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XXV.

Non vulgi sunt.-There is a more secret cause: and the power of liberal,studies lies more hid, than that it can be wrought out by profane wits. It is not every man's way to hit. They are men, I confess, that see the caract, and value upon things, as they love them; but science is not every man's mistress. It is as great a spite to be praised in the wrong place, and by a wrong person, as can be done to a noble nature.

XXVI.

Honesta ambitio. — If divers men seek fame or honour by divers ways; so both be honest, neither is to be blamed: but they that seek immortality, are not only worthy of love, but of praise.

XXVII.

Maritus improbus.-He hath a delicate wife, a fair fortune, and family to go to be welcome; yet he had rather be drunk with mine host, and the fiddlers of such a town, than go home.

XXVIII.

Afflictio pia magistra.-Affliction teacheth a wicked person some time to pray: prosperity never.

XXIX.

Deploratis facilis descensus Averni.-The devil take all. Many might go to heaven with half the labour they go to hell, if they would venture their industry the right way but the devil take all (quoth he) that was choak'd in the mill-dam, with his four last words in his mouth.

XXX.

Aegidius cursu superat.-A cripple in the way outtravels a footman, or a post out of the way.

XXXI.

Prodigo nummi nauci.-Bags of money to a prodigal person, are the same that cherry-stones are with some boys, and so thrown away.

XXXII.

Munda et sordida.-A woman, the more curious she is about her face, is commonly the more careless about her house.

XXXIII.

Debitum deploratum.-Of this spilt water, there is a little to be gathered up: it is a desperate debt.

XXXIV.

Latro sesquipedalis.—The thief that had a longing at the gallows to commit one robbery more, before he was hanged.

And like the German lord,d when he went out of Newgate into the cart, took order to have his arms set up in his last herborough: said he was taken, and committed upon suspicion of treason; no witness appearing against him; but the judges entertained him most civilly, discoursed with him, offered him the courtesy of the rack; but he confessed, &c.

XXXV.

Calumnia fructus.-I am beholden to calumny, that she hath so endeavoured, and taken pains to belie me. It shall make me set a surer guard on myself, and keep a better watch upon my actions.

XXXVI.

Impertinens.-A tedious person is one a man would leap a steeple from, gallop down any steep hill to

c With a great belly.

d Comes de Schertenhein.

avoid him; forsake his meat, sleep, nature itself, with all her benefits, to shun him. A mere impertinent one that touched neither heaven nor earth in his discourse. He opened an entry into a fair room, but shut it again presently. I spake to him of garlic, he answered asparagus: consulted him of marriage, he tells me of hanging, as if they went by one and the same destiny.

XXXVII.

Bellum Scribentium.-What a sight it is to see writers committed together by the ears for ceremonies, syllables, points, colons, commas, hyphens, and the like? fighting as for their fires and their altars; and angry that none are frighted at their noises, and loud brayings under their asses' skins.

There is hope of getting a fortune without digging in these quarries. Sed meliore (in omne) ingenio, animoque quàm fortunâ, sum usus.

Pingue solum lassat; sed juvat ipse labor.

XXXVIII.

Differentia inter Doctos et Sciolos.-Wits made out their several expeditions then, for the discovery of truth, to find out great and profitable knowledges; had their several instruments for the disquisition of arts. Now there are certain scioli or smatterers, that are busy in the skirts and outsides of learning, and have scarce any thing of solid literature to commend them. They may have some edging or trimming of a scholar, a welt, or so: but it is no more.

XXXIX.

Impostorum fucus.-Imposture is a specious thing: yet never worse than when it feigns to be best, and to none discovered sooner than the simplest. For

truth and goodness are plain and open; but imposture is ever ashamed of the light.

XL.

Icunculorum motio.-A puppet-play must be shadowed, and seen in the dark for draw the curtain, Et sordet gesticulatio.

XLI.

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Principes, et Administri. — There is a great difference in the understanding of some princes, as in the quality of their ministers about them. Some would dress their masters in gold, pearl, and all true jewels of majesty others furnish them with feathers, bells, and ribands; and are therefore esteemed the fitter servants. But they are ever good men, that must make good the times: if the men be naught, the times will be such. Finis exspectandus est in unoquoque hominum; animali ad mutationem promptissimo.

XLII.

Scitum Hispanicum.—It is a quick saying with the Spaniards, Artes inter hæredes non dividi. Yet these have inherited their father's lying, and they brag of it. He is a narrow-minded man, that affects a triumph in any glorious study; but to triumph in a lie, and a lie themselves have forged, is frontless. Folly often goes beyond her bounds; but Impudence knows none.

XLIII.

Non nova res livor.-Envy is no new thing, nor was it born only in our times. The ages past have brought it forth, and the coming ages will. So long as there are men fit for it, quorum odium virtute relictâ placet, it will never be wanting. It is a barbarous envy, to take from those men's virtues, which

because thou canst not arrive at, thou impotently despairest to imitate. Is it a crime in me that I know that, which others had not yet known, but from me? or that I am the author of many things, which never would have come in thy thought, but that I taught them? It is a new, but a foolish way you have found out, that whom you cannot equal, or come near in doing, you would destroy or ruin with evil speaking as if you had bound both your wits and natures prentices to slander, and then came forth the best artificers, when you could form the foulest calumnies.

XLIV.

Nil gratius protervo lib.-Indeed nothing is of more credit or request now, than a petulant paper, or scoffing verses; and it is but convenient to the times and manners we live with, to have then the worst writings and studies flourish, when the best begin to be despised. Ill arts begin where good end.

XLV.

Jam litera sordent.-Pastus hodiern. Ingen.-The time was when men would learn and study good things, not envy those that had them. Then men were had in price for learning; now letters only make men vile. He is upbraidingly called a poet, as if it were a contemptible nick-name: but the professors, indeed, have made the learning cheap. Railing and tinkling rhymers, whose writings the vulgar more greedily read, as being taken with the scurrility and petulancy of such wits. He shall not have a reader now, unless he jeer and lie. It is the food of men's natures; the diet of the times! gallants cannot sleep else. The writer must lie, and the gentle reader rests happy, to hear the worthiest works misinterpreted, the clearest actions obscured, the inno

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