was soon buzzed about everywhere that an ignorant youth had allowed himself to be juggled out of a valuable jewel by the great Bassora merchant, Haranzabad; and I had the mortification of seeing myself pointed at as this ignorant youth. "How could you be so mad," said the merchant, my friend, "as to stake any opal against Haranzabad's?-had you come to me first, you would have learned, what everybody knows, that the king pledged his opal to that merchant for a loan, upon condition that he should not exhibit it openly at the fair." I had now neither business nor inclination to detain me at the fair. I sold my horse, and in place of turning homeward with 50,000 florins in my purse, I had but 200, partly the price of my horse, and partly the balance of a debt, which the lapidary was owing to my father. How different were my feelings on my road homeward from what they would have been had I been returning to the realization of my projects! My sisters' portions, my mothers' provision, my cousin Ronza, and my expected barony, all came to my mind, only to reproach me for my vanity and folly. I was still a jewel-hunter, and had still my fortune to make; yet, wonderful as it may appear, at this very moment, when my hopes were newly crushed, they began to rise again; new dreams of riches, and even projects of their appropriation, occupied my mind, and almost excluded the recollection of my misfortune, and the very hour that witnessed the destruction of all my expectations and the futility of my toils, saw also born within me a steadier determination than ever to renew them, and as firm a persuasion that they would yet be rewarded. Providence, however, has not yet thought fit to crown my hopes; but I have lived happily notwithstanding. Never has my hammer laid open the lustre of another opal, but I have always been cheered on by expectation; my toil has never been rewarded by independence, but it has brought me food and raiment, and left me something to wish for; I have never entered Cracow again with the exulting thought that I was about to possess myself of 50,000 florins, but neither have I ever quitted it with the painful reflection that I have lost the fruit of a year's labour, and of many years' hope; I have had no portions to bestow upon my sisters, but they have married, and have been happy without them; no provision to settle upon my mother, but she is long ago beyond the need of it; no barony to offer Ronza, but she has never appeared to wish for more than she posOld age steals fast upon me, and so Besses. would it if I had possessed riches; death has no greater terrors for the poor than for the rich man, nor has he so much to disturb the serenity of his meditations. My children regret that I should leave them, and their regrets are sincere, because, when I am gone, they expect no equivalent; yet had I even now youth and vigour, I would still pursue the occupation, which I trust my children will never desert, for one day or other their labours will be rewarded. Schmidt has not found the first opal, nor myself the last; and riches may be enjoyed by him who knows how to use them. Go on, then, my children; do not shrink from toils which your father has borne, nor despair of the success which he once achieved, and of which the inexperience of youth only robbed him of the reward. THE MAY-POLE.1 Come, lasses and lads, take leave of your dads, And Johnny has got his Joan, Strike up, says Wat; Agreed, says Mat, His hat unto his lass, Begin, says Hal; Aye, aye, says Mall, No, no, says Noll, and so says Doll, To foot it round about, You're out, says Dick; Not I, says Nick, "Twas the fiddler played it wrong; 'Tis true, says Hugh, and so says Sue, And so says every one. From Westminster Drollery. An old and popular English ditty, the music of which will be found in Chappell's Popular Music of the Olden Time. BACON'S MORAL COUNSELS. [Francis Bacon, Baron Verulam, Viscount St. Alban's, born at York House, Strand, London, 22d January, 1561; died at Highgate, 9th April, 1626. Lawyer, statesman, and philosopher. Queen Elizabeth and James I were his patrons; Ben Jonson was one of his most faithful friends. He attained the highest position as a statesman; he has earned immortality as an author; he reaped a rich harvest of success during his life, and endured its bane in the malice and contempt of those who envied him, or who were honestly opposed to him. He was accused of ingratitude to those who helped him to rise-notably to the Earl of Essex, the sometime favourite of Elizabeth,--and of corruption in his office of lord-chancellor. From this office, he retired in disgrace, and had to pay a fine of £40,000 for his misdeeds. His defence has been warmly taken up by several modern writers; but the poet's portrait of him as "The wisest, brightest, meanest of mankind" still clings to his memory. The book of Essays or Moral Counsels was the first of his published works, and his last days were occupied in revising it. Du gald Stuart said of this volume: "It is one of those where the superiority of his genius appears to the greatest advantage, the novelty and depth of his reflec tions often receiving a strong relief from the triteness of his subject. It may be read from beginning to end in a few hours; and yet, after the twentieth perusal, one seldom fails to remark in it something overlooked before. This indeed is a characteristic of all Bacon's Good night, says Harry; Good night, says Mary; writings, and is only to be accounted for by the inex Good night says Dolly to John; Good night, says Sue to her sweetheart Hugh; Some loiter'd on the way, And bound themselves by kisses twelve, haustible aliment they furnish to our own thoughts, and the sympathetic activity they impart to our torpid faculties." His chief works were: the Novum OrganUKA -intended to be "the science of a better and more perfect use of reason in the investigation of things, and of the true aids to the understanding;" The History of Henry VII.; The Advancement of Learning: De Sapientia Veterum (the Wisdom of the Ancients): Apotherms &c He was lauded as "the glory and ornament of his age and nation."] A MORNING SALUTATION. The lark now leaves his wat'ry nest, The merchant bows unto the seaman's star, SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT. ADVERSITY. It was a high speech of Seneca (after the manner of the Stoics), that the good things which belong to prosperity are to be wished: but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired. Bona rerum secundarum optabilia, adversarum mirabilia. Certainly, if miracles be the command over nature, they appear most in adversity. It is yet a higher speech of his than the other (much too high for a heathen): It is true greatness to have in one the frailty of a man and the security of a god. Verè magnum, habere fragilitatem hominis, securitatem dei. This would have done better in poesy, where transcendencies are more allowed. And the poets, indeed. have been busy with it: for it is, in effect, the thing which is figured in that strange fiction of the ancient poets, which seemeth not to be without mystery; nay, and to have some approach to the state of a Christian: that Hercules, when he went to unbind Prometheus (by whom human nature is represented), sailed the length of the great ocean in an earthen pot or pitcher: lively describing Christian resolution, that saileth in the frail bark of the flesh, thorough the waves of the world. But to speak in a mean: the virtue of prosperity is temperance; the virtue of adversity is fortitude; which in morals is the more heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New; which carrieth the greater benediction, and the clearer revelation of God's favour. Yet, even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David's harp, you shall hear as many hearse-like airs as carols: and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath laboured more in describing the afflictions of Job, than the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needle-works and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have a lively work upon a sad and solemn ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work upon a lightsome ground: judge, therefore, of the pleasure of the heart by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly, virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed; for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue. DELAYS. Fortune is like the market; where many times, if you can stay a little, the price will fall. And again, it is sometimes like Sybilla's offer; which at first offereth the commodity at full, then consumeth part and part, and still holdeth up the price. For occasion (as it is in the common verse) turneth a bald noddle after she hath presented her locks in front, and no hold taken: or at least turneth the handle of the bottle first to be received, and after the belly, which is hard to clasp. There is surely no greater wisdom than well to time the beginnings and onsets of things. Dangers are no more light, if they once seem light: and more dangers have deceived men than forced them. Nay, it were better to meet some dangers half-way, though they come nothing near, than to keep too long a watch upon their approaches; for if a man watch too long, it is odds he will fall asleep. On the other side, to be deceived with too long shadows (as some have been when the moon was low and shone on their enemies' back), and so to shoot off before the time; or to teach dangers to come on by over-early buckling towards them, is another extreme. The ripeness or unripeness of the occasion (as we said) must ever be well weighed; and generally it is good to commit the beginnings of all great actions to Argus with his hundred eyes; and the ends to Briareus with his hundred hands: first to watch, and then to speed. For the helmet of Pluto, which maketh the politic man go invisible, is secrecy in the counsel, and celerity in the execution. For when things are once come to the execution, there is no secrecy comparable to celerity; like the motion of a bullet in the air, which flieth so swift as it outruns the eye. DESPATCH. It Affected despatch is one of the most dangerous things to business that can be. It is like that which the physicians call predigestion, or hasty digestion; which is sure to fill the body full of crudities and secret seeds of diseases. Therefore measure not despatch by the times of sitting, but by the advancement of the business. And as in races it is not the large stride, or high lift, that makes the speed; so in business the keeping close to the matter, and not taking of it too much at once, procureth despatch. is the care of some only to come off speedily for the time; or to contrive some false periods of business, because they may seem men of despatch. But it is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off: and business so handled at several sittings or meetings goeth commonly backward and forward, in an unsteady manner. I knew a wise man that had it for a by-word, when he saw men hasten to a conclusion, Stay a little, that we may make an end the sooner. On the other side, true despatch is a rich thing. For time is the measure of business, as money is of wares: and business is bought at a dear hand where there is small despatch. The Spartans and Spaniards have been noted to be of small despatch; Mi venga la muerte de Spagna, let my death come from Spain, for then it will be sure to be long in coming. Above all things, order, and distribution, and singling out of parts, is the life of despatch; so as the distribution be not too subtle: for he that doth not divide will never enter well into business; and he that divideth too much will never come out of it clearly. To choose time is to save time; and an unseasonable motion is but beating the air. There be three parts of business: the preparation; the debate or examination; and the perfection. Whereof, if you look for despatch, let the middle only be the work of many, and the first and last the work of few. The proceeding upon somewhat conceived in writing, doth for the most part facilitate despatch: for though it should be wholly rejected, yet that negative is more pregnant of direction than an indefinite, as ashes are more generative than dust. DISCOURSE. Some in their discourse desire rather commendation of wit, in being able to hold all arguments, than of judgment in discerning what is true: as if it were a praise to know what might be said, and not what should be thought. Some have certain commonplaces and themes wherein they are good, and want variety; which kind of poverty is for the most part tedious, and when it is once perceived, ridiculous. The honourablest part of talk is to give the occasion; and again to moderate and pass to somewhat else; for then a man leads the dance. It is good in discourse and speech of conversation to vary and intermingle speech of the present occasion with arguments; tales with reasons; asking of questions with telling of opinions; and jest with earnest: for it is a dull thing to tire, and, as we say now, to jade anything too far. As for jest, there be certain things which ought to be privileged from it: namely, religion, matters of state, great persons, any man's present business of importance, and any case that deserveth pity. Yet there be some that think their wits have been asleep, except they dart out somewhat that is piquant, and to the quick; that is a vein which would be bridled; Parce, puer, stimulis, et fortiùs utere loris. And generally, men ought to find the difference between saltness and bitterness. Certainly, he that hath a satirical vein, as he maketh others afraid of his wit, so he had need to be afraid of others' memory. He that questioneth much shall learn much, and content much; but especially if he apply his questions to the skill of the persons whom he asketh; for he shall give them occasion to please themselves in speaking, and himself shall continually gather knowledge. But let his questions not be troublesome, for that is fit for a poser; and let him be sure to leave other men their turns to speak. Nay, if there be any that would reign and take up all the time, let him find means to take them off, and to bring others on; as musicians use to do with those that dance too long galliards. If you dissemble sometimes your knowledge of that you are thought to know, you shall be thought another time to know that you know not. Speech of a man's self ought to be seldom, and well chosen. I knew one was wont to say in scorn, He must needs be a wise man, he speaks so much of himself; and there is but one case wherein a man may commend himself with good grace, and that is in commending virtue in another; especially if it be such a virtue whereunto himself pretendeth. Speech of touch towards others should be sparingly used; for discourse ought to be as a field, without coming home to any man. I knew two noblemen, of the west part of England, whereof the one was given to scoff, but kept ever royal cheer in his house, the other would ask of those that had been at the other's table, Tell truly, was there never a flout or dry blow given? to which the guest would answer, Such and such a thing passed. The lord would say, I thought he would mar a good dinner. Discretion of speech is more than eloquence; and to speak agreeably to him with whom we deal, is more than to speak in good words or in good order. A good continued speech, without a good speech of interlocution, shows slowness; and a good reply, or second speech, without a good settled speech. showeth shallowness and weakness. As we see in beasts, that those that are weakest in the course, are yet nimblest in the turn; as it is betwixt the grayhound and the hare. To use too many circumstances, ere one come to the matter, is wearisome; to use none at all, is blunt. NATURE IN MEN. Nature is often hidden, sometimes overcome, seldom extinguished. Force maketh nature more violent in the return; doctrine and discourse maketh nature less importune; but custom only doth alter and subdue nature. He that seeketh victory over his nature, let him not set himself too great nor too small tasks: for the first will make him dejected by often failings, and the second will make him a small proceeder, though by often prevailings. And, at the first, let him practise with helps, as swimmers do with bladders, or rushes; but, after a time, let him practise with disadvantages, as dancers do with thick shoes: for it breeds great perfection if the practice be harder than 1 The galliard was a light sprightly dance, as its name implies, and then much in fashion. Let not a the use. 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-twentyletters 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. 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. 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 practise 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 lie buried a great time, and yet revive upon the occasion or temptation. Like as it was with Esop's damsel, turned from a cat to a woman, who sat 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 new case or experiment, for there custom leaveth him. They are happy men whose natures sort with their vocations; otherwise they may say, Multum incola fuit. anima mea, 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 and destroy the other. one, YOUTH AND AGE. A man that is young in years may be old in hours, if he have lost no time. But that happeneth rarely. Generally, youth is like the first cogitations, not so wise as the second. For there is a youth in thoughts as well as in ages; and yet the invention of young men is more lively than that of old; and imaginations 1 Gaston de Foix was nephew to Louis XII.; he commanded the French armies in Italy with brilliant success, but was killed at the battle of Ravenna, in 1512. His portrait by Giorgione, was bequeathed to the National Gallery by Mr. Rogers. |