Fourthly,1 it exposeth men to contempt: for howsoever they are therefore angry, because they would not be despised and disregarded, yet nothing in truth doth sooner work contempt in the minds, not only of strangers, but also of a mans own children and servants, then unjust anger. For when their anger and the fruits thereof, clamorous brawling and fighting, are usual and common aswell for trifles as weighty matters, men desperately contemn both, when they have no hope to prevent either. They therefore who desire that these bitter drugs of correction should have any effectual operation in the minds of inferiors,2 for the purging away of their faults and vices, must use them like Physic, which if it be ordinary will work no extraordinary effect, because it groweth familiar with our natures, and therefore not fit to work upon them: nam medentur contraria. And hence it is that Physic becometh unprofitable to those men in the time of grievous sickness, which upon every trifling occasion have used it in the time of health, and made it as it were sauce to digest ⟨p. 51⟩their meat: so if we would have the physic of the mind, correction and chastisement, to work desired effect, they must be used sparingly, and not for every slip and infirmity, which oftentimes in wisdom should be dissembled as though it were not perceived,3 and often pardoned in hope of amendment. Otherwise, if every toy and small oversight provoke anger, and anger incite to scolding and fighting, not only the parties corrected are not bettered, but rather made more obstinate and obdurate in their vices (for their hearts like anvils become harder with often beating) but also he that correcteth, doth disfurnish himself of all fit remedies to cure more desperate diseases. For if he use bitter chiding and severe fighting for the cure of every trifling fault, what remedy doth he reserve for correcting and reforming heinous offences? surely none. Whereby it cometh to pass, that inferiors will not be restrained from committing all faults, but rather will be as easily induced to commit the greatest as the least, because there is no great difference in the punishment.
Fourthly,1 it exposeth men to contempt: for howsoeuer they are therefore angrie, because they would not be despised and disregarded, yet nothing in truth doth sooner worke contempt in the mindes, not onely of strangers, but also of a mans owne children and seruants, then vniust anger. For when their anger and the fruites thereof, clamorous brauling and fighting, are vsuall and common aswell for trifles as waightie matters, men desperatelie contemne both, when they haue no hope to preuent either. They therefore who desire that these bitter drugs of correction should haue any effectuall operation in the minds of inferiours,2 for the purging away of their faults and vices, must vse them like Physicke, which if it be ordinarie will worke no extraordinarie effect, because it groweth familiar with our natures, and therefore not fit to worke vpon them: nam medentur contraria. And hence it is that Physicke becommeth vnprofitable to those men in the time of grieuous sicknesse, which vpon euery trifling occasion haue vsed it in the time of health, and made it as it were sauce to disgest ⟨p. 51⟩their meate: so if we would haue the physicke of the mind, correction and chastisement, to worke desired effect, they must be vsed sparingly, and not for euery slip and infirmitie, which oftentimes in wisedome should bee dissembled as though it were not perceiued,3 and often pardoned in hope of amendment. Otherwise, if euerie toy and small ouersight prouoke anger, and anger incite to scolding and fighting, not onely the parties corrected are not bettered, but rather made more obstinate and obdurate in their vices (for their hearts like anuils become harder with often beating) but also he that correcteth, doth disfurnish himselfe of all fit remedies to cure more desperate diseases. For if he vse bitter chiding and seuere fighting for the cure of euerie trifling fault, what remedie doth he reserue for correcting and reforming haynous offences? surely none. Wherby it commeth to passe, that inferiors will not bee restrained from committing all faults, but rather will bee as easilie induced to commit the greatest as the least, because there is no great difference in the punishment.
- 1§. Sect. 4. 4. Unjust anger exposeth men to contempt.§. Sect. 4. 4. Vniust anger exposeth men to contempt.
- 2Correction to be used like Physic.Correction to be vsed like Physicke.
- 3The vanity of ordinary scolding and brawling.The vanitie of ordinarie scolding and brawling.
