their own good deserving. Besides, when the evil cometh from without, there is left a kind of evaporation of grief, if it come by human injury, either by indignation, and meditating of revenge from ourselves, or by expecting of fore-conceiving, that Nemesis and retribution will take hold of the authors of our hurt or if it be by fortune or accident, yet there is left a kind of expostulation against the divine powers.

Atque deos atque astra vocat crudelia mater.

But where the evil is derived from a man's own fault, there all strikes deadly inwards, and suffocateth. The reprehension of this colour is, first in respect of hope, for reformation of our faults is in nostra potestate; but amendment of our fortune simply is not. Therefore Demosthenes, in many of his orations, saith thus to the people of Athens: That which having regard to the time past, is the worse point and circumstance of all the rest; that as to the time to come is the best: what is that? Even this, that by your sloth, irresolution and misgovernment, your affairs are grown to this declination and decay. For had you used and ordered your means and forces to the best, and done your parts every way to the full, and notwithstanding your matters should have gone backward in this manner as they do, there had been no hope left of recovery or reparation; but since it hath been only

by our own errors, &c. So Epictetus in his degrees saith, the worst state of man is to accuse external things, better than that to accuse a man's self, and best of all to accuse neither.

Another reprehension of this colour, is in respect of the well bearing of evils, wherewith a man can charge nobody but himself, which maketh them the less.

Leve fit quod bene fertur onus.

And therefore many natures that are either extremely proud, and will take no fault to themselves, or else very true, and cleaving to themselves (when they see the blame of any thing that falls out ill must light upon themselves) have no other shift but to bear it out well, and to make the least of it; for as we see when sometimes a fault is committed, -and before it be known who is to blame, much ado is made of it; but after, if it appear to be done by a son, or by a wife, or by a near friend, then it is light made of: so much more when a man must take it upon himself. And therefore it is commonly seen, that women that marry husbands of their own chusing against their friends consents, if they be never so ill used, yet you shall seldom see them complain, but set a good face on it.

9. Quod opera & virtute nostra partum est, majus bonum; quod ab alieno beneficio vel ab indulgentia fortunæ delatum est, minus bonum.

The reasons are first the future hope, because in the favours of others, or the good winds of fortune, we have no state or certainty; in our endeavours or ability we have. So as when they have purchased us one good fortune, we have them as ready and better edged, and inured to procure another.

The forms be you have won this by play, you have not only the water, but you have the receipt, you can make it again if it be lost, &c. Next, because these properties which we enjoy by the benefit of others, carry with them an obligation which seemeth a kind of burden, whereas the other which derive from ourselves are like the freest Patents, absque aliquo inde reddendo: and if they proceed from fortune or providence, yet they seem to touch us secretly with the reverence of the divine powers, whose favours we taste, and therefore work a kind of religious fear and restraint; whereas in the other kind, that comes to pass which the prophet speaketh, lætantur & exultant, immolant plagis suis, & sacrificant reti suo.

Thirdly, Because that which cometh unto us without our own virtue, yielded not that commen

dation and reputation; for actions of great felicity may draw wonder, but praise less; as Cicero said Cæsar, que miremur, habemus: quæ laudemus, expectamus.

Fourthly, Because the purchases of our own industry are joined commonly with labour and strife, which gives an edge and appetite, and makes the fruition of our desires more pleasant. Suavis cibus a venatu.

On the other side, there be four counter colours to this colour, rather than reprehensions, because they be as large as the colour itself; first because felicity seemeth to be a character of the favour and love of the divine powers, and accordingly worketh both confidence in ourselves, and respect and authority from others. And this felicity extendeth to many casual things, whereunto the care or virtue of man cannot extend, and therefore seemeth to be a larger good; as when Cæsar said to the sailor, Cæsarem portas & fortunam ejus; if he had said, & virtutem ejus, it had been small comfort against a tempest, otherwise than if it might seem upon merit to induce fortune.

Next, whatsoever is done by virtue and industry, seems to be done by a kind of habit and art, and therefore open to be imitated and followed; whereas felicity is imitable so we generally see, that things of nature seem more excellent than

things of art, because they be imitable: for, quod imitabile est, potentia quadam vulgatum est.

Thirdly. Felicity commendeth those things which come without our own labour; for they seem gifts, and the other seems penniworths; whereupon Plutarch saith elegantly of the acts of Timoleon, who was so fortunate, compared with the acts of Agesilaus and Epaminondas; that they were like Ho mer's verses, they ran so easily and so well. And therefore it is the word we give unto poesy, terming it a happy vein, because facility seemeth ever to come from happiness.

Fourthly. This same præter spem, vel præter expectatem, doth increase the price and pleasure. of many things, and this cannot be incident to those things that proceed from our own care and

compass.

10. Gradus privationis major videtur quam gradus diminutionis; & rursus gradus inceptionis major videtur quam gradus incrementi.

It is a position in the mathematics, that there is no proportion between somewhat and nothing, therefore the degree of nullity and quiddity or act, seemeth larger than the degrees of increase and decrease; as to a monoculus it is more to lose one eye, than to a man that hath two eyes. So if one have lost divers children, it is more grief to him to