Repulse.] Repulse and disgrace are two main causes of discontent, but to an understanding man not so hardly to be taken.  Caesar himself hath been denied, [3951]and when two stand equal in fortune, birth, and all other qualities alike, one of necessity must lose.  Why shouldst thou take it so grievously?  It hath a familiar thing for thee thyself to deny others.  If every man might have what he would, we should all be deified, emperors, kings, princes; if whatsoever vain hope suggests, insatiable appetite affects, our preposterous judgment thinks fit were granted, we should have another chaos in an instant, a mere confusion.  It is some satisfaction to him that is repelled, that dignities, honours, offices, are not always given by desert or worth, but for love, affinity, friendship, affection, [3952]great men’s letters, or as commonly they are bought and sold. [3953]"Honours in court are bestowed not according to men’s virtues and good conditions” (as an old courtier observes), “but as every man hath means, or more potent friends, so he is preferred.”  With us in France ([3954]for so their own countryman relates) “most part the matter is carried by favour and grace; he that can get a great man to be his mediator, runs away with all the preferment.” Indignissimus plerumque praefertur, Vatinius Catoni, illaudatus laudatissimo;

[3955]  ------“servi dominantur; aselli
Ornantur phaleris, dephalerantur equi.”

An illiterate fool sits in a man’s seat, and the common people hold him learned, grave and wise.  “One professeth” ([3956]Cardan well notes) “for a thousand crowns, but he deserves not ten, when as he that deserves a thousand cannot get ten.” Solarium non dat multis salem. As good horses draw in carts, as coaches.  And oftentimes, which Machiavel seconds, [3957] Principes non sunt qui ob insignem virtutem principatu digni sunt, he that is most worthy wants employment; he that hath skill to be a pilot wants a ship, and he that could govern a commonwealth, a world itself, a king in conceit, wants means to exercise his worth, hath not a poor office to manage, and yet all this while he is a better man that is fit to reign, etsi careat regno, though he want a kingdom, [3958]"than he that hath one, and knows not how to rule it:”  a lion serves not always his keeper, but oftentimes the keeper the lion, and as [3959]Polydore Virgil hath it, multi reges ut pupilli ob inscitiam non regunt sed reguntur.  Hieron of Syracuse was a brave king, but wanted a kingdom; Perseus of Macedon had nothing of a king, but the bare name and title, for he could not govern it:  so great places are often ill bestowed, worthy persons unrespected.  Many times, too, the servants have more means than the masters whom they serve, which [3960]Epictetus counts an eyesore and inconvenient.  But who can help it?  It is an ordinary thing in these days to see a base impudent ass, illiterate, unworthy, insufficient, to be preferred before his