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more glorious and magnificent? The weak vanquish the strong; the opprest stand over the oppressor: we see happy, not those who were never otherwise, not those who have made no effort, no movement of their own to earn their happiness, like the creatures of our imaginary new world, but those who were the most wretched and the most undeservedly, and who now, arising as from the tomb, move the incumbrances of age and of nations from before them, and although at present but half-erect, lower the stature of the greatest heroes.

274.

PREPARATION FOR DEATH. In this time it is, when we for the most part, and never before, prepare for our eternal habitation, which we pass on unto with many sighs, groans and sad thoughts, and in the end by the workmanship of death, finish the sorrowful business of a wretched life; towards which we always travel both sleeping and waking: neither have those beloved companions of honour and riches any power at all to hold us any one day, by the glorious promise of entertainments; but by what crooked path soever we walk, the same leadeth on directly to the house of death, whose doors lie open at all hours and to all persons. For this tide of man's life, after it once turneth and declineth, ever runneth with a perpetual ebb and falling stream, but never floweth again: our leaf once fallen springeth no more: neither doth the sun or the summer adorn us again with the garments of new leaves and flowers. For if there were any baiting-place or rest in the course of the race of man's life, then according to the doctrine of the Academics the same might also perpetually be maintained; but as there is a continuance of motion in natural living things; and as the sap and juice, wherein the life of plants is preserved, both evermore ascend and descend; so is it with the life of man, which is always either increasing towards ripeness and perfection, or declining and decreasing towards rottenness and dissolution.

SIR W. RALEGH

275. THE siege was memorable for many passages. They revived the ancient invention of carrier-pigeons; for awhile before they were blocked up, they sent to the fleet and to the nearest towns of their own party some of these pigeons, which afterwards being dispatched away when necessity

required with letters fastened under their wings, remembering their several masters and their young ones flew back into the city. By these winged posts the townsmen were encouraged to hold out the last three months, till one of them tired of flying lighted in a tent, and being shot by a soldier ignorant of the stratagem the mystery was discovered. After that accident no pigeon could fly over the leaguer, though not of that kind, but the soldiers would strive which should kill her. Nothing was more admirable than the townsmen's obstinacy, who, notwithstanding they had lost three great armies and had hardly any shelter within their walls, yet would not hear of a treaty or condition. Lastly, though grievously pressed by famine, yet they lost not their courage, but had rather sally out and die gloriously than yield to mercy and have their throats cut like beasts.

276. MISANTHROPY. This sourness of mind which maketh every man's dealings unsavoury in our taste entereth by an unskilful owerweening, which at the first we have of one, and so of another, in whom we afterwards find ourselves to have been deceived, they declaring themselves in the end to be frail men, whom we judged demigods: when we have oftentimes been thus beguiled and that far besides expectation, we grow at the length to this plain conclusion, that there is nothing at all sound in any man; which bitter conceit is unseemly and plain to have risen from lack of mature judgment in human affairs: which if so be we did handle with art, we would not enter into dealings with men, otherwise than being beforehand grounded in this persuasion, that the number of persons notably good or bad is but very small: that the most part of good have some evil, and of evil men some good in them.

R. HOOKER

INUNDATION IN HOLLAND.

277. Another cause of their dissent was the new and sudden calamity of the provinces. For upon All-Saints' Eve, the sea excessively swelling and in some places overflowing, in others bearing down the banks, such a prodigious and unheard-of deluge covered the greater part of the sea-coast, as that the inundation which threescore years before is said to have swallowed up threescore and twelve villages was not so high by a foot. There was

not only an inconceivable loss of fortunes but also of men. In the very compass of Friesland 20,000 persons were drowned, sunk and swept away at the rising and falling of the water, which at both times was alike merciless, whose bodies, with carcasses of cattle, household goods and broken ribs of ships, floated over the fields. The land became undistinguishable from the sea and, as they affirmed, presented to the eye a model of Noah's flood. I find in the history that many men who had climbed to the top of hills and trees, ready to give up the ghost, were timeously saved by boats, which the magistrates sent out to gather up the remainder of the shipwreck. Among the rest upon a hill they found an infant carried thither in the cradle lying beside a cat and soundly sleeping, neither in fear of shipwreck nor of flood.

278. RINALDO DEGL' ALBIZI-HIS ANSWER TO POPE EUGENIUS IV., WHEN ACTING AS MEDIATOR BETWEEN HIM AND COSMO DE' MEDICI'S FACTION. The small confidence they had in me, who ought to have believed me, and the great confidence I had in you, has been the ruin of me and my party. But I hold myself more culpable than any body, for believing that you, who had been driven out of your own country, could keep me in mine. Of the vicissitudes, and uncertainty of fortune, I have had experience enough. I have never presumed in its prosperity, and adversity shall never deject me; knowing that when she pleases, she can tack about and indulge me if she continues her severity, and never smiles upon me more, I shall not much value it, esteeming no great happiness to live in a city where the laws are of less authority than the passions of particular men. For might I have my choice, that should be my country where I may securely enjoy my fortune and friends; not that where the first is easily sequestered, and the latter, to preserve his own estate, will forsake me in my greatest necessity. To wise and good men 'tis always less ungrateful to hear at a distance, than to be a spectator of the miseries of his country; and more honourable they think to be an honest rebel than a servile citizen. Translated from N. MACHIAVELLI

279. RINALDO'S ORATION TO THE DUKE OF MILAN, EXCITING HIM AGAINST THE FLORENTINES. Neither can our country, in justice, complain that we are now pressing and

importuning your Highness to employ those arms against it, when we have obstinately opposed them before, in its defence: for that country ought equally to be beloved by all which is equally indulgent to all: and not that, which, despising the rest, advances and admires only a few. Nobody maintains it unlawful in all cases to bear arms against one's country. Cities are mixed bodies, yet have they their resemblance with natural bodies; and as in these many diseases grow which are not to be cured without violence: so in the other many times such inconveniences arise, that a charitable and good citizen would be more criminal to leave it infirm, than to cure it, though with amputation and the loss of some of its members. What greater distemper can befall a political body than servitude? and what more proper remedy can be applied than that which will certainly remove it? wars are just, when they are necessary: and arms are charitable, when there is no other hope left to obtain justice. I know not what necessity can be greater than ours; nor what act of charity more commendable, than to wrest our country out of the jaws of slavery. But your Highness has your particular provocation besides; the Florentines having had the confidence, after a peace solemnly concluded with you, to enter into a new league with the Genoeses your rebels; so that if our prayers and condition should be unable, your own just indignation and resentment should move you, especially seeing the enterprise so easy. In your last war you took up arms against an entire and united city; in this, you have to do only with a remnant. Then, you attempted upon the liberty of the city; now, you will endeavour to restore it. Suffer not therefore this opportunity to pass, and be sure, if your other enterprises against this city have produced nothing but expense, difficulty and dishonour; this will make you amends, and with great ease turn to your great honour and advantage.

Translated from N. MACHIAVELLI

280. THAT IS THE BEST GOVERNMENT, WHICH BEST PROVIDES FOR WAR. That government is evidently the best which not relying upon what it does at first enjoy, seeks to increase the number, strength, and riches of the people; and by the best discipline to bring the power so improved into such order, as may be of most use to the public. This comprehends all things conducing to the administration of

justice, the preservation of domestic peace, and the increase of commerce; that the people, being pleased with their present condition, may be filled with love to their country, encouraged to fight boldly for the public cause, which is their own; and, as men do willingly join with that which prospers, that strangers may be invited to fix their habitations in such a city, and espouse the principles that reign in it. This is necessary for several reasons; but I shall principally insist upon one, which is, that all things in their beginning are weak. The whelp of a lion newly born has neither strength nor fierceness. He that builds a city, and does not intend it should increase, commits as great an absurdity, as if he should desire his child might ever continue under the same weakness in which he is born. If it do not grow, it must pine and perish; for in this world nothing is permanent: that which does not grow better will grow worse. This increase also is useless or perhaps hurtful, if it be not in strength; as well as in riches or number; for every one is apt to seize upon ill-guarded treasures. The terror that the city of London was possessed with, when a few Dutch ships came to Chatham, shews, that no numbers of men, though naturally valiant, are able to defend themselves, unless they be well-armed, disciplined and conducted. Their multitude brings confusion; their wealth, when it is like to be made a prey, increases the fears of the owners; and they who, if they were brought into good order, might conquer a great part of the world, being destitute of it, dare not think of defending themselves.

A. SYDNEY

281. A MELANCHOLY MAN is a strayer from the drove, one that nature made sociable because she made him a man, and crazed disposition hath altered, unpleasing to all as all to him; straggling thoughts are his content, they make him dream waking, there's his pleasure. His imagination is never idle, it keeps his mind in a continual motion; he winds up his thoughts often, and as often unwinds them. Penelope's web thrives faster; he'll seldom be found without the shade of some grove, in whose bottom a river dwells: he carries a cloud in his face, never fair weather; speak to him, he hears with his eyes, ears follow his mind, and that's not at leisure. He thinks of business, but never does any; he is all contemplation, no action; he hews and fashions his thoughts 31

FOL. CENT.

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