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LIX. A Fragment of an Essay of Fame. (Book 59)
THE Poets make Fame a Monster. They describ•• her in part finely and elegantly; and in pa•••• gravely and sententiously. They say, look how ma∣ny Feathers she hath, so many Eyes she hath underneath; so many Tongues; so many Voices; she pricks up so ma∣ny Ears.
This is a flourish: There follow excellent Parables▪ as that she gathereth strength in going; that she goeth upon the ground, and yet hideth her head in the Clouds. That in the day-time she sitteth in a Watch-Tower, and flieth most by Night: That she mingleth things done, with things not done: And that she 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a terror to great Cities: But that which passeth all the rest is: they do recount that the Earth, Mother of the Gyants, that made War against Jupiter, and were by him destroyed, thereupon, in anger, brought forth Fame: For certain it is, that Rebels figured by the Gy∣ants and Seditious Fames, and Libels, are but Brothers and Sisters; Masculine and Feminine. But now if a Man can tame this Monster, and bring her to feed at the hand, and govern her, and with her flie other raven∣ing Fowl, and kill them, it is somewhat worth. But we are infected with the stile of the Poets. To speak now in a sad and serious manner: There is not in all the Politicks, a Place less handled, and more worthy to be handled, than this of Fame. We will therefore speak of these points. What are false Fames; and what are true Fames; and how they may be best discern∣ed; how Fames may be sown and raised; how they may be spread and multiplied, and how they may be checked and laid dead: And other things concerning the Nature of Fame. Fame is of that force, as there is