IT WAS prettily devised of AEsop, The fly sat upon the axle-tree of the chariot wheel, and said, What a dust do I raise! So are there some vain persons, that whatsoever goeth alone, or moveth upon greater means, if they have never so little hand in it, they think it is they that carry it. They that are glorious, must needs be factious; for all bravery stands upon comparisons. They must needs be violent, to make good their own vaunts. Neither can they be secret, and therefore not effectual; but according to the French proverb, Beaucoup de bruit, peu de fruit; Much bruit little fruit. Yet certainly, there is use of this quality in civil affairs. Where there is an opinion and fame to be created, either of virtue or greatness, these men are good trumpeters. Again, as Titus Livius noteth, in the case of Antiochus and the AEtolians, There are sometimes great effects, of cross lies; as if a man, that negotiates between two princes, to draw them to join in a war against the third, doth extol the forces of either of them, above measure, the one to the other: and sometimes he that deals between man and man, raiseth his own credit with both, by pretending greater interest than he hath in either. And in these and the like kinds, it often falls out, that somewhat is produced of nothing; for lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance. In militar commanders and soldiers, vain-glory is an essential point; for as iron sharpens iron, so by glory, one courage sharpeneth another. In cases of great enterprise upon charge and adventure, a composition of glorious natures, doth put life into business; and those that are of solid and sober natures, have more of the ballast, than of the sail. In fame of learning, the flight will be slow without some feathers of ostentation. Qui de contemnenda gloria libros scribunt, nomen, suum inscribunt. Socrates, Aristotle, Galen, were men full of ostentation. Certainly vain-glory helpeth to perpetuate a man's memory; and virtue was never so beholding to human nature, as it received his due at the second hand. Neither had the fame of Cicero, Seneca, Plinius Secundus, borne her age so well, if it had not been joined with some vanity in themselves; like unto varnish, that makes ceilings not only shine but last. But all this while, when I speak of vain-glory, I mean not of that property, that Tacitus doth attribute to Mucianus; Omnium quae dixerat feceratque arte quadam ostentator: for that proceeds not of vanity, but of natural magnanimity and discretion; and in some persons, is not only comely, but gracious. For excusations, cessions, modesty itself well governed, are but arts of ostentation. And amongst those arts, there is none better than that which Plinius Secundus speaketh of, which is to be liberal of praise and commendation to others, in that, wherein a man's self hath any perfection. For saith Pliny, very wittily, In commending another, you do yourself right; for he that you commend, is either superior to you in that you commend, or inferior. If he be inferior, if he be to be commended, you much more; if he be superior, if he be not to be commended, you much less. Glorious men are the scorn of wise men, the admiration of fools, the idols of parasites, and the slaves of their own vaunts.
Aesop cleverly imagined a fly sitting on the axle of a chariot wheel and saying, "What a dust I raise!" Some vain people are just like this. Something may happen on its own or be driven by forces far greater than themselves. Yet if they have the smallest hand in it, they think they are carrying it forward. Boastful people are bound to stir up factions, since all such showing off depends on comparisons. They are bound to be aggressive to make good on their boasts. Nor can they keep secrets, which makes them ineffective. As the French proverb says, "Much noise, little result." Yet this quality certainly has its uses in public affairs. When a reputation for virtue or greatness needs building, these people are good trumpeters. Again, as Livy notes about Antiochus and the Aetolians, lies told to both sides sometimes produce great results. Suppose someone negotiates between two princes, hoping to unite them in war against a third. He may vastly exaggerate each prince's strength to the other. Sometimes a go-between raises his standing with both parties by claiming more influence with each than he really has. In these and similar cases, something often comes from nothing. Lies are enough to create belief, and belief brings real substance into being. Among military commanders and soldiers, vanity is an essential ingredient. Just as iron sharpens iron, the pursuit of glory lets one person's courage sharpen another's. In great undertakings involving expense and risk, a mixture of boastful personalities brings energy to the work. People of solid, sober character provide more ballast than sail. A reputation for learning will take flight slowly without some feathers of showing off. "Those who write books about despising glory put their names on them." Socrates, Aristotle, and Galen were all much given to showing off. Certainly, vanity helps keep a person's memory alive. Human nature has never been so generous to virtue that virtue received its due through others alone. Nor would the reputations of Cicero, Seneca, and Pliny the Younger have lasted so well without some vanity in these men. It is like varnish, which makes ceilings not only shine but last. But by vanity I do not mean the quality Tacitus attributes to Mucianus. He calls him "a man skilled at displaying everything he had said and done." That comes not from vanity, but from natural greatness of spirit and good judgment. In some people, it is not only fitting but charming. Excuses, yielding to others, and even modesty, when skillfully managed, are simply ways of showing oneself off. Among these methods, none is better than one Pliny the Younger describes. This is to praise others generously for qualities in which you yourself excel. As Pliny very shrewdly says, "In praising another, you do yourself justice." The person you praise is either better or worse than you in the quality you praise. If he is worse and deserves praise, you deserve it much more. If he is better and does not deserve praise, you deserve it much less. Boastful people are scorned by the wise, admired by fools, worshipped by flatterers, and enslaved by their own boasts.