ESSAYS.

a man’s fortune is in his own hands: “Faber quisque fortunæ suæ,”³⁶⁵ saith the poet; and the most frequent of external causes, is that the folly of one man is the fortune of another; for no man prospers so suddenly as by others’ errors. “Serpens nisi serpentem comederit non fit draco.”³⁶⁶ Overt and apparent virtues bring forth praise: but there be secret and hidden virtues that bring forth fortune; certain deliveries of a man’s self, which have no name. The Spanish name, “disemboltura,”³⁶⁷ partly expresseth them, when there be not stonds³⁶⁸ nor restiveness in a man’s nature, but that the wheels of his mind keep way with the wheels of his fortune; for so Livy (after he had described Cato Major in these words, “In illo viro, tantum robur corporis et animi fuit, ut quocunque loco natus esset, fortunam sibi facturus videretur,”)³⁶⁹ falleth upon that, that he had “versatile ingenium:”³⁷⁰ therefore, if a man look sharply and attentively, he shall see Fortune; for though she be blind, yet she is not invisible. The way of Fortune is like the milky way in the sky; which is a meeting, or knot, of a number of small stars, not seen asunder, but giving light together; so are there a number of little and scarce discerned virtues, or rather faculties and customs, that make men fortunate. The Italians note some of them, such as a man would little think. When they speak of one that cannot do amiss, they will throw in into his other conditions, that he hath “Poco di matto;”³⁷¹ and, certainly, there be not two more fortunate properties, than to have a little of the fool, and not too much of the honest; therefore, extreme lovers of their country, or masters, were never fortunate; neither can they be, for when a man placeth his thoughts without himself, he goeth not his own way. A hasty fortune maketh an enterpriser and remover (the French hath it better, “entreprenant,” or “remuant”); but the exercised fortune maketh the able man. Fortune is to be honored and respected, and