Page:Bacons Essays 1908 West.djvu/119

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essay xxix]
OF KINGDOMES AND ESTATES
95

and Largesses[1] upon the Disbanding of the Armies, were Things able to enflame all Men's Courages. But above all, That of the Triumph[2], amongst the Romans, was not Pageants or Gauderie[3], but one of the Wisest and Noblest Institutions that ever was. For it contained three Things, Honour to the Generall; Riches to the Treasury out of the Spoiles; And Donatives to the Army. But that Honour, perhaps, were not fit[4] for Monarchies, Except it be in the Person of the Monarch himselfe or his Sonnes; As it came to passe, in the Times of the Roman Emperours, who did impropriate[5] the Actuall Triumphs to Themselves and their Sonnes, for such Wars as they did atchieve in Person, And left onely, for Wars atchieved by Subiects, some Triumphall Garments and Ensignes[6] to the Generall.

To conclude; No Man can by Care taking (as the Scripture saith) adde a Cubite to his Stature, in this little Modell of a Man's Body[7]: But in the Great Frame of Kingdomes and Common Wealths, it is in the power of Princes or Estates[8] to adde Amplitude and Greatnesse to their Kingdomes. For by introducing such Ordinances, Constitutions, and Customes, as we have now touched[9], they may sow Greatnesse to their Posteritie and Succession. But these Things are commonly not Observed, but left to take their Chance.

XXX

OF REGIMENT[10] OF HEALTH

There is a wisdome in this beyond the Rules of Physicke: A Man's owne Observation, what he findes Good of[11] and what he findes Hurt of[11], is the best Physicke


  1. gifts and bounties
  2. the institution of the Triumph
  3. empty display
  4. would not be fit
  5. appropriate
  6. decorations
  7. in the case of his body, which is a copy in miniature of a great state
  8. rulers
  9. touched upon
  10. Regiment, Management
  11. 11.0 11.1 from