By the countenance we doe further also iudge of the qualities and disposition of men, insomuch as the verie markes of fauour haue not too many iudgements proued weak discouerers of some peoples good or vntoward conditions, wee haue likewise in euident testimonie, that ill disposed nature confirmed by custom, seldome degenerates from the kind either whence it is sprung, or wherein it hath long time beene nourished.
To mankinde there happeneth in the bodie manie deformities, which arising not by the defect of Nature, so much as by ill vsage of those, who haue had charge ouer them, cannot be amended, but being produced by Nature, doe portend some one or other notable inconuenience: To beautifie such a shape with vertuous and honoured actions, is vndoubtedlie praise worthie, but to accord vnto faire lineaments, portraied with requisite and daintie fauour, a mind corrupt, base, wretched and vile, that of all others is the most greatest and noted deformitie.
Diogenes being of one passing by, rebuked of his preposterous shape, and hard kinde of fauour, aunswered, I with my vertues doe ornifie my shape, but thou with thy lewdnesse disgracest thy fauour.
Touching the iudgement of nature by the outward face, many things might be alledged that diuerslie haue beene decerned, the matter wherof néeding small proofe, more then our owne common experience, I surcease to debate vpon, seeing my meaning is, but out of sundrie apparances to drawe forth the greatest likelihoode, and thence to repose a foundation consonant to yᵉ module or compasse of this my present intendment. Onely let this be laid down for a certaine, that the finest ware receiueth the fairest figure, and purest mettall the brightest colour, the damaske Rose carieth the swéetest fauour, and the most pliable part of vertue, is by greatest obseruance planted in the most proportionate feature.
This being then sufficiently spoken of the person, let vs now go to the Conuersation. This Conuersation séemeth vnto me in three points, or speciall notes to be considered: that is, in the Qualitie, Disposition and order of companie. Touching his Qualitie, it is requisite, that first and aboue all other, he be a man sequestred from all kind of pride, arrogancie or vaine conceiuing of himselfe, for that the infection of these, are steppes vnto all maner of disorder, contempt, malice, and presumption whatsoeuer: that he be not litigious in argument, as one vainlie giuen to contend: that hee bee no ordinarie scoffer, or friuolous deluder of other mens speeches, gestures, reasons, or conditions: that he be no quareler, lewd speaker, priuy carper, slanderer, or sinister backbiter of other mens actions, or laudable indeuours: but contrarie hereunto, that he be in spéech gentle, in gesture friendlie, in lookes familiar, in talke courteous, in argument not obstinate, but giuing place to better opinions, that gladlie of euerie one he do suppose the best, be readie to excuse infirmities, and to salue imperfections, that in ieasting hee become not another Democritus,or in carping a Zoilus, that his tongue, eie, and thoughts, be indifferentlie framed to iudge trulie and impartiallie of euerie one: that of all thinges hee abhorre priuate quarels, and open contentions, and as the rocks of Scylla, doe eschue of anie one absente sinisterlie to speake, or otherwise to enforme against them, for that in these qualities and conditions properlie, each one carieth a decernment of that which néerest appertaineth to a Gentleman.
Now touching his disposition, it is exacted at his hands, that hee bee not a man gluttonous, or that he bee not ouer much subiect to drinking, for drunkennes ouercommeth the mind, dulleth the memorie, enfeebleth the wits, maketh a man forgetfull of himself, the reputation he beareth, and the company wherein he sitteth. Wine saith Ouid, is the discouerer of secrets, & maketh a man often commit, yᵉ which afterwardes turneth to his great preiudice: in wine the regard of a mans selfe, and likewise all others vanisheth, the respect of his credite also and place wherein he serueth: a man giuen much to wine, hath no maisterie ouer himselfe, and is not to be trusted with matters that be important: a man talkatiue and one giuen to wine are both likened togither in disposition, for in the one the strength of the liquor inforceth to speake what he ought not, and in the other the volubility of the tongue, giueth vtterance many times to what it should not: Speech, saith the wise man, is a thing naturally giuen to euery man, but he that ordreth his words by discretion, seeth the way to wisdome.
This vertue of ordring and kéeping the tongue, is vnto our Secretorie not the least of manie other points wherewith he ought especiallie to be charged, in him that is disposed to speake much, it cannot but ensue that his often babbling must néedes at one time or other, giue proofe that hee hath in himselfe as little secrecie as silence. To preuent this inconuenience, wise men haue obserued in nature a most notable and singular prouidence, who to the intent that men by her verie instigation, might be commended to silence, hath giuen vs two eares to heare, and an attentiue conceyte, whereby generallie to debate and consider of all things, and but one mouth to speake, giuing vs in testimonie thereby, that we ought to heare much, to know much, to vnderstand much, and to speake but a little. Besides, that the tongue whereby deliuerance is made, she hath first closed in with our téeth, and them couered againe with our lippes, forewarning still thereby, that nothing ought thence to be discouered in hast, not without especiall regard and district obseruance. For in this case also discréete Nature, after we haue once receyued into our eares the sound of anie thing, she thence preferreth it immediatelie vnto the minde, and thence to the heart to be censured or considered vpon: and last of all vnto the tongue, to whose lot, as last of these it befalleth to bee partaker of it, so ought it from thence carefullie, and not without especiall cause to be deliuered.
The diuine Philosopher foreséeing in man, the manifolde discommodities oftentimes ensuing by loosenes of the tongue, where all others were teachers to speake wel, he only taught his scholers to vse silence, iudging therby, that the vertue of the toung consisted not soly in speking, but how or by what occasion to vse yᵉ same, and vnderstanding first how to restraine the thing, that of it selfe was plyable ynough to bee vsed without measure, they might easilier find mean afterward to speake oftentimes to good purpose, and not to accustome themselues as they did before, to prattle without order or anie good or reasonable parte belonging to discretion.
For this cause Silence, as the first gard of all affaires, beeing either secrete or important, is (vnto men seriouslie occupied or imployed in the same) directly to be commended. Which maner of Silence, as it fullie instructeth in causes serious and of waight, to speake nothing more than néedeth, so conueieth it also into the residue of our behauiours, a modest and choice kind of gouernment, in all actions whatsoeuer, either of question or argument, to bee with discretion pursued.
How much it importeth vnto our Secretorie, to haue notice of the true and perfect vse hereof, who aboue al others ought rightlie to know and discerne, how, where, when, what, and to whom hee ought to speak, and when, and wherein, to be likewise silent: it may by the reasons aforesaid be sufficientlie collected. For ought his speech in troth to be so ordinarie as other mens, who for the moste part limit themselues neither to time, place, occasion, or company, the which in our Secretorie is, and ought to be farre otherwise. And as touching the affaires, secrets or counsels committed to his charge: It is in him principallie to aduert and consider that he is but the closet, wherof another hath both the key, vse and commandement, that he ought therein to be as a thicke plated doore, where through, without extraordinarie violence no man may enter, but by the locke which is the tongue, and that to be of such efficacie, as whereof no counterfeit key shoulde bee able to make a breach, without the selfe same instrument that by the director thereof is alwayes to be caried. By reason whereof, he is of méere trust and fidelitie in him reposed, to become warie of his wayes, and to take the course néedfull, whereby the least occasion of breach thereof may preciselie be auoided.