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should come to utter Confufion; which, thanks be to God, is verified only in the Change of the Name: for that the King's Style is now no more of England but of Britain. There was also another Prophecy, before the year of 88, which I do not well understand.

There fhall be feen upon a day,
Between the Baugh and the May,
The Black Fleet of Norway.
When that that is come and gone,

England build Houfes of Lime and Stone,
For after Wars fhall you have None.

It was generally conceived, to be meant of the
Spanish Fleet that came in 88. For that the King
of Spain's Surname, as they say, is Norway. The
Prediction of Regiomontanus ;

Octogefimus octavus mirabilis Annus; 13

Was thought likewise accomplished in the sending of that great Fleet, being the greatest in Strength, though not in Number, of all that ever swam upon the Sea. As for Cleon's Dream,14 I think it was a Jeft; it was, that he was devoured of a long Dragon, and it was expounded of a Maker of Sausages, that troubled him exceedingly. There are numbers of the like kind; efpecially if you include Dreams, and Predictions of Aftrology: but I have fet down these few only of certain Credit for example. My Judgement is, that they ought all to be defpifed, and ought to serve but for

13 Concerning this prophecy, fee Bayle Dict. article Stofler, note E, and article Brufchius, note E.

14 Vid. Ariftoph. Equit. 195, fq.

Winter Talk, by the Fire-fide. Though when I fay defpifed, I mean it as for Belief: for otherwise, the spreading or publishing of them is in no fort to be defpifed, for they have done much Mifchief; and I see many severe Laws made to fupprefs them. That that hath given them Grace, and fome Credit, confifteth in three Things. First, that Men mark when they hit, and never mark when they miss; as they do generally also of Dreams. The fecond is, that probable Conjectures, or obfcure Traditions many times turn themselves into Prophecies: while the Nature of Man, which coveteth Divination, thinks it no Peril to foretell that which indeed they do but collect as that of Seneca's Verfe. For fo much was then subject to Demonstration, that the Globe of the Earth, had great Parts beyond the Atlantic, which might be probably conceived not to be all Sea and adding thereto the Tradition in Plato's Timeus, and his Atlanticus,15 it might encourage one to turn it to a Prediction. The third and last (which is the great one) is, that almost all of them, being infinite in Number, have been Impostures, and by idle and crafty Brains merely contrived and feigned after the Event past.

15 i. e. his Critias, in which the feigned Atlantis is difcourfed of. This feems to indicate that Lord Bacon used the Latin tranflation of Plato by Cornarius, in which the Dialogue is entitled "CRITIAS five ATLANTICUS."

XXXVI. Of Ambition.

[graphic]

So

MBITION is like Choler, which is a Humour that maketh Men active, earneft, full of alacrity, and stirring, if it be not stopped. But if it be ftopped, and cannot have its Way, it becometh aduft, and thereby malign and venomous. Ambitious Men, if they find the way open for their Rifing, and ftill get forward, they are rather bufy than dangerous; but if they be checkt in their defires, they become fecretly discontent, and look upon Men and Matters with an evil Eye; and are best pleased when Things go backward; which is the worst Property in a Servant of a Prince or State. Therefore it is good for Princes, if they ufe Ambitious Men, to handle it fo as they be ftill progreffive, and not retrograde: which, because it cannot be without Inconvenience, it is good not to ufe fuch Natures at all. For if they rife not with their Service, they will take Order to make their Service fall with them. But fince we have faid, it were good not to ufe Men of Ambitious Natures, except it be upon neceffity, it is fit we speak in what Cafes they are of neceffity. Good Commanders in the Wars must be taken, be they never fo Ambitious: for the Ufe of their Service difpenfeth with the reft; and to take a Soldier without Ambition is to pull off his Spurs. There

is also great use of Ambitious Men in being Screens to Princes in Matters of Danger and Envy: for no Man will take that Part except he be like a feeled Dove,1 that mounts and mounts because he cannot see about him. There is Ufe also of Ambitious Men in pulling down the Greatness of any Subject that overtops; as Tiberius used Macro2 in the Pulling down of Sejanus. Since, therefore, they must be used in such Cafes, there refteth to speak how they are to be bridled, that they may be less dangerous there is lefs Danger of them if they be of mean Birth than if they be Noble; and if they be rather harsh of Nature than gracious and popular; and if they be rather new raised, than grown cunning, and fortified in their Greatness. It is counted by fome a weakness in Princes to have Favourites; but it is, of all others, the best Remedy against Ambitious Great-Ones; for when the way of Pleasuring and Displeasuring lieth by the Favourite, it is impoffible any other should be overgreat. Another means to curb them is to balance them by others as proud as they; but then there muft be fome middle Counsellors to keep Things fteady; for without that Ballast the Ship will roll too much. At the least a Prince may animate and inure fome meaner Persons to be, as it were, Scourges to Ambitious Men. As for the having of them obnoxious to Ruin, if they be of fearful

To feel the eyes of a hawk or other bird was to few up the eyelids. See the books of Falconry.

2 Macro was a favourite of Tiberius, said to have been accessary to his murder by Nero. He was afterwards put to death by Caligula, to whom he had prostituted his wife.

Natures, it may do well; but if they be stout and daring, it may precipitate their Designs, and prove dangerous. As for the pulling of them down, if the Affairs require it, and that it may not be done with safety suddenly, the only Way is, the inter- · change continually of Favours and Difgraces; whereby they may not know what to expect, and be, as it were, in a Wood. Of Ambitions, it is lefs harmful the Ambition to prevail in great Things, than that other to appear in every thing; for that breeds Confufion, and mars Business; but yet, it is lefs danger to have an Ambitious Man ftirring in Business, than Great in Dependencies. He that feeketh to be eminent amongst able Men hath a great Task; but that is ever good for the Publick but he that plots to be the only Figure amongst Ciphers is the decay of a whole Age. Honour hath three Things in it: The Vantage Ground to do good; the Approach to Kings and principal Perfons; and the Raifing of a Man's own Fortunes. He that hath the best of these Intentions, when he afpireth, is an honest Man; and that Prince, that can difcern of these Intentions in another that aspireth, is a wife Prince. Generally, let Princes and States choose such Minifters as are more fenfible of Duty than of Rifing; and fuch as love Business rather upon Conscience than upon Bravery: and let them Discern a busy Nature from a willing Mind.

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