Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/529

 CIVIL CHARACTER OF JULIUS C.E.SAR. Iroiu whom, for experience and arts ftf government, there was no less expected than from tlie greatest kings.&quot; Sh utterly disliked the comparison, and commanded it to be put out, saving &quot;That she practised oiner principles and arts of govern ment than the queen-mother did.&quot; Besides she was not a little pleased, if any one should fortune to tell her, that suppose she had lived in a private fortune, yet she could not have escaped without some note of excellency and singularity in her sex. So little did she desire to borrow or be beholding to her fortune for her praise. But if I should wade further into this queen s pr.ii.ses, moral or politic, either 1 must slide into certain &amp;lt;;ommonplar.-s, and heads of virtue, uhieh were not worthy oft,.) great a princess : or if I should desire to give her virtues the true grace and lustre, I must fall into a history of her life, which requireth hoth In-tter leisure and a better pen than mine is. Thus mu&amp;lt;-h in brief according to my ability: but to say the truth, the only commender of tliis lady s virtues is time ; which for as many ages as it hath run, hath not yet showed us one of the female sex equal to her in the administration of a kingdom. CIVIL CHARACTER OF JULIUS CAESAR. JULIUS CAESAR was partaker at first of an exer cised fortune; which turned to his benefit; for it abated the haughtiness of his spirit, and whetted his industry. He had a mind, turbulent in his desires and affections ; but in his judgment and understanding very serene and placid : this ap pears by his easy deliverances of himself, both in his transactions and in his speech. For no man ever resolved more swiftly, or spake more perspi cuously and plainly. There was nothing forced or difficult in his expressions. But in his will and appetite, he was of that condition, that he never rested in those things he had gotten; but still thirsted and pursued after new ; yet so, that he would not rush into new affairs rashly, but settle and make an end of the former, before he attempt ed fresh actions. So that he would put a season able period to all his undertakings. And there fore, though he won many battles in Spain, and weakened their forces by degrees ; yet he would not give over, nor despise the relics of the civil war there, till he had seen all things composed : but then as soon as that was done, and the state settled, instantly he advanced in his expedition against the Parthians. He was, no doubt, of a very noble mind ; but yet such as aimed more at his particular advance ment, than at any merits for the common good. For he referred all things to himself; and was the true and perfect centre of all his actions. By which means, h i iir so last tied to his ends, he was still omsperous, and prevailed in his pur poses inso nuch, that neither country, nor reli gion, no* good turns done him, nor kindred, nor friendship diverted his appetite, nor bridled him from pursuing his own ends. Neither was he nuch inclined to works of perpetuity ; for he es- VOL. I 51 tablished nothing for the future; he founded no sumptuous buildings; he procured to be enacted no wholesome laws, but still minded himself: and so his thoughts were confined within the circle of his own life. He sought, indeed after fame and reputation, because he thought they might be pro fitable to his designs : otherwise, in his inward thoughts, he prepounded to himself rather abso luteness of power, than honour and fame. For as for honour and fame, he pursued not after them for themselves : but because they were the instru ments of power and greatness. And therefore he was carried on through a natural inclination, not by any rules that he had learned to affect the sole regiment; and rather to enjoy the same, than to seem worthy of it. And by this means he won much reputation amongst the people, who are no valuers of true worth ; but amongst the nobility and great men, who were tender of their own honours, it procured him no more than this, that lie incurred the brand of an ambitious and daring man. Neither did they much err from the truth who thought him so, for he was by nature exceeding bold ; and never did put on any show of modesty, except it were for some purpose. Yet notwith standing, he so attempered his boldness, that it neither impeached him of rashness, nor was bui- densome to men; nor rendered his nature sus pected, but was conceived to flow out of an innate sincerity and freeness of behaviour; and the nobility of his birth : and in all other things ho passed, not fora crafty and deceitful person, but for an open-hearted and plain-dealing man. And here-.is he was indeed an arch-politician, that could counterfeit and dissemble sufficiently well ; and was wholly compounded of frauds and de ceits; so that there was nothing sincere in him.