Praise is the reflection of virtue; but it is glass, or body, which
giveth the reflection. If it be from the common people, it is commonly
false and naught, and rather followeth vain persons than virtuous;
for the common people understand not many excellent virtues. The
lowest virtues draw praise from them, the middle virtues work in them
astonishment or admiration, but of the highest virtues they have
no sense or perceiving at all; but shows and “species virtutibus
similes,”[520] serve best with them. Certainly, fame is like a river,
that beareth up things light and swollen, and drowns things weighty and
solid; but if persons of quality and judgment concur, then it is (as
the Scripture saith), “Nomen bonum instar unguenti fragrantis:”[521]
it filleth all round about, and will not easily away; for the odors
of ointments are more durable than those of flowers. There be so many
false points of praise, that a man may justly hold it a suspect. Some
praises proceed merely of flattery; and if he be an ordinary flatterer,
he will have certain common attributes, which may serve every man; if
he be a cunning flatterer, he will follow the arch-flatterer, which is
a man’s self, and wherein a man thinketh best of himself, therein the
flatterer will uphold him most. But if he be an impudent flatterer,
look wherein a man is conscious to himself that he is most defective,
and is most out of countenance in himself, that will the flatterer
entitle him to, perforce, “spretâ conscientiâ.”[522] Some praises come
of good wishes and respects, which is a form due in civility to kings
and great persons, “laudando præcipere;”[523] when, by telling men what
they are, they represent to them what they should be; some men are
praised maliciously to their hurt, thereby to stir envy and jealousy
towards them: “Pessimum genus inimicorum laudantium;”[524] insomuch as
it was a proverb amongst the Grecians, that “he that was praised to
his hurt, should have a push[525] rise upon his nose;” as we say that
a blister will rise upon one’s tongue that tells a lie; certainly,
moderate praise, used with opportunity, and not vulgar, is that which
doth the good. Solomon saith: “He that praiseth his friend aloud,
rising early, it shall be to him no better than a curse.”[526] Too much
magnifying of man or matter doth irritate contradiction, and procure
envy and scorn. To praise a man’s self cannot be decent, except it be
in rare cases; but to praise a man’s office[527] or profession, he may
do it with good grace, and with a kind of magnanimity. The cardinals
of Rome, which are theologues,[528] and friars, and schoolmen, have
a phrase of notable contempt and scorn towards civil business; for
they call all temporal business of wars, embassages, judicature, and
other employments, sbirrerie, which is under-sheriffries, as if they
were but matters for under-sheriffs and catchpoles; though many times
those under-sheriffries do more good than their high speculations.
St. Paul, when he boasts of himself, he doth oft interlace, “I speak
like a fool:”[529] but speaking of his calling, he saith, “Magnificabo
apostolatum meum.”[530]