crooked to some ends which he hath that giveth it. The other, that he shall have counsel given, hurtful and unsafe (though with good meaning), and mixed partly of mischief and partly of remedy; even as if you would call a physician that is thought good for the cure of the disease you complain of, but is unacquainted with your body; and therefore may put you in way for a present cure, but overthroweth your health in some other kind; and so cure the disease and kill the patient. But a friend that is wholly acquainted with a man's estate will beware, by furthering any present business, how he dasheth upon other inconvenience. And therefore rest not upon seattered counsels; they will rather distract and mislead, than settle and direct. After these two noble fruits of friendship (peace in the affections, and support of the judgment), followeth the last fruit; which is like the pomegranate, full of many kernels; I mean aid and bearing a part in all actions and occasions. Here the best way to represent to life the manifold use of friendship is to cast27 and see how many things there are which a man cannot do himself; and then it will appear that it was a sparing speech of the ancients, to say, that a friend is another himself; for that a friend is far more than himself. Men have their time,28 and die many times in desire of 29 some things which they principally take to heart; the bestowing of a child,30 the finishing of a work, or the like. If a man have a true friend, he may rest almost secure that the care of those things will continue after him. So that a man hath, as it were, two lives in his desires. A man hath a body, and that body is confined to a place; but where friendship is, all offices of life are as it were granted to him and his deputy. For he may exercise them by his friend. How many things are there which a man cannot, with any face or comeliness, say or do himself? A man can scarce allege his own merits with modesty, much less extol them; a man cannot sometimes brook to supplicate or beg; and a number of the like. But all these things are graceful in a friend's mouth, which are blushing in a man's own. So again, a man's person hath many proper relations which he cannot put off. A man cannot speak to his son but as a father; to his wife but as a husband; to his enemy but upon terms: whereas a friend may speak as the case requires, and not as it sorteth with the person. But to enumerate these things were endless; I have given the rule, where a man cannot fitly play his own part; if he have not a friend, he may quit the stage. OF RICHES I cannot call riches better than the baggage of virtue. The Roman word is better, impedimenta. For as the baggage is to an army, so is riches to virtue. It cannot be spared nor left behind, but it hindereth the march; yea, and the care of it sometimes loseth or disturbeth the victory. Of great riches there is no real use, except it be in the distribution; the rest is but conceit.1 So saith Solomon, Where much is, there are many to consume it; and what hath the owner but the sight of it with his eyes? The personal fruition2 in any man cannot reach to feel great riches: there is a custody of them; or a power of dole and donatives of them; or a fame of them; but no solid use to the owner. Do you not see what feigned prices are set upon little stones and rarities? and what works of ostentation are undertaken, because there might seem to be some use of great riches? But then you will say, they may be of use to buy men out of dangers or troubles. As Solomon saith, Riches are as a strong hold, in the imagination of the rich man. But this is excellently expressed, that it is in imagination, and not always in fact. For certainly great riches have sold more men than they have bought out. Seek not proud riches, but such as thou mayest get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly. Yet have no abstract nor friarly contempt of them. But distinguish, as Cicero saith well of Rabirius Posthumus, In studio rei amplificando apparebat, non avaritiæ prædam, sed instrumentum bonitati quæri.5 Harken also to Solomon, and beware of hasty gathering of riches: Qui festinat ad divitias, non erit insons. The poets feign that when Plutus (which is Riches) is sent from Jupiter, he limps and goes slowly; but when he is sent from Pluto, he runs and is swift of foot. Meaning that riches gotten by good means and just labor pace slowly; but when they come by the death of others (as by the course of inheritance, testaments, and the like), they come tumbling upon a man. But it mought 1 fancy 2 enjoyment 3 distribution and gift 4 Cp. Utopia, p. 118. 5 "In his endeavor to increase his wealth, it was evident that he sought not what should be a mere prey for avarice, but an instrument of good." 6 "Who hastens to become rich shall not be innocent." be applied likewise to Pluto, taking him for the devil. For when riches come from the devil (as by fraud and oppression and unjust means), they come upon speed. The ways to enrich are many, and most of them foul. Parsimony is one of the best, and yet is not innocent; for it withholdeth men from works of liberality and charity. The improvement of the ground is the most natural obtaining of riches; for it is our great mother's blessing, the earth's; but it is slow. And yet where men of great wealth do stoop to husbandry, it multiplieth riches exceedingly. I knew a nobleman in England, that had the greatest audits of any man in my time; a great grazier, a great sheepmaster, a great timber man, a great collier, a great corn-master, a great lead-man, and so of iron, and a number of the like points of husbandry. So ass the earth seemed a sea to him, in respect of the perpetual importation. It was truly observed by one, that himself came very hardly to a little riches, and very easily to great riches. For when a man's stock is come to that, that he can expects the prime of markets, and overcome10 those bargains which for their greatness are few men's money, and be partner in the industries of younger men, he cannot but increase mainly.11 The gains of ordinary trades and vocations are honest; and furthered by two things chiefly: by diligence, and by a good name for good and fair dealing. But the gains of bargains are of a more doubtful nature, when men shall wait upon12 others' necessity, broke13 by servants and instruments to draw them on, put off others cunningly that would be better chapmen,11 and the like practices, which are crafty and naught.15 As for the chopping16 of bargains, when a man buys not to hold but to sell over again, that commonly grindeth double, both upon the seller and upon the buyer. Sharings do greatly enrich, if the hands be well chosen that are trusted. Usury is the certainest means of gain, though one of the worst: as that whereby a man doth eat his bread in sudore vultus alieni;17 and besides, doth plough upon Sundays. But yet certain though it be, it hath flaws; for that18 the scriveners and brokers do value19 unsound men to serve their own turn. The fortune in being the first in an invention or in a privilege doth cause some times a wonderful overgrowth in riches; as it was with the first sugar man in the Canaries. Therefore if a man can play the true logician, to have as well judgment as invention, he may do great matters; especially if the times be fit. He that resteth upon gains certain shall hardly20 grow to great riches; and he that puts all upon adventures doth oftentimes break and come to poverty: it is good therefore to guard adventures with certainties, that may uphold losses. Monopolies, and coemption21 of wares for re-sale, where they are not restrained, 22 are great means to enrich; especially if the party have intelligence what things are like to come into request, and so store himself beforehand. Riches gotten by service, though it be of the best rise,23 yet when they are gotten by flattery, feeding humours, 24 and other servile conditions, they may be placed amongst the worst. As for fishing for testaments and executorships (as Tacitus saith of Seneca, testamenta et orbos tamquam indagine capi25), it is yet worse, by how much men submit themselves to meaner persons than in service. Believe not much them that seem to despise riches; for they despise them that20 despair of them; and none worse when they come to them. Be not penny-wise; riches have wings, and sometimes they fly away of themselves, sometimes they must be set flying to bring in more. Men leave their riches either to their kindred, or to the public; and moderate portions prosper best in both. A great state left to an heir, is as a lure to all the birds of prey round about to seize on him, if he be not the better stablished in years and judgment. Likewise glorious27 gifts and foundations are like sacrifices without salt; and but the painted sepulchres of alms, which soon will putrefy and corrupt inwardly.28 Therefore measure not thine advancements by quantity, but frame them by measure: and defer not charities till death; for, certainly, if a man weigh it rightly, he that doth so is rather liberal of another man's than of his own. tainly, in taking revenge, a man is but even men come to build stately sooner than to garwith his enemy; but in passing it over, he is den finely; as if gardening were the greater superior; for it is a prince's part to pardon. perfection. I do hold it,1 in the royal ordering And Solomon, I am sure, saith, It is the glory of gardens, there ought to be gardens for all of a man to pass by an offense. That which the months in the year; in which severally is past is gone, and irrevocable; and wise men things of beauty may be then in season.2 For have enough to do with things present and to December, and January, and the latter part of come; therefore they do but trifle with them- November, you must take such things as are selves, that labor in past matters. There is green all winter: holly; ivy; bays; juniper; no man doth a wrong for the wrong's sake; cypress-trees; yew; pine-apple-trees;3 fir-trees; but thereby to purchase himself profit, or pleas- rosemary; lavender; periwinkle, the white, the ure, or honor, or the like. Therefore why purple, and the blue; germander; flags; orshould I be angry with a man for loving him- ange-trees; lemon-trees; and myrtles, if they self better than me? And if any man should be stoved;4 and sweet marjoram, warm set.5 do wrong merely out of ill-nature, why, yet it is There followeth, for the latter part of January but like the thorn or briar, which prick and and February, the mezereon-tree, which then scratch, because they can do no other. The blossoms; crocus vernus,7 both the yellow and most tolerable sort of revenge is for those the grey; primroses; anemones; the early tuwrongs which there is no law to remedy; but lippa; hyacinthus orientalis; chamaïris; frithen let a man take heed the revenge be such tellaria. For March, there come violets, speas there is no law to punish; else a man's cially the single blue, which are the earliest; enemy is still before hand, and it is two for the yellow daffodil; the daisy; the almondone. Some, when they take revenge, are desir- tree in blossom; the peach-tree in blossom; the ous the party should know whence it cometh. cornelian-tree in blossom; sweet-briar. In April This is the more generous. For the delight follow the double white violet; the wall-flower; seemeth to be not so much in doing the hurt as the stock-gilliflower; the cowslip; flower-dein making the party repent. But base and lices, and lilies of all natures; rosemary-flowcrafty cowards are like the arrow that flieth ers; the tulippa; the double peony; the pale in the dark. Cosmus, duke of Florence, had a daffodil; the French honeysuckle; the cherrydesperate saying against perfidious or neglect- tree in blossom; the damson and plum-trees in ing friends, as if those wrongs were unpardon-blossom; the white thorn in leaf; the lilac-tree. able; You shall read (saith he) that we are commanded to forgive our enemies; but you never read that we are commanded to forgive our friends. But yet the spirit of Job was in a better tune: Shall we (saith he) take good at God's hands, and not be content to take evil also? And so of friends in a proportion. This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge, keeps his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well. Public revenges are for the most part fortunate; 30 as that for the death of Cæsar; for the death of Pertinax; for the death of Henry the Third of France; and many more. But in private revenges it is not so. Nay rather, vindictive persons live the life of witches; who, as they are michievous, so end they infortunate. OF GARDENS God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed it is the purest of human pleasures. It is the greatest refreshment to the spirits of man; without which buildings and palaces are but gross handiworks: and a man shall ever see that when ages grow to civility and elegancy, 30 of good result In May and June come pinks of all sorts, specially the blush-pink; roses of all kinds, except the musk, which comes later; honeysuckles; strawberries; bugloss; columbine; the French marigold; flos Africanus ; 10 cherry-tree in fruit; ribes;11 figs in fruit; rasps; 12 vine-flowers; lavender in flowers; the sweet satyrian,13 with the white flower; herba muscaria;14 lilium convallium; the apple-tree in blossom. In July come gilliflowers of all varieties; musk-roses; the lime-tree in blossom; early pears and plums in fruit; jennetings; 15 codlins. In August come plums of all sorts in fruit; pears; apricocks; berberries; filberds; musk-melons; monks-hoods, of all colors. In September come grapes; apples; poppies of all colors; peaches; melocotones; 16 nectarines; cornelians; wardens;17 quinces. In October and the beginning of No vember come services; 18 medlars; bullaces; 19 | twice a year; about the middle of April, and roses cut or removed to come late; holly-hocks; about Bartholomew-tide.22 Next to that is the and such like. These particulars are for the muskrose. Then the strawberry-leaves dying, climate of London; but my meaning is per- which [yield] a most excellent cordial smell. ceived, that you may have ver perpetuum,20 as Then the flower of the vines; it is a little dust, the place affords. like the dust of a bent,23 which grows upon the cluster in the first coming forth. Then sweet-briar. Then wall-flowers, which are very delightful to be set under a parlor or lower chamber window. Then pinks and gilliflowers, specially the matted pink and clove gilliflower. Then the flowers of the lime-tree. Then the honeysuckles, so they be somewhat afar off. Of bean-flowers I speak not, because they are field flowers. But those which perfume the air most delightfully, not passed by as the rest, but being trodden upon and crushed, are three; that is, burnet, wild-thyme, and watermints. Therefore you are to set whole alleys24 of them, to have the pleasure when you walk or tread. And because the breath of flowers is far sweeter in the air (where it comes and goes like the warbling of music) than in the hand, therefore nothing is more fit for that delight, than to know what be the flowers and plants that do best perfume the air. Roses, damask and red, are fast21 flowers of their smells; so that you may walk by a whole row of them. and find nothing of their sweetness; yea though it be in a morning's dew. Bays likewise yield no smell as they grow. Rosemary little; nor sweet marjoram. That which above all others yields the sweetest smell in the air is the violet, specially the white double violet, which comes 18 s orb, mountain-ash, rowan 19 a plum 20 "perpetual spring" 22 August 24 23 grass-stalk or rush 24 paths |