NATURE is often hidden; sometimes over-
come; seldom extinguished. Force, maketh
nature more violent in the return; doctrine and dis-
course, maketh nature less importune; but custom
only doth alter and subdue nature. He that seeketh
victory over his nature, let him not set himself too
great, nor too small tasks; for the first will make
him dejected by often failings; and the second will
make him a small proceeder, though by often pre-
vailings. And at the first let him practise with
helps, as swimmers do with bladders or rushes;
but after a time let him practise with disadvan-
tages, as dancers do with thick shoes. For it breeds
great perfection, if the practice be harder than the
use. Where nature is mighty, and therefore the
victory hard, the degrees had need be, first to stay
and arrest nature in time; like to him that would
say over the four and twenty letters when he was
angry; then to go less in quantity; as if one should,
in forbearing wine, come from drinking healths,
to a draught at a meal; and lastly, to discontinue
altogether. But if a man have the fortitude, and
resolution, to enfranchise himself at once, that is
the best:
Optimus ille animi vindex laedentia pectus
Vincula qui rupit, dedoluitque semel.
Neither is the ancient rule amiss, to bend nature,
as a wand, to a contrary extreme, whereby to set it
right, understanding it, where the contrary ex-
treme is no vice. Let not a man force a habit upon
himself, with a perpetual continuance, but with
some intermission. For both the pause reinforceth
the new onset; and if a man that is not perfect, be
ever in practice, he shall as well practise his errors,
as his abilities, and induce one habit of both; and
there is no means to help this, but by seasonable
intermissions. But let not a man trust his victory
over his nature, too far; for nature will lay buried
a great time, and yet revive, upon the occasion or
temptation. Like as it was with AEsop's damsel,
turned from a cat to a woman, who sat very de-
mutely at the board's end, till a mouse ran before
her. Therefore, let a man either avoid the occasion
altogether; or put himself often to it, that he may
be little moved with it. A man's nature is best per-
ceived in privateness, for there is no affectation;
in passion, for that putteth a man out of his pre-
cepts; and in a new case or experiment, for there
custom leaveth him. They are happy men, whose
natures sort with their vocations; otherwise they
may say, multum incola fuit anima mea; when
they converse in those things, they do not affect.
In studies, whatsoever a man commandeth upon
himself, let him set hours for it; but whatsoever is
agreeable to his nature, let him take no care for
any set times; for his thoughts will fly to it, of
themselves; so as the spaces of other business, or
studies, will suffice. A man's nature, runs either to
herbs or weeds; therefore let him seasonably water
the one, and destroy the other.
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