Where nature is mighty, and therefore the victory hard, the degrees had need be: first, to stay and arrest nature in time, like to him that would say over the four-and-twenty letters when he was angry; then, to go less in quantity, as if one should, in forbearing wine, come from drinking healths to a draught at a meal; and lastly, to discontinue altogether. But if a man have the fortitude and resolution to enfranchise himself at once, that is the best.

Optimus ille animi vindex lædentia pectus
Vincula qui rupit, dedoluitque semel.1

Neither is the ancient rule amiss-to bend nature as a wand to a contrary extreme, whereby to set it right; understanding it, where the contrary extreme is no vice. Let not a man force a habit upon himself with a perpetual continuance, but with some intermission. For both the pause reinforceth the new onset; and if a man that is not perfect be ever in practice, he shall as well practice his errors as his abilities, and induce one habit of both; and there is no means to help this, but by seasonable intermissions. But let not a man trust his victory over his nature too far; for nature will lay buried a great time, and yet revive upon the occasion or temptation. Like as it was with Æsop's damosel, turned from a cat to a woman; who sate very demurely at the board's end till a mouse ran before her. Therefore, let a man either avoid the occasion altogether, or put himself often to it, that he may be little moved with it. A man's nature is best perceived in privateness, for there is no affectation; in passion, for that putteth a man out of his precepts; and in a

1 Wouldst thou be free? The chains that gall thy breast With one strong effort burst, and be at rest.-ÖVID, Rem. Am.,

293.

new case or experiment, for there custom leaveth him. They are happy men whose natures sort with their vocations; otherwise they may say, Multùm incola fuit anima mea,1 when they converse in those things they do not affect. In studies, whatsoever a man commandeth upon himself, let him set hours for it; but whatsoever is agreeable to his nature, let him take no care for any set times; for his thoughts will fly to it of themselves, so as the spaces of other business or studies will suffice. A man's nature runs either to herbs or weeds; therefore let him seasonably water the one, and destroy the other.

OF STUDIES

STUDIES serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules is the humor of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience; for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them, for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to

1 My soul hath been a stranger and a sojourner.—Psalms, CXX, 6.

find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy and extracts made of them by others, but that would be only in the less important arguments and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit; and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that, he doth not. Histories make men wise, poets witty, the mathematics subtle, natural philosophy deep, moral grave, logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores.1 Nay, there is no stond or impediment in the wit but may be wrought out by fit studies, like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins, shooting for the lungs and breast, gentle walking for the stomach, riding for the head, and the like. So if a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen, for they are Cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyer's cases. So every defect of the mind may have a

special receipt.

1 Studies pass into manners.-OVID, Heroides, XV, 83.

2 Splitters of hairs (literally cumin-seeds).-DIO CASSIUS, LXX, 3.

SIR WILLIAM CORNWALLIS

OF AFFECTION

THOSE actions that receive not their commandments from a deliberated discourse, the issue of reason, receive it from a sympathizing with things, the issue of affection; whose effects, though not unnatural, yet very unreasonable, for so much is given to beasts to maintain life with, but to man is given reason to purchase virtue with, which by the other can no way be compassed, no more than the taste taste virtue, the smell smell virtue. For affection brings all things to trial by the senses, reason carrieth them to the inquisition of the soul, who regards not their colors nor those sensual qualities, but makes them confess how much they have of temperance, how much of fortitude, and of those inward qualities of the mind. Doubtless, then, this power of affection carrieth no farther grace than the preservation of life, which, regarded no farther than right, is a care of the last place. For speaking of this life, methinks there is no other thing presented to our view than some handsome table or picture that looks pertly for a time but will not last, and should receive of us in exchange a contentment of the present state and a determination to use it to the best purpose while we have it, and when we are to part, a patient farewell without disturbance or fear.

Omnia mors poscit, lex est, non poena perire.1

We are taken out of the universal matter of nature 1 Death demands all. To die is nature's law, not punishment.

and made men, highly already preferred, considering our first state; but this, viewed with immortality, is baser in comparison than the first to the second. This life is but a prenticehood, the freedom immortality; and methinks it fits well in respect of the one's shortness and the other's eternity, life being but like a prentice's holiday. But more near when we think of our knowledges, which are here impotent and defective but are there complete and full, all things appearing there unmasked and the borrowed colors and vain apparitions of affection being withdrawn, those unlimited and rich lights of the mind behold everything in the right proportion. All the deformities and misdemeanors of the world are the children of affection, which binds up our sight in darkness and leads us blindfolded. From hence opinion, which is the destinated censure of affection, as judgment is the soul's; from hence proceeds the irresolution of our thoughts and our waverings, and changings from one thing to another. For affection likes his present satisfaction and judgeth that best, which, if in opinion bettered, he changeth his sentence, and so, not able to penetrate into the depth of things, is every day ready for a new impression. All that I have heard, all that I have read, all that by any means hath come to my knowledge performed well, hath been where reason hath made affection his servant; contrarywise, destructions, dishonors, dangers, have been enforced by the tyranny of pride, disdain, hate, self-love, or some other of those affections unrestrained. So can I fetch calamity from none other original but this, nor happiness but from the deprivation of this frailty. Even that honest, harmless affection which possesseth parents towards their children, methinks whiles they are yet but lumps of flesh and things without all merit, should not be so ardent and