Of Praise

PRAISE is the reflection of virtue; but it is as

the glass or body, which giveth the reflec-

tion.  If it be from the common people, it is com-

monly false and naught; and rather followeth vain

persons, than virtuous.  For the common people

understand not many excellent virtues.  The lowest

virtues draw praise from them; the middle virtues

work in them astonishment or admiration; but of

the highest virtues, they have no sense of perceiv-

ing at all.  But shows, and species virtutibus similes,

serve best with them.  Certainly fame is like a river,

that beareth up things light and swoln, and drowns

things weighty and solid.  But if persons of quality

and judgment concur, then it is (as the Scripture

saith) nomen bonum instar unguenti fragrantis.

It fireth all round about, and will not easily away.

For the odors of ointments are more durable, than

those of flowers.  There be so many false points of

praise, that a man may justly hold it a suspect.

Some praises proceed merely of flattery; and if he

be an ordinary flatterer, he will have certain com-

mon attributes, which may serve every man; if he

be a cunning flatterer, he will follow the arch-

flatterer, which is a man's self; and wherein a man

thinketh best of himself, therein the flatterer will

uphold him most: but if he be an impudent flat-

terer, look wherein a man is conscious to himself,

that he is most defective, and is most out of counte-

nance in himself, that will the flatterer entitle him

to perforce, spreta conscientia.  Some praises come

of good wishes and respects, which is a form due, in

civility, to kings and great persons, laudando

praecipere, when by telling men what they are,

they represent to them, what they should be.  Some

men are praised maliciously, to their hurt, thereby

to stir envy and jealousy towards them: pessimum

genus inimicorum laudantium; insomuch as it

was a proverb, amongst the Grecians, that he that

was praised to his hurt, should have a push rise

upon his nose; as we say, that a blister will rise

upon one's tongue, that tells a lie.  Certainly mod-

erate praise, used with opportunity, and not vul-

gar, is that which doth the good.  Solomon saith,

He that praiseth his friend aloud, rising early, it

shall be to him no better than a curse.  Too much

magnifying of man or matter, doth irritate con-

tradiction, and procure envy and scorn.  To praise

a man's self, cannot be decent, except it be in rare

cases; but to praise a man's office or profession, he

may do it with good grace, and with a kind of mag-

nanimity.  The cardinals of Rome, which are theo-

logues, and friars, and Schoolmen, have a phrase

of notable contempt and scorn towards civil busi-

ness: for they call all temporal business of wars,

embassages, judicature, and other employments,

sbirrerie, which is under-sheriffries; as if they

were but matters, for under-sheriffs and catch-

poles: though many times those under-sheriffries

do more good, than their high speculations.  St.

Paul, when he boasts of himself, he doth oft inter-

lace, I speak like a fool; but speaking of his calling,

he saith, magnificabo apostolatum meum.