Of wisdome three bookes written in French by Peter Charro[n] Doctr of Lawe in Paris. Translated by Samson Lennard

CHAP. XXXVI. 1. Vanity.

VAnity is the most essentiall and proper quality of hu∣mane nature. There is nothing so much in man, bee it [ 1] malice, infelicity, inconstancy, irresolution (and of all these there is alwaies abundance) as base feeblenesse, sottishnesse and ridiculous vanity. And therefore Democritus met better with it, with a kind of disdaine of humane condition, mock∣ing and laughing at it, than Heraclitus that wept and tormen∣ted himselfe, whereby he gaue some testimony, that he made some account thereof; and Diogenes who scorned it, than Ti∣mon that hater and flier of the company of men. Pindarus hath expressed it more to the life than any other, by the two vainest things in the world, calling it the dreame of ashadow, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

This is that, that hath wrought in the wisest so great a con∣tempt of man, that hearing of some great designment and ho∣nourable

enterprise, and iudging it such, were wont neuerthe∣lesse to say that the world was not worthy a mans labour and paines, (so answered Statilius to Brutus, talking with him a∣bout the conspiracie against Caesar) and that a wise man should doe nothing but for himselfe, for it is not reason that wise men, and wisedome should put themselues in danger for fooles.

This vanitie is shewed and expressed many waies, and af∣ter * 1.1 a diuers maner, first in our thoughts and priuate imagina∣tions, which are many times more than vaine, friuolous, and ridiculous, wherein neuerthelesse we spend much time, and yet perceiue it not. Wee enter into them, we dwell in them, and we come foorth againe insensibly, which is a double va∣nitie, and a great forgetfulnesse of our selues. One walking in a hall considereth how he may frame his paces after a cer∣taine fashion vpon the boords of the floure: another discour∣seth in his minde, with much time, and great attention, how he should carry himselfe if he were a king, a Pope, or some other thing that he is assured can neuer come to passe; and so hee feedeth himselfe with winde, yea lesse than winde, that, that neither is, nor euer shall be. Another dreameth how he shall compose his body, his countenances, his gestures, his speech after an affected fashion, and pleaseth himselfe there∣in, as with a thing that wonderfully becomes him, and that euery man should take delight in. But what a vanitie and sot∣tish weakenesse in our desires is this, that brings forth beliefs and hopes farre more vaine? And all this falleth out not on∣ly when we haue nothing to doe, when we are swallowed vp with idlenesse, but many times in the midst of our most ne∣cessarie affaires: so naturall and powerfull is vanitie, that it robbeth and plucketh out of our hands, the truth, soliditie, and substance of things, and fills vs with winde, yea with no∣thing.

Another more sottish vanitie is a troublesome care of what shall heere fall out when we are dead. We extend our desires * 1.2 and affections beyond our selues, and our being; wee would prouide that some thing should bee done vnto vs, when wee know not what is done vnto vs; owe desire to be praised after our death, what greater vanitie? It is not ambition, as it see∣meth

& a man may thinke it, for that is the desire of a sensible and perceptible honor: if this praise of our selues when we are gone, might any way profit either our children, our parents, or our friends that suruiue vs, it were well, there were some benefit, though not to our selues; but to desire that as a good, which shall no way touch vs, nor benefit others, is a meere vanitie, like that of those who feare their wiues will marrie after their departure: and therefore they desire them with great passion to continue vnmarried, and binde them by their willes so to do, leauing vnto them a great part of their goods vpon that condition. This is vanitie and many times iniu∣stice. It was contrariwise a commendable thing in those great men in times past, which dying exhorted their wiues to marry speedily for the better increase of the Commonwealth. Others ordeine, that for the loue of them and for their sakes a friend keepe such and such a thing, or that he do this or that vnto their dead bodies; which rather sheweth their vanitie, than doth any good to soule or bodie.

See heere another vanitie, we liue not but by relation vnto another; we take not so much care what we are in our selues [ 4] in effect and truth, as what we are in the publike knowledge of men; in such sort, that we do many times deceiue and de∣priue our selues of our owne goods and commodities, and torment our selues, to frame our outward appearances to the common opinion. This is true, not onely in outward things and such as belong to the bodie, and the expense and charge of our meanes, but also in the goods of the spirit, which seeme vnto vs to be without fruit, if others enioy them not, and they be not produced to the view and approbation of strangers.

Our vanity is not only in our simple thoughts, desires, and discourses, but it likewise troubleth, shaketh and tormenteth * 1.3 both soule and bodie. Many times men trouble and torment themselues more for light occasions and matters of no mo∣ment, than for the greatest and most important affaires that are. Our soule is many times troubled with small fantasies, dreames, shadowes, fooleries, without bodie, without sub∣iect; it is intangled and molested with choler, hatred, sorow, ioy, building castles in Spaine. The remembrance of a fare∣well

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of some particular grace or action afflicteth vs more than a whole discourse of a matter of greater importance. The sound of names and certaine words pronounced with a pitifull voice, yea with sighs and exclamations pierceth euen to the quicke, as Oratours and Players, and other that sell winde and smoake doe well know and practise. And this winde catcheth and carrieth away many times men that are most constant and setled, if they stand not vpon their gard: so puissant is vanitie ouer men. And not only light and little things doe shake and trouble vs, but also lies and impostures, euen those we know to be such (a strange thing) in such sort, that we take pleasure to deceiue our selues in good earnest, to feed our fantasies with tales, with nothing (ad fallendum nosmetipsos ingeniosissimi sumus): witnesse they that weepe and afflict themselues hearing a relation, or seeing a Trage∣die, which they know to be an inuention made for delight, euen of those things that neuer were. I could tell you of one that was so besotted, that he died for one whom he knew to be foule, olde, deformed, not because he loued her, but be∣cause she was well painted, and plastered or coloured with o∣ther impostures, though he alwayes knew them to be such.

Let vs come from the particular vanitie of euery particu∣lar * 1.4 man in his common life, to see how much this vanitie is ti∣ed to the nature of man, not onely as a priuate and personall vice. What vanitie and losse of time is there in those visitati∣ons, salutations, congies and mutuall enterteinments, those offices of courtesie, orations, ceremonies, offers, praises, pro∣mises! How many hyperbolicall speeches, hypocrisies and impostures are there in the sight and knowledge of all, both of those that giue them, that receiue them, that heare of them! insomuch that it seemeth to be a match and market made to∣gether, to mocke, lie, and deceiue one another. And that which is woorth all the rest, he that knowes that a man doth impudently lie vnto him, must yet giue him thanks; and he that knowes that when he lies he is not beleeued, sets a bolde face vpon the matter, attending and obseruing one the other, who shall first begin or end; when they could both be con∣tent they were both asunder. What inconueniences doth man endure? He faineth, counterfeiteth, disguiseth himselfe;

he endureth heat, colde, troubleth his rest, afflicteth his life for those courtly vanities, and leaueth his weightie affaires for the winde. We are vaine at the charge of our owne ease, yea of our health and of our life. The accidents and the ligh∣ter things trample vnder foot the substance, and the winde carrieth the bodie, so much is man a slaue to vanitie: and he that will do otherwise shall be held for a foole and a man that vnderstands not the world. It is dexteritie well to play this Comedie, and folly not to be vaine. Being entred into speech and familiar discourse, how many vaine and vnprofitable, false, fabulous tales are there (not to say wicked and perniti∣ous, which are not of this count) how many vaunts and vaine boastings! Man desireth and delighteth to speake of himselfe and that which is his, and if he thinke he haue either done or said, or possesse any thing that is worthie estimation, he is not at ease vntill he hath vttered it, and made it knowen to others: when a commoditie first commeth he entreth into an account thereof, he valueth it, he raiseth the price, nay he will not seeme to attend his commoditie, though he seeke it with industrie; and then to heare what the speech of the people is abroad, he thrusts himselfe into companie, and it tickleth him at the heart to heare his happie successe spoken of, and that men esteeme of him the more, and of what hee esteemes.

But better to make knowen what credit and command this vanitie hath ouer the nature of man, let vs call to minde that * 1.5 the greatest alterations of the world, the most generall and fearefull agitations of States and Empires, armies, battels, murthers, haue risen from light, ridiculous and vaine causes: witnesse the warres of Troy and Greece, of Sylla and Marius, Caesar and Pompey, Augustus and Antonie. The Poets sig∣nifie as much, when they set all Greece and Asia on fire for an apple. The first occasions and motiues arise of nothing, af∣terwards they grow and increase: a testimonie of the vanitie and follie of man. Many times the accident doth more than the principall, the lesser circumstances touch more to the quicke than the greatest, nay the causes and subiects them∣selues. The robe of Caesar troubled Rome more than his death did, or those 22 stabs with a poignard that were giuen him.

Lastly, the crowne and perfection of the vanitie of man is * 1.6 shewed in that which he most affecteth and seeks after; he pleaseth himselfe and placeth his whole felicitie in those vaine and friuolous goods, without which hee may well and commodiously liue, and takes not that care that he should for the true and essentiall: his chance is winde, his whole good nothing but opinion and dreames, wherein he is matchlesse. God hath all good things in essence, all euill in vnderstand∣ing; man quite contrarie possesseth his good things by fan∣tasie, his euill in essence. Beasts content not, nor feed them∣selues with opinions and fantasies, but with that which is present, palpable and in veritie. Vanitie hath beene giuen vnto man as his proper part or condition; he runnes, he stirs, he hunts vp and downe, hee catcheth a shadow, hee adoreth the winde, he flies, he dies, and a mote at the last is the heire of his dayes worke. Vanitati creatura subiecta est etiam nolens, vniuersa vanitas omnis homo viuens.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2 Thoughts.
• * 1.2

  3 Care for times to come.
• * 1.3

  5 Agitations of the spirit.
• * 1.4

  6 Visitations and offices of courtesie.
• * 1.5

  7 Publike and vniuersall agitations.
• * 1.6

  8 Felicitie and contentment.