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CHAP. IIII.
BVt least I should seeme to incurre the same fault my selfe, which I reprehend in others, I will relinquish all th••se thinges, which are so far from the matter, that they no waies concerne the same; I only pray thee to defend my cause, if any man shall taxe and re∣prehend me for this,* 1.1 that among the rest I haue not spared to reproue Chrisippus, being a man so great, (but yet a Grecian) whose vnderstan∣ding is so acute and subtile, that it oftentimes confoundeth and puzleth it selfe: for euen then when he seemeth to aime at the best, and to affect any thing: hee only pricketh, but pierceth not; toucheth, but teacheth not. And what subtiltie or sharpnesse, I pray you, is herein? Of benefits then we are to intreat, and to set downe an order and direction in this vertue, which chiefly concerneth humane societie: we are to prefixe and set downe a law of liuing, least inconsiderate faci∣litie in giuing, grow in fauour vnder the colour of benignitie; least this obser∣uation, whilest it temperateth liberalitie, (which must neither be defectiue nor superfluous) restraine the same wholly. Men are to bee taught to receiue with thankefulnesse, and to restore with the same correspondence, and to procure (in regard of those that oblige them with any benefit) not only to be equall with them in will, but to ouer-come them with greater gratuitie: because that hee who is obliged to acknowledge a good turne, requiteth not the same, except his remuneration exceede the giuers merit. These are to be taught to impute nothing; they to owe more; the one not to vpbraid•• the other more and more to acknowledge. To this most honest contention of ouercomming one benefit by an other so doth Chrisippus exhort vs,* 1.2 that he saith, that it is to bee feared, least because the Graces are the Daughters of Iupiter, it be reputed sacriledge to grow vnthankefull for good turnes, and iniurie be thereby offered to so amiable Damosels.
Teach thou mee somewhat that may make mee more ••orward to doe good vnto all men, and more thankefull vnto those that haue done mee good offices. Tell vs something whereby the will of those that oblige by their bountie, and of those who are obliged, are answerable, and made competent: so as the bene∣factors keepe no account or memorie of their good deedes, and those that shall receiue the same, put them not in obliuion, but perpetually remember them. And let vs leaue these follies and toies to Poets, whose proiect is to delight the eare, and to inuent a pleasing fable. But they that will heale mens disfigured and vicious minds, that serue to maintaine faith in humane things, and desire to engraue the memorie of good turnes in the hearts of men; Let them speake se∣riously, and imploy their vtmost forces: except thou happily thinke that it is possible by a slight and fabulous discourse, and by old wiues tales, that a thing so pernicious, and so much abhominable in the world, (as is the generall aboli∣tion of debts, and an acquittance of all good deedes) may be prohibited.