness; but civil knowledge requireth only an External goodness; for that as to fociety fufficeth. And therefore it cometh oft to pass that there be Evil Times in good governments: for so we find in the holy story, when the kings were good, yet it is added, Sed adhuc populus non dexerat cor fuum ad Dominum Deum patrum fuorum. Again, States, as great Engines, move flowly, and are not fo foon put out of frame: for as in Egypt the seven good years sustained the feven bad, fo governments, for a time well grounded, do bear out errors following; but the resolution of particular persons is more fuddenly fubverted. These respects do fomewhat qualify the extreme difficulty of civil knowledge.

This knowledge hath three parts, according to the three summary Actions of society; which are Converfation, Negotiation, and Government. For man seeketh in fociety comfort, use, and protec

tion: and they be three wifdoms of divers natures, which do often fever: wifdom of the behaviour, wisdom of business, and wisdom of state.

The wisdom of Converfation ought not to be over much affected, but much less despised; for it hath not only an honour in itself, but an influence alfo into bufinefs and government. The poet faith Nec vultu deftrue verba tuo: a man may destroy the force of his words with his countenance: fo may he of his deeds, faith Cicero, recommending to his brother affability and easy access; Nil intereft habere oftium apertum, vultum claufum; it is nothing won to admit men with an open door, and to receive them with a shut and reserved countenance. So, we fee, Atticus, before the firft interview between Cæfar and Cicero, the war depending, did seriously advise Cicero touching the compofing and ordering of his countenance and gefture. And if the government of the countenance be of fuch effect, much more is that of the speech, and other carriage appertaining to conversation; the true model whereof feemeth to me well expreffed by Livy, though not meant for this purpose: Ne aut arrogans videar, aut obnoxius; quorum alterum eft alienæ libertatis obliti, alterum fuæ: The fum of behaviour is to retain a man's own dignity, without intruding upon the liberty of others. On the other fide, if behaviour and outward carriage be intended too much, first it may pass into affectation, and then Quid deformius quam Scenam in vitam transferre (to act a man's life)? But al

though it proceed not to that extreme, yet it consumeth time, and employeth the mind too much. And therefore as we use to advise young students from company keeping, by saying, Amici fures Temporis: fo certainly the Intending of the difcretion of behaviour is a great Thief of Meditation. Again, fuch as are accomplished in that form of urbanity please themselves in it, and feldom afpire to higher virtue; whereas thofe that have defect in it do feek Comeliness by Reputation; for where reputation is, almost every thing becometh; but where that is not, it must be supplied by Punctilios, and Compliments. Again, there is no greater impediment of Action than an over-curious obfervance of decency, and the guide of decency, which is Time and season. For as Solomon faith, Qui refpicit ad ventos, non feminat; et qui refpicit ad nubes, non metet: a man must make his opportunity, as oft as find it. To conclude; Behaviour feemeth to me as a Garment of the Mind, and to have the Conditions of a Garment. For it ought to be made in fashion; it ought not to be too curious; it ought to be shaped so as to set forth any good making of the mind, and hide any deformity; and above all, it ought not to be too ftrait, or reftrained for exercise or motion. But this part of Civil knowledge hath been elegantly handled, and therefore I cannot report it for deficient.

The wisdom touching Negotiation or Business hath not been hitherto collected into writing, to the great derogation of learning, and the profeffors

of learning. For from this root springeth chiefly that note or opinion, which by us is expressed in Adage to this effect, that there is no great concurrence between learning and Wisdom. For of the three wisdoms which we have fet down to pertain to civil life, for wisdom of Behaviour, it is by learned men for the most part despised, as an Inferior to Virtue, and an Enemy to Meditation; for wisdom of Government, they acquit themselves well when they are called to it, but that happeneth to few; but for the wisdom of Business, wherein man's life is moft converfant, there be no Books of it, except fome few scattered advertisements, that have no proportion to the magnitude of this subject. For if books were written of this, as the other, I doubt not but learned men with mean experience, would far excel men of long experience without learning, and outshoot them in their own bow.

Neither needeth it at all to be doubted, that this knowledge fhould be fo variable as it falleth not under precept; for it is much less infinite than science of Government, which, we see, is laboured and in fome part reduced. Of this wisdom, it feemeth some of the ancient Romans, in the fageft and wifeft times, were profeffors; for Cicero reporteth, that it was then in use for Senators that had name and opinion for general wise men, as Coruncanius, Curius, Lælius, and many others, to walk at certain hours in the Place, and to give audience to those that would use their advice; and

that the particular Citizens would resort unto them, and confult with them of the marriage of a daughter, or of the employing of a fon, or of a purchase or bargain, or of an accufation, and every other occafion incident to man's life. So as there is a wisdom of Counsel and advice even in private Causes, arifing out of a universal insight into the affairs of the world; which is ufed indeed upon particular caufes propounded, but is gathered by general obfervation of causes of like nature. For so we see in the book which 2. Cicero writeth to his brother. De petitione confulatus, (being the only book of business that I know written by the ancients,) although it concerned a particular action then on foot, yet the fubftance thereof confifteth of many wife and politic axioms, which contain not a temporary, but a perpetual direction in the cafe of popular Elections. But chiefly we may see in those Aphorisms which have place among Divine writings, compofed by Solomon the King, (of whom the Scriptures teftify that his heart was as the fands of the fea, encompaffing the world and all worldly matters,) we see, I fay, not a few profound and excellent cautions, precepts, pofitions, extending to much variety of occafions; whereupon we will stay awhile, offering to confideration fome number of Examples.

Sed et cunctis fermonibus qui dicuntur ne accommodes aurem tuam, ne forte audias fervum tuum maledicentem tibi. Here is concluded the provident ftay of inquiry of that which we would be

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