bonds, though you borrow it; so may you pleasure your friend, and happily secure yourself. In borrowing of money, be evermore precious of your word: for he that hath a care to keep day of payment, is lord commander many times of another man's purse. PRECEPT VIII. How to carry a Man's self toward his Superiors and Inferiors. Toward your superiors be humble, yet generous*; with your equals familiar, yet respective; towards your inferiors show much humility, with some familiarity, as to bow your body, stretch forth your hand, uncover your head, and such like popular compliments. The first prepares way to advancement: the second will make you known for a man well-bred: the third gains a good report, which, once gained, may easily be kept; for high humilities are of such respect in the opinion of the multitude, as they are easier won by unprofitable courtesies than by churlish benefits: yet do I not advise you overmuch to affect or neglect popularity. * i. e. magnanimous, frankly-mannered, candid. PRECEPT IX. How far to disclose a Man's Secrets. Trust no man with your credit or estate; for it is a mere folly for a man to enthrall himself further to his friend, than that he need not fear him being his enemy. PRECEPT X. Be not scurrilous in conversation, nor satirical in your wit; for the one makes you unwelcome to all companies, as the other pulls quarrels on your head, and makes you hated of your best friends. Jests, when they do savour of too much truth, leave a bitterness in the minds of those that are touched. And although I have already pointed at these inclusive, yet I think it necessary to leave it to you as a caution, because I have seen many so prone to quip and gird, as they had rather lose their friend than their jest: and if by chance their boiling brain yield a quaint scoff, they will travail to be delivered of it, as a woman with child; but I think those nimble apprehensions are but the froth of the wits. When we compare the preceding Theory of Conduct with Lord Burleigh's known practice in his life, we cannot but acknowledge that PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE never mutually illustrated, and gave light to each other, more perfectly than in the instance of this great and good man. His acts conformed exactly to his advices: his history is a perpetual comment on his maxims. We will conclude with a letter to Sir John Harrington, then a youth at Cambridge, from our noble author, which is pervaded by the same sound sense and deep reflection which are evinced in his Precepts. The Lord Treasurer Burleigh to Mr. John Harrington, at Cambridge, 1578. I thank you, my good Jack, for your letters, which I like not for the praise they give me, but for the promise they make me; that is, that you will continue your endeavour to get understanding, without the which a man is little accompted of, and, indeed, cannot tell truly how to accompt of himself. But, as the way to knowledge is not short, so the travellers therein must neither be idle nor weary, nor think a little enough of that whereof none can have too much; for that were like a man going home, that took the next inn for his own house, or the half way for his journey's end. Besides this, he that undertaketh the journey you have in hand (if he will not go out of the way), must use good guides, as I doubt not but you will. For the Latin tongue, Tully chiefly, if not only; for the Roman story (which is exceeding fit for a gentleman to understand), Livy and Cæsar; for logic and philosophy, Aristotle and Plato. And so, in all tongues and sciences, the most notable and approved (as your tutor can best tell you), not dealing with over great variety of books, which young men delight in; and yet, in my opinion, they breed but a scattering of the mind. For, as Seneca sayeth, Cauta lectio prodest, varia delectat. Now, to give you better speed in this way, though your master's information and your good father's advice will much avail you, yet to hear my fancy can nothing hinder you. Therefore, thus I think :-The most ordinary means to further men to knowledge be reading and hearing; and reasoning and writing be most requisite; but all, done in time and order, be most profitable. Hereof the rules be as diverse as their wits be that be teachers, or the orders be in divers universities and houses of learning. Therefore I will appoint you no other pattern than the place you live in doth show you, from whence so many notable, learned men and noble servants of the commonwealth have proceeded to fame and great fortune. Only I would particularly warn you, that (to seem a good fellow) you sit not in your study reading, when you should be in the hall hearing; nor be writing a declamation for your praise, when you may be at a disputation for your more profit: for at a good lecture you may learn in an hour that which a good teacher, perhaps, hath been studying for a day, and yourself, by reading, shall not find out in a month. Again, you shall reach more discerning of truth in an hour's reasoning with others, than a week's writing by yourself; though I know nothing I would have you more use than writing. And now, that I have made mention hereof, I will therein likewise tell you my mind:-in writing, to seek variety of invention, to make choice of words and phrases, to use apt examples and good imitation, I know to be very good things; but if you follow the trade of Sir John Cheeke (who |