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.But it is reason, the memory of their virtues remain to their posterity, and their faults die with themselves.Nobility of birth commonly abateth industry; and he that is not industrious, envieth him that is.Besides, noble persons cannot go much higher; and he that standeth at a stay, when others rise, can hardly avoid motions of envy.On the other side, nobility extinguisheth the passive envy from others, towards them; because they are in possession of honor.Certainly, kings that have able men of their nobility, shall find ease in employing them, and a better slide into their business; for people naturally bend to them, as born in some sort to command.Of Parents And ChildrenThe joys of parents are secret; and so are their griefs and fears.They cannot utter the one; nor they will not utter the other.Children sweeten labors; but they make misfortunes more bitter.They increase the cares of life; but they mitigate the remembrance of death.The perpetuity by generation is common to beasts; but memory, merit, and noble works, are proper to men.And surely a man shall see the noblest works and foundations have proceeded from childless men; which have sought to express the images of their minds, where those of their bodies have failed.So the care of posterity is most in them, that have no posterity.They that are the first raisers of their houses, are most indulgent towards their children; beholding them as the continuance, not only of their kind, but of their work; and so both children and creatures.The difference in affection, of parents towards their several children, is many times unequal; and sometimes unworthy; especially in the mothers; as Solomon saith, A wise son rejoiceth the father, but an ungracious son shames the mother.A man shall see, where there is a house full of children, one or two of the eldest respected, and the youngest made wantons; but in the midst, some that are as it were forgotten, who many times, nevertheless, prove the best.The illiberality of parents, in allowance towards their children, is an harmful error; makes them base; acquaints them with shifts; makes them sort with mean company; and makes them surfeit more when they come to plenty.And therefore the proof is best, when men keep their authority towards the children, but not their purse.Men have a foolish manner (both parents and schoolmasters and servants) in creating and breeding an emulation between brothers, during childhood, which many times sorteth to discord when they are men, and disturbeth families.The Italians make little difference between children, and nephews or near kinsfolks; but so they be of the lump, they care not though they pass not through their own body.And, to say truth, in nature it is much a like matter; insomuch that we see a nephew sometimes resembleth an uncle, or a kinsman, more than his own parent; as the blood happens.Let parents choose betimes, the vocations and courses they mean their children should take; for then they are most flexible; and let them not too much apply themselves to the disposition of their children, as thinking they will take best to that, which they have most mind to.It is true, that if the affection or aptness of the children be extraordinary, then it is good not to cross it; but generally the precept is good, optimum elige, suave et facile illud faciet consuetudo.Younger brothers are commonly fortunate, but seldom or never where the elder are disinherited.Of PlantationsPlantations are amongst ancient, primitive, and heroical works.When the world was young, it begat more children; but now it is old, it begets fewer: for I may justly account new plantations, to be the children of former kingdoms.I like a plantation in a pure soil; that is, where people are not displanted, to the end, to plant in others.For else it is rather an extirpation, than a plantation.Planting of countries, is like planting of woods; for you must make account to leese almost twenty years' profit, and expect your recompense in the end.For the principal thing, that hath been the destruction of most plantations, hath been the base and hasty drawing of profit, in the first years.It is true, speedy profit is not to be neglected, as far as may stand with the good of the plantation, but no further.It is a shameful and unblessed thing, to take the scum of people, and wicked condemned men, to be the people with whom you plant; and not only so, but it spoileth the plantation; for they will ever live like rogues, and not fall to work, but be lazy, and do mischief, and spend victuals, and be quickly weary, and then certify over to their country, to the discredit of the plantation.The people wherewith you plant ought to be gardeners, ploughmen, laborers, smiths, carpenters, joiners, fishermen, fowlers, with some few apothecaries, surgeons, cooks, and bakers.In a country of plantation, first look about, what kind of victual the country yields of itself to hand; as chestnuts, walnuts, pineapples, olives, dates, plums, cherries, wild honey, and the like; and make use of them.Then consider what victual or esculent things there are, which grow speedily, and within the year; as parsnips, carrots, turnips, onions, radish, artichokes of Hierusalem, maize, and the like.For wheat, barley, and oats, they ask too much labor; but with pease and beans you may begin, both because they ask less labor, and because they serve for meat, as well as for bread.And of rice, likewise cometh a great increase, and it is a kind of meat.Above all, there ought to be brought store of biscuit, oat-meal, flour, meal, and the like, in the beginning, till bread may be had.For beasts, or birds, take chiefly such as are least subject to diseases, and multiply fastest; as swine, goats, cocks, hens, turkeys, geese, house-doves, and the like.The victual in plantations, ought to be expended almost as in a besieged town; that is, with certain allowance.And let the main part of the ground, employed to gardens or corn, be to a common stock; and to be laid in, and stored up, and then delivered out in proportion; besides some spots of ground, that any particular person will manure for his own private.Consider likewise what commodities, the soil where the plantation is, doth naturally yield, that they may some way help to defray the charge of the plantation (so it be not, as was said, to the untimely prejudice of the main business), as it hath fared with tobacco in Virginia.Wood commonly aboundeth but too much; and therefore timber is fit to be one.If there be iron ore, and streams whereupon to set the mills, iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth.Making of bay-salt, if the climate be proper for it, would be put in experience.Growing silk likewise, if any be, is a likely commodity.Pitch and tar, where store of firs and pines are, will not fail.So drugs and sweet woods, where they are, cannot but yield great profit.Soap-ashes likewise, and other things that may be thought of.But moil not too much under ground; for the hope of mines is very uncertain, and useth to make the planters lazy, in other things [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]