I am most capable of getting rare amities [20] and continuing exquisite acquaintances. Forsomuch as with so greedy hunger I snatch at such acquaintances as answer my taste and square with my humour. I so greedily produce and head-long cast myself upon them that I do not easily miss to cleave unto them, and where I light on, to make a steady impression. I have often made happy and successful trial of it. In vulgar [21] worldly friendships, I am somewhat cold and barren, for my proceeding is not natural if not unresisted and with hoised-full sails. [22] Moreover, my fortune having inured and allured me, even from my infancy, to one sole-singular and perfect amity, hath verily, in some sort, distasted me from others; and over-deeply imprinted in my fantasy that it is a beast sociable and for company and not of troupe, [23] as said an ancient writer. So that it is naturally a pain unto me to communicate myself by halves and with modification, and [with] that servile or suspicious wisdom which in the conversation of these numerous and imperfect amities is ordained and proposed unto us; prescribed in these days especially, Wherein one cannot speak of the world but dangerously or falsely.
Yet I see that who (as I do) makes for his end the commodities of his life (I mean essential commodities) must avoid as a plague these difficulties and quaintness of humour. I should commend a high-raised mind that could both bend and discharge itself; that wherever her fortune might transport her, she might continue constant; that could discourse with her neighbour of all matters, as of her building, of her hunting, and of any quarrel, [24] and entertain with delight a carpenter or a gardener. I envy those which can be familiar with the meanest of their followers and vouchsafe to contract friendship and frame discourse with their own servants.
Nor do I like the advice of Plato, ever to speak imperiously unto our attendants without blithness and sance [25] any familiarity, be it to men or women servants. For besides my reason, it is inhumanity and injustice to attribute so much unto that prerogative of fortune. And the government where less inequality is permitted between the servant and master is, in my conceit, the more indifferent. [26]
Some others study to rouse and raise their mind, but I to abase and prostrate mine. It is not faulty but in extension. [27]
Narras et genus Æaci,
Et pugnata sacro bella sub Ilio,
Quo Chium pretio cadum
Mercemur, quis aquam temperet ignibus,
Quo præbente domum, et quota
Pelignis caream frigoribus, taces.
You tell of Æacus the pedigree,
The wars at sacred Troy, you do display.
You tell not at what price a hog’s head we
May buy of the best wine; who shall allay
Wine-fire with water; at whose house to hold;
At what o’clock I may be kept from cold. [28]
Even as the Lacedemonian [29] valour had need of moderation and of sweet and pleasing sounds of flutes to flatter and allay it in time of war, lest it should run head-long into rashness and fury, whereas all other nations use commonly piercing sounds and strong shouts, which violently excite and enflame their soldiers courage; so think I (against ordinary custom) that in the employment of our spirit, [30] we have for the most part more need of lead than wings, of coldness and quiet than of heat and agitation. Above all, in my mind, The only way to play the fool well is to seem wise among fools, to speak as though one’s tongue were ever bent to favellar in punta di forchetta, To syllabize or speak mincingly. [31] One must lend himself unto those he is with and sometimes affect ignorance. Set force and subtlety aside; in common employments ’tis enough to reserve order. Drag yourself even close to the ground, if they will have it so.
The learned stumble willingly on this block, making continual muster and open show of their skill and dispersing their books [32] abroad. And have in these days so filled the closets [33] and possessed the ears of ladies that if they retain not their [34] substance, at least they have their countenance. [35] Using in all sorts of discourse and subject, how base or popular soever, a new, an affected, and learned fashion of speaking and writing.
Hoc sermone pauent, hoc iram, gaudia, curas,
Hoc cuncta effundunt animi secreta, quid ultra?
Concumbunt docte.
They in this language fear, in this they fashion
Their joys, their cares, their rage, their inward passion;
What more? They learned are in copulation. [36]
And allege Plato and Saint Thomas for things which the first man they meet would decide as well and stand for as good a witness. Such learning as could not enter into their mind hath stayed on their tongues.
If the well-born [37] will give any credit unto me, they shall be pleased to make their own and natural riches to prevail and be of worth. They hide and shroud their forms under foreign and borrowed beauties: It is great simplicity for anybody to smother and conceal his own brightness, to shine with a borrowed light. They are buried and entombed under the art of CAPSULA TOTÆ. [38] It is because they do not sufficiently know themselves. The world contains nothing of more beauty; it is for them to honour arts and to beautify embellishment. What need they more than to live beloved and honoured? They have and know but too much in that matter. There needs but a little rousing and enflaming of the faculties that are in them. When I see them [39] meddling with rhetoric, with law, and with logic and such like trash, so vain and unprofitable for their use, I enter into fear that those who advise them to such things do it that they may have more law to govern or colour them under that pretence. For what other excuse can I devise for them? It is sufficient that without us they may frame or roll the grace of their eyes unto cheerfulness, unto severity, and unto mildness; and season a No with frowardness, [40] with doubt, and with favour; and require not an interpreter in discourses made for their service. With this learning they command without control and over-rule both regents and schools. [41]
Yet if it offend them to yield us any preeminence and would for curiosity’s sake have part in books also, poesy is a study fit for their purpose; being a wanton, amusing, subtle, disguised, and prattling art, all in delight, all in show, like to themselves. They may also select diverse commodities out of history. In moral philosophy, they may take the discourses which enable them to judge of our humours and censure of our conditions and to avoid our guiles and treacheries; to moderate their liberty; lengthen the delights of life; gently to bear the inconstancy of a servant, [42] the peevishness or rudeness of a husband, the importunity of years, the unwelcome of wrinkles, and such like mind-troubling accidents. Lo, here the most and greatest share of learning I would assign them.
There are some particular, retired, and close dispositions. My essential form is fit for communication and proper for production; I am all outward and in appearance, born for society and unto friendship. The solitude I love and commend is especially but to retire my affections and redeem my thoughts unto myself, to restrain and close up—not my steps but my desires and my cares, resigning all foreign solicitude and trouble and mortally shunning all manner of servitude and obligation, and not so much the throng of men as the importunity of affairs. Local solitariness [43] (to say truth) doth rather extend and enlarge me outwardly; I give myself to state-business and to the world more willingly when I am all alone. At the Court [44] and in press of people, I close and slink into mine own skin. Assemblies thrust me again into myself. And I never entertain myself so fondly, so licentiously, and so particularly, as in places of respect and ceremonious discretion. Our follies make me not laugh, but our wisdoms do.
Of mine own complexion, [45] I am no enemy to the agitations and stirrings of our courts; I have there past great part of my life and am inured to be merry in great assemblies, so it be by intermission [46] and suitable to my humor. But this tenderness and coyness of judgement (whereof I speak) doth perforce tie me unto solitariness. Yea, even in mine own house, in the midst of a numerous family and most frequented houses, I see people more than a good many but seldom such as I love to converse or communicate withal. And the
re I reserve, both for myself and others, an unaccustomed liberty. Making truce with ceremonies, assistance, and envitings, [47] and such other troublesome ordinances of our courtesies (oh, servile custom and importunate manner); there every man demeaneth [48] himself as he pleaseth and entertaineth what his thoughts affect, whereas I keep myself silent, meditating, and close, without offence to my guests or friends.
The men whose familiarity and society I hunt after are those which are called honest, virtuous, and sufficient; the image of whom doth distaste and divert me from others. It is (being rightly taken) the rarest of our forms and a form or fashion chiefly due unto nature. The end or scope of this commerce is principally and simply familiarity, conference, and frequentation [49]: the exercise of minds, without other fruit. In our discourses, all subjects are alike to me. I care not though they want either weight or depth; grace and pertinency are never wanting; all therein is tainted with a ripe and constant judgement and commixed with goodness, liberty, cheerfulness, and kindness. It is not only in the subject of laws and affairs of princes that our spirit showeth its beauty, grace, and vigor; it showeth them as much in private conferences. I know my people by their very silence and smiling, and peradventure discover them better at a table than sitting in serious counsel. Hippomachus said he discerned good wrestlers but by seeing them march through a street.
If learning vouchsafe [50] to step into our talk, she shall not be refused, yet must not she be stern, mastering, imperious, and importunate, as commonly she is, but assistant and docile of herself. Therein we seek for nothing but recreation and pastime; when we shall look to be instructed, taught, and resolved, we will go seek and sue to her in her throne. Let her if she please keep from us at that time. For, as commodious and pleasing as she is, I presume that for a need we could spare her presence and do our business well enough without her. Wits well born, soundly bred, and exercised in the practise and commerce of men become gracious and plausible of themselves. Art is but the check-roll [51] and register of the productions uttered and conceits produced by them. [52]
The company of fair and society of honest women is likewise a sweet commerce for me. Nam nos quoque oculos eruditos habemus. For we also have learned eyes. [53] If the mind have not so much to solace herself as in the former, the corporal senses, whose part is more in the second, bring it to a proportion near unto the other, although in mine opinion not equal. But it is a society wherein it behooveth a man somewhat to stand upon his guard and especially those that are of a strong constitution and whose body can do much, as in me. In my youth I heated myself therein and was very violent and endured all the rages and furious assaults which poets say happen to those who without order or discretion abandon themselves over-loosely and riotously unto it. [54] True it is indeed that the same lash hath since stood me instead of an instruction. [55]
Quicumque Argolica de classe Capharea fugit,
Semper ab Euboicis vela retorquet aquis.
Greek sailors that Capharean rocks did fly,
From the Euboean seas their sails still ply. [56]
It is folly to fasten all one’s thoughts upon it and with a furious and indiscreet affection to engage himself unto it. But on the other side, to meddle with it without love or bond of affection, as comedians [57] do, to play a common part of age and manners, without ought [58] of their own but bare-conned [59] words, is verily a provision for one’s safety, and yet but a cowardly one, as is that of him who would forgo his honour, his profit, or his pleasure for fear of danger. For it is certain that the practisers of such courses cannot hope for any fruit able to move or satisfy a worthy mind. One must very earnestly have desired that whereof he would enjoy an absolute delight. I mean, though fortune should unjustly favour their intention, which often happeneth because there is no woman, how deformed or unhandsome soever, but thinks herself lovely, amiable, and praiseworthy, either for her age, her hair, or gate (for there are generally no more fair than foul ones). And the Brachmanian [60] maids wanting other commendations, by proclamation for that purpose, made show of their matrimonial parts unto the people assembled, to see if thereby at least they might get them husbands.
By consequence there is not one of them, but upon the first oath one maketh to serve her, will very easily be persuaded to think well of herself. Now this common treason and ordinary protestations of men in these days must needs produce the effects, experience already discovereth, which is that either they join together and cast away themselves on themselves to avoid us; or on their side follow also the example we give them, acting their part of the play, without passion, without care, and without love, lending themselves to this intercourse. [61] Neque affectui suo aut alieno obnoxiæ. Neither liable to their own nor other folks’ affection. [62] Thinking, according to Lysias’ persuasions in Plato, they may so much the more profitably and commodiously yield unto us by how much less we love them. Wherein it will happen as in comedies: the spectators shall have as much or more pleasure as the comedians.
For my part, I no more acknowledge Venus without Cupid than a motherhood without an offspring. [63] They are things which inter-lend and inter-owe one another [64] their essence. Thus doth this cozening rebound on him that useth it and, as it costs him little, so gets he not much by it. Those which made Venus a goddess have respected that her principal beauty was incorporeal and spiritual; but she [65] whom these kind of people hunt after is not so much as human nor also brutal. [66] But such as wild beasts would not have her so filthy and terrestrial. We see that imagination enflames them, and desire or lust urgeth them before the body. We see in one and other sex, even in whole herds, choice and distinctions in their affections, and amongst themselves acquaintances of long continued good will and liking. And even those to whom age denieth bodily strength do yet bray, neigh, roar, skip, and wince for love. Before the deed we see them full of hope and heat, and when the body hath played his part, even tickle and tingle themselves with the sweetness of that remembrance; some of them swell with pride at parting from it; others, all weary and glutted, ring out songs of glee and triumph. Who makes no more of it but to discharge his body of some natural necessity hath no cause to trouble others with so curious a preparation. It is no food for a greedy and clownish hunger.
As one that would not be accounted better than I am, thus much I will display of my youth’s wanton errors. Not only for the danger of one’s health that follows that game (yet could I not avoid two, though light and cursory, assaults) but also for contempt, I have not much been given to mercenary and common acquaintances. [67] I have coveted to set an edge on that sensual pleasure by difficulty, by desire, and for some glory; and liked Tiberius his fashions, who in his amours was swayed as much by modesty and nobleness as by any other quality. And Flora’s [68] humour, who would prostitute herself to none worse than dictators, consuls, or senators, and took delight in the dignity and greatness of her lovers, doth somewhat suit with mine. Surely glittering pearls and silken clothes add something unto it, and so do titles, nobility, and a worthy train.
Besides which, I made high esteem of the mind, yet so as the body might not justly be found fault withal. For, to speak my conscience, if either of the two beauties were necessarily to be wanting, I would rather have chosen to want the mental, whose use is to be employed in better things. But in the subject of love, a subject that chiefly hath reference unto the two senses of seeing and touching, something may be done without the graces of the mind, but little or nothing without the corporal.
Beauty is the true availful advantage of women. It is so peculiarly theirs that ours, though it require some features and different allurements, is not in her right cue [69] or true bias, unless confused with theirs, childish and beardless. [70] It is reported that such as serve the great Turk under the title of beauty (whereof the number is infinite) are dismissed at furthest when they once come to the age of two and twenty years. Discourse, discretion, together with the offices of true amity, are better found amongst men and therefore govern they the world’s a
ffairs.
These two commerces or societies [71] are accidental and depending of others: the one is troublesome and tedious for its rarity; the other withers with old age; nor could they have sufficiently provided for my life’s necessities. That of books, which is the third, is much more solid-sure and much more ours; some other advantages it yieldeth to the two former, but hath for her share constancy and the facility of her service. This accosteth and secondeth all my course, and everywhere assisteth me. It comforts me in age and solaceth me in solitariness. It easeth me of the burden of a wearisome sloth, and at all times rids me of tedious companies. It abateth the edge of fretting sorrow, on condition it be not extreme and over-insolent. To divert me from any importunate imagination or insinuating conceit, there is no better way then to have recourse unto books: with ease they allure me to them, and with facility they remove them [72] all. And though they perceive I neither frequent nor seek them, but wanting other more essential, lively, and more natural commodities, they never mutiny or murmur at me; but still entertain me with one and self-same visage.
He may well walk a foot that leads his horse by the bridle, sayeth the proverb. And our James, king of Naples and Sicily, who being fair, young, healthy, and in good plight, caused himself to be carried abroad in a plain wagon or skreene, [73] lying upon an homely pillow of course feathers, clothed in a suit of homespun gray and a bonnet of the same, yet royally attended on by a gallant troupe of nobles, of litters, coaches, and of all sorts of choice led-horses, a number of gentlemen and officers, represented a tender and wavering austerity. The sick man is not to be moaned that hath his health [74] in his sleeve. In the experience and use of this sentence, [75] which is most true, consisteth all the commodity I reap of books. In effect, I make no other use of them than those who know them not. I enjoy them, as a miser doth his gold, to know that I may enjoy them when I list; my mind is settled and satisfied with the right of possession.
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