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XXXVII. Of Masques and
Triumphs.

HESE Things are but Toys to come amongst such serious Observations; but yet, fince Princes will have fuch Things, it is better they should be graced with Elegancy than daubed with Coft. Dancing to Song is a thing of great State and Pleafure. I understand it that the Song be in Quire, placed aloft, and accompanied with fome broken Mufick; and the Ditty fitted to the Device. Acting in Song, especially in Dialogues, hath an extreme good Grace: I fay acting, not dancing (for that is a mean and vulgar thing;) and the Voices of the Dialogue would be strong and manly (a Base and a Tenor, no Treble,) and the Ditty high and tragical, not nice or dainty. Several Quires placed one over against another, and taking the Voice by Catches Anthem-wife, give great Pleasure. Turning Dances into Figure is a childish Curiosity; and generally let it be noted, that thofe Things which I here fet down are fuch as do naturally take the Sense, and not respect petty Wonderments. It is true, the Alterations of Scenes, fo it be quietly and without Noise, are Things of great Beauty and Pleasure; for they feed and relieve the Eye before it be full of the fame Object. Let the Scenes abound with Light, specially coloured and varied; and let the Mafquers, or any other

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that are to come down from the Scene, have fome Motions upon the Scene itself before their Coming down; for it draws the Eye strangely, and makes it with great pleasure to defire to see that it cannot perfectly difcern. Let the Songs be loud and cheerful, and not Chirpings or Pulings. Let the Mufick likewise be sharp and loud, and well placed. The Colours that fhew beft by Candlelight are White, Carnation, and a kind of Sea-water Green; and Oes,1 or Spangs, as they are of no great Cost, fo they are of moft Glory. As for rich Embroidery, it is loft and not difcerned. Let the Suits of the Mafquers be Graceful, and fuch as become the Perfon when the Vizors are off: not after Examples of known Attires; Turks, Soldiers, Mariners, and the like. Let Anti-mafques not be long; they have been commonly of Fools, Satyrs, Baboons, Wild Men, Anticks, Beasts, Sprites, Witches, Ethiopes, Pigmies, Turquets, Nymphs, Ruftics, Cupids, Statuas moving, and the like. As for Angels, it is not comical enough to put them in Anti-mafques; and any thing that is hideous, as Devils, Giants, is, on the other fide, as unfit. But chiefly, let the Mufick of them be recreative, and with some strange Changes. Some Sweet Odours fuddenly coming forth, without any drops falling, are, in fuch a Company as there is Steam and Heat, Things of great Pleasure and

1 Here again Mr. Montagu, Dr. Spiers, and others, have altered oes, the reading of Bacon's own edition, to ouches, but we have the fame word in Midfummer Nights Dream, iii. 2.

"Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light." i. e. the ftars which he elsewhere likens to "fpangles."

Refreshment. Double Mafques, one of Men, another of Ladies, addeth State and Variety; but all is nothing, except the Room be kept clear and neat. For Jufts, and Tourneys, and Barriers; the Glories of them are chiefly in the Chariots, wherein the Challengers make their Entry; especially if they be drawn with ftrange Beafts, as Lions, Bears, Camels, and the like: or in the Devices of their Entrance, or in the Bravery of their Liveries, or in the Goodly Furniture of their Horfes and Armour. But enough of these Toys.

XXXVIII. Of Nature in Men.'

ATURE is often hidden, fometimes overcome, feldom extinguished. Force maketh Nature more violent in the

Return; Doctrine and Discourse maketh Nature lefs importune, but Custom only doth alter and fubdue Nature. He that feeketh Victory over his Nature, let him not set himself too great nor too fmall Tasks: for the first will make him dejected by often Failings, and the fecond will make him a fmall Proceeder, though by often Prevailings. And, at the firft, let him practise with Helps, as Swimmers do with Bladders, or Rushes ; but, after a time, let him practise with Difadvantages, as Dancers do with thick Shoes: for it breeds great Perfection if the Practice be harder

See Antitheta, No. 10.

than the Ufe. Where Nature is mighty, and therefore the Victory hard, the Degrees had need be; first to stay and arreft Nature in time; like to him that would fay over the four-and-twenty Letters, when he was angry: then to go lefs in quantity; as if one fhould, in forbearing Wine, come from drinking Healths to a draught at a Meal and laftly, to discontinue altogether. But if a Man have the Fortitude and Refolution to enfranchise himself at once, that is the best;

Optimus ille Animi Vindex, lædentia pectus
Vincula qui rupit, dedoluitque femel.2

Neither is the ancient Rule amiss, to bend Nature as a Wand, to a contrary Extreme, whereby to fet 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 fome Intermiffion. For both the Pause reinforceth the new Onfet; 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 Intermiffions. But let not a man truft his Victory over his Nature too far; for Nature will lie buried a great Time, and yet revive upon the Occafion, or Temptation. Like as it was with Efop's Damfel, turned from a Cat to a Woman, who fat very demurely at the Board's End till a Mouse ran before her. Therefore, let

2 Ovid. Remed. Amor. 293.

a Man either avoid the Occafion altogether, or put himself often to it, that he may be little moved with it. A Man's Nature is beft perceived in Privateness, for there is no Affectation; in Paffion, for that putteth a Man out of his Precepts; and in a new Cafe or Experiment, for there Custom leaveth him. They are happy Men whose Natures fort with their Vocations; otherwise they may fay, Multùm Incola fuit Anima mea, when they converse in those Things they do not Affect. In Studies, whatsoever a Man commandeth upon himself, let him fet Hours for it: but whatsoever is agreeable to his Nature, let him take no Care for any fet Times; for his Thoughts will fly to it of themselves; so as the Spaces of other Business or Studies will fuffice. A Man's Nature runs either to Herbs or Weeds; therefore let him seasonably water the One, and deftroy the Other.

XXXIX. Of Custom and
Education.'

M

EN's Thoughts are much according to their Inclination; their Difcourfe and Speeches according to their Learning and infused Opinions; but their Deeds are after as they have been accustomed. And therefore, as Machiavel well noteth (though in an evil favoured Inftance) there is no trufting to the Force

1 See Antitheta, No. 10.

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