and the greater sort are of small strength, except the multitude be apt and ready to move of themselves. Then is the danger, when the greater sort do but wait for the troubling of the waters amongst the meaner, that then they may declare themselves. 5 The poets feign that the rest of the gods would have bound Jupiter°; which he hearing of, by the counsel of Pallas sent for Briareus° with his hundred hands to come in to his aid. An emblem, no doubt, to show how safe it is for monarchs to make sure of the 10 good-will of common people.

To give moderate liberty for griefs and discontentments to evaporate, so it be without too great insolency or bravery, is a safe way; for he that turneth the humours back, and maketh the wound bleed 15 inwards, endangereth malign ulcers and pernicious imposthumations.°

The part of Epimetheus mought well become Prometheus in the case of discontentments; for there is not a better provision against them. Epi- 20 metheus, when griefs and evils flew abroad, at last shut the lid, and kept Hope in the bottom of the vessel. Certainly the politic and artificial° nourishing and entertaining of hopes, and carrying men from hopes to hopes, is one of the best antidotes 25 against the poison of discontentments. And it is a certain sign of a wise government and proceeding, when it can hold men's hearts by hopes, when it cannot by satisfaction; and when it can handle things in such manner, as no evil shall appear so 30

peremptory but that it hath some outlet of hope; which is the less hard to do, because both particular persons and factions are apt enough to flatter themselves, or at least to brave that which they believe 5 not.

Also the foresight and prevention that there be no likely or fit head whereunto discontented persons may resort, and under whom they may join, is a known but an excellent point of caution. I under10 stand a fit head to be one that hath greatness and reputation; that hath confidence with the discontented party, and upon whom they turn their eyes; and that is thought discontented in his own particular: which kind of persons are either to be won 15 and reconciled to the state, and that in a fast and true manner; or to be fronted with some other of the same party that may oppose them, and so divide the reputation. Generally, the dividing and breaking of all factions and combinations that are adverse to 20 the state, and setting them at distance, or at least distrust, amongst themselves, is not one of the worst remedies. For it is a desperate case if those that hold with the proceedings of the state be full of discord and faction, and those that are against it be 25 entire and united.

I have noted that some witty and sharp speeches which have fallen from princes have given fire to seditions. Cæsar did himself infinite hurt in that speech, "Sylla nescivit literas, non potuit dictare;” 30 for it did utterly cut off that hope which men had

entertained, that he would at one time or other give over his dictatorship. Galba undid himself by that speech, "Legi° a se militem, non emi," for it put the soldiers out of hope of the donative. Probus° likewise by that speech, "Si vixero, non opus erit 5 amplius Romano imperio militibus," a speech of great despair for the soldiers. And many the like. Surely, princes had need, in tender matters and ticklish times, to beware what they say; especially in these short speeches, which fly abroad like darts and are thought 10 to be shot out of their secret intentions. For as for large discourses, they are flat things, and not so much noted.

Lastly, let princes, against all events, not be without some great person, one, or rather more, of mili- 15 tary valour near unto them, for the repressing of seditions in their beginnings; for without that, there useth to be more trepidation in court upon the first breaking out of troubles than were fit. And the state runneth the danger of that which Tacitus 20 saith: "Atque is habitus animorum fuit, ut pessimum facinus auderent pauci, plures vellent, omnes paterentur. But let such military persons be assured and well reputed of, rather than factious and popular°; holding also good correspondence with the other 25 great men in the state; or else the remedy is worse than the disease.

XVI. OF ATHEISM

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I HAD rather believe all the fables in the Legend,° and the Talmud,° and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind. And therefore God never wrought miracle to convince atheism, 5 because his ordinary works convince it. It is true that a little philosophy° inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion; for while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may some10 times rest in them and go no further; but when it beholdeth the chain of them confederate and linked together, it must needs fly to Providence and Deity. Nay, even that school which is most accused of atheism doth most demonstrate religion: that is, the school 15 of Leucippus, and Democritus, and Epicurus.° For it is a thousand times more credible that four mutable elements, and one immutable fifth essence,° duly and eternally placed, need no God, than that an army of infinite small portions or seeds,° unplaced,° 20 should have produced this order and beauty without a divine marshal.

The Scripture saith, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." It is not said, "The fool hath thought in his heart;" so as he rather saith it 25 by rote to himself, as that he would have, than that he can thoroughly believe it, or be persuaded of it. For none deny there is a God, but those for whom it

maketh that there were no God. It appeareth in nothing more that atheism is rather in the lip than in the heart of man than by this, that atheists will ever be talking of that their opinion, as if they fainted in it within themselves, and would be glad to 5 be strengthened by the consent of others. Nay more, you shall have atheists strive to get disciples, as it fareth with other sects; and, which is most of all, you shall have of them that will suffer for atheism, and not recant; whereas if they did truly think that 10 there were no such thing as God, why should they trouble themselves? Epicurus is charged that he did but dissemble for his credit's sake, when he affirmed there were blessed natures, but such as enjoyed themselves without having respect to the government 15 of the world. Wherein, they say, he did temporize, though in secret he thought there was no God. But certainly he is traduced, for his words are noble and divine: "Non deos vulgi negare profanum; sed vulgi opiniones diis applicare profanum." Plato° 20 could have said no more. And although he had the confidence to deny the administration, he had not the power to deny the nature. The Indians of the West have names for their particular gods, though they have no name for God: as if the heathens should 25 have had the names Jupiter,° Apollo, Mars, &c., but not the word Deus; which shows that even those barbarous people have the notion, though they have not the latitude and extent of it. So that against atheists the very savages take part with the very 30