owner but the sight of it with his eyes?[1] The personal fruition in any man cannot reach to feel great riches: there is a custody of them; or a power of dole[2] and donative of them; or a fame of them; but no solid use to the owner. Do you not see what feigned prices are set upon little stones and rarities? and what works of ostentation are undertaken, because there might seem to be some use of great riches? But then you will say, they may be of use to buy men out of dangers or troubles. As Salomon saith, Riches are as a strong hold, in the imagination of the rich man.[3] But this is excellently expressed, that it is in imagination, and not always in fact. For certainly great riches have sold more men than they have bought out. Seek not proud riches, but such as thou mayest get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly. Yet have no abstract nor friarly contempt of them. But distinguish, as Cicero saith well of Rabirius Posthumus, In studio rei amplificandæ apparebat, non avaritiæ prædam, sed instrumentum bonitati quæri.[4] Hearken also to Salomon, and beware of
- ↑ "When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?" Ecclesiastes v. 11.
- ↑ Dole. Dealing out or distribution of gifts.
"Pleasures stinted in the dole."
Browning. La Saisiaz. 431.
- ↑ "The rich man's wealth is his strong city." Proverbs x. 15.
- ↑ In his desire to increase his wealth, it appeared that he sought not the gratification of avarice, but the means of doing good (ut in augenda re non avaritiae praedam, sed instrumentum bonitati quaerere videretur. M. Tullii Ciceronis Pro C. Rabirio Postumo Oratio. II. 3).
In the year 54 B.C. Cicero defended Caius Rabirius Postumus, a Roman knight, who by helping Pompey to restore King Ptolemy Auletes to the throne of Egypt had laid himself open to the crime of extortion. Bacon quotes inaccurately. Cicero makes the state-
