Envy taketh the Shape of _Flattery_, and that maketh Men hug it so close, that they cannot part with it. The sure way to be commended is to get into a Condition of being pitied. For Envy will not give its leave to commend a Man, till he is miserable. A Man is undone, when Envy will not vouchsafe to look upon him. Yet after all, Envy doth Virtue as much good as hurt, by provoking it to appear. Nay, it forcibly draweth out, and inviteth Virtue, by giving it a Mind to be revenged of it. _Of_ VANITY. The World is nothing but Vanity cut out into several Shapes. Men often _mistake_ themselves, but they never _forget_ themselves. A Man must not so entirely fall out with Vanity, as not to take its Assistance in the doing great Things. Vanity is like some Men who are very useful, if they are kept under; and else not to be endured. A little Vanity may be allowed in a Man's Train, but it must not sit down at Table with him. Without some Share of it, Mens Talents would be buried like Ore in a Mine unwrought. Men would be less eager to gain Knowledge, if they did not hope to set themselves out by it. It sheweth the Narrowness of our Nature, that a Man that intendeth any one thing extreamly, hath not Thought enough lest for any thing else. Our Pride maketh us over-value our Stock of Thought, so as to trade much beyond what it is able to make good. Many aspire to learn what they can never comprehend, as others pretend to teach what they themselves do not know. The Vanity of teaching often tempteth a Man to forget he is a Blockhead. Self-conceit driveth away the suspecting how scurvily others think of us. Vanity cannot be a Friend to Truth, because it is restrained by it; and Vanity is so impatiently desirous of shewing itself, that it cannot bear the being crossed. There is a Degree of Vanity that recommendeth; if it goeth further, it exposeth. So much as to stir the Blood to do commendable Things, but not so much as to possess the Brain, and turn it round. There are as many that are blown up by the Wind of Vanity, as are carried away by the Stream of Interest. Every body hath not Wit enough to Act out of Interest, but every body hath little enough to do it out of Vanity. Some Mens Heads are as easily blown away as their Hats. If the commending others well, did not recommend ourselves, there would be few Panegyricks. Mens Vanity will often dispose them to be commended into very troublesome Employments. The desiring to be remember'd when we are dead, is to so little purpose, that it is fit Men should, as they generally are, be disappointed in it. Nevertheless, the desire of leaving a good Name behind us is so honourable to ourselves, and so useful to the World, that good Sense must not be heard against it. Heraldry is one of those foolish Things that may yet be too much despised. The Contempt of Scutcheons is as much a Disease in this Age, as the over-valuing them was in former Times.