Middle-age for the _body_, I call the time from thirty to five and thirty years: for the _mind_, the nine-and-fortieth, or thereabouts. ========== CHAPTER XVII. OF THE MANNERS OF THE NOBILITY. Of manners that proceed from the several _ages_ we have already spoken. We are next to speak of those that rise from several _fortunes_. The manners of the _nobility_ are: to be ambitious. To undervalue their ancestors' equals; for the goods of fortune seem the more precious for their antiquity. _Nobility_ is the virtue of a stock. And _generosity_, is not to degenerate from the virtue of his stock. For as in plants, so in the races of men, there is a certain progress; and they grow better and better to a certain point; and change, viz. subtile wits into madness, and staid wits into stupidity and blockishness. ========== CHAPTER XVIII. OF THE MANNERS OF THE RICH. _Rich_ men are contumelious, and proud; this they have from their riches; for seeing everything may be had for money, having money they think they have all that is good. And effeminate: because they have wherewithal to subminister to their lust. And boasters of their wealth, and speak in high terms foolishly; for men willingly talk of what they love and admire, and think others affect the same that they do; and the truth is, all sorts of men submit to the rich. And think themselves worthy to command, having that by which men attain command. And in general they have the manners of fortunate fools. They do injury, with intention not to hurt, but to disgrace; and partly also through incontinence. There is a difference between _new_ and _ancient_ riches. For they that are _newly_ come to wealth, have the same faults in a greater degree; for _new riches_ are a kind of rudeness and apprenticeship of _riches_. ========== CHAPTER XIX. OF THE MANNERS OF MEN IN POWER, AND OF SUCH AS PROSPER. The manners of men _in power_, are the same, or better than those of the _rich_. They have a greater sense of honour than the rich, and their manners are more manly. They are more industrious than the rich, for _power_ is sustained by industry. They are grave, but without austereness; for being in place conspicuous, they carry themselves the more modestly; and have a kind of gentle and comely gravity, which the _Greeks_ call σεμνότης. When they do injuries, they do great ones. The manners of men that _prosper_, are compounded of the manners of the _nobility_, the _rich_, and those that are _in power_; for to some of these all _prosperity_ appertains. _Prosperity_ in children, and goods of the body, make men desire to exceed others in the goods of fortune.