of a mans selfe, must not be in vanity, much lesse in any thing that is vitious; but in study and profound know∣ledge, and afterwards in the diligent culture of himselfe. This is the price agreed, the principall, first and plainest trauell of euerie man. Hee must alwaies watch, taste, sound himselfe, neuer abandon, but be alwaies neere, and keepe himselfe to himselfe: and finding that manie things go not well, whether by reason of vice, and defect of nature, or the contagion of a∣nother, or other casuall accident that troubleth him, hee must quietlie and sweetlie correct them, and prouide for them. He must reason with himselfe, correct and recall himselfe coura∣giouslie, and not suffer himselfe to be caried away either with disdaine or carelesnesse.
He must likewise in auoiding all idlenesse, which doth but rust and marre both the soule and body, keepe himselfe al∣waies in breath, in office and exercise, but yet not ouer bent, violent and painfull, but aboue all, honest, vertuous and seri∣ous. And that he may the better do it, he must quit himselfe of other businesse, and propose vnto himselfe such design∣ments as may delight him, conferring with honest men, and good bookes, dispensing his time well, and well ordering his houres, and not liue tumultuouslie and by chaunce and ha∣zard.
Again, he must well husband, and make profit of all things that are presented vnto him, done, said, and make them an in∣struction vnto him, applie them vnto himselfe, without any shew or semblance thereof.
And to particularise a little more, we know that the duty of man towards himselfe consisteth in three points, according to his three parts, to rule and gouerne his spirit, his body, his goods. Touching his spirit (the first and principall, whereunto especially do belong these generall aduisements which we are to deliuer) we know that all the motions there∣of are reduced to two, to thinke, and to desire, the vnderstan∣ding and the will; whereunto do answer science and vertue, the two ornaments of the spirit. Touching the former, which is the vnderstanding, he must preserue it from two things, in some sort contrarie and extreame, that is, sottishnesse and follie, that is to say, from vanities and childish follies, on the