A Sybarite of old, as I find it registered in [2286]Athenaeus, supping in Phiditiis in Sparta, and observing their hard fare, said it was no marvel if the Lacedaemonians were valiant men; “for his part, he would rather run upon a sword point (and so would any man in his wits,) than live with such base diet, or lead so wretched a life.” [2287]In Japonia, ’tis a common thing to stifle their children if they be poor, or to make an abortion, which Aristotle commends.  In that civil commonwealth of China, [2288]the mother strangles her child, if she be not able to bring it up, and had rather lose, than sell it, or have it endure such misery as poor men do.  Arnobius, lib. 7, adversus gentes, [2289]Lactantius, lib. 5. cap. 9. objects as much to those ancient Greeks and Romans, “they did expose their children to wild beasts, strangle, or knock out their brains against a stone, in such cases.”  If we may give credit to [2290]Munster, amongst us Christians in Lithuania, they voluntarily mancipate and sell themselves, their wives and children to rich men, to avoid hunger and beggary; [2291] many make away themselves in this extremity.  Apicius the Roman, when he cast up his accounts, and found but 100,000 crowns left, murdered himself for fear he should be famished to death.  P. Forestus, in his medicinal observations, hath a memorable example of two brothers of Louvain that, being destitute of means, became both melancholy, and in a discontented humour massacred themselves.  Another of a merchant, learned, wise otherwise and discreet, but out of a deep apprehension he had of a loss at seas, would not be persuaded but as [2292]Ventidius in the poet, he should die a beggar.  In a word, thus much I may conclude of poor men, that though they have good [2293]parts they cannot show or make use of them:  [2294]_ab inopia ad virtutem obsepta est via_, ’tis hard for a poor man to [2295] rise, haud facile emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstat res angusta domi. [2296]"The wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.”  Eccles. vi. 19.  His works are rejected, contemned, for the baseness and obscurity of the author, though laudable and good in themselves, they will not likely take.

“Nulla placere diu, neque vivere carmina possunt,
Quae scribuntur atquae potoribus.”------

“No verses can please men or live long that are written by water-drinkers.”  Poor men cannot please, their actions, counsels, consultations, projects, are vilified in the world’s esteem, amittunt consilium in re, which Gnatho long since observed. [2297]_Sapiens crepidas sibi nunquam nec soleas fecit_, a wise man never cobbled shoes; as he said of old, but how doth he prove it?  I am sure we find it otherwise in our days, [2298] pruinosis horret facundia pannis.  Homer himself must beg if he want means, and as by report sometimes he did [2299]"go from door to door, and sing ballads, with a company of boys about him.”  This common misery of theirs must needs distract, make them discontent and melancholy, as ordinarily they are, wayward, peevish, like a weary traveller, for [2300] Fames et mora bilem in nares conciunt, still murmuring and repining:  Ob inopiam morosi sunt, quibus est male, as Plutarch quotes out of Euripides, and that comical poet well seconds,