Of Youth and Age

A Man that is Young in yeares, may be Old in Houres, if he have lost no Time. But that happeneth rarely. Generally, youth is like the first Cogitations, not so Wise as the Second. For there is a youth in thoughts as well as in Ages. And yet the Invention of Young Men, is more lively, then that of Old: And Imaginations streame into their Mindes better, and, as it were, more Divinely. Natures that have much Heat, and great and violent desires and Perturbations, are not ripe for Action, till they have passed the Meridian of their yeares: As it was with Julius Cæsar, &Septimius Severus. Of the latter of whom, it is said; Juvē tutem egit, Erroribus, imò Furoribus, plenā. And yet he was the Ablest Emperour, almost, of all the List. But Reposed Natures may doe well in Youth. As it is seene, in Augustus Cæsar, Cosmus Duke of Florence, Gaston de Fois, and others. On the other side, Heate and Vivacity in Age, is an Excellent Composition for Businesse. Young Men, are Fitter to Invent, then to Judge; Fitter for Execution, then for Counsell; And Fitter for New Projects, then for Setled Businesse. For the Experience of Age, in Things that fall within the compasse of it, directeth them; But in New Things, abuseth them. The Errours of Young Men are the Ruine of Businesse; But the Errours of Aged Men amount but to this; That more might have beene done, or sooner. Young Men, in the Conduct, and Mannage of Actions, Embrace more then they can Hold, Stirre more then they can Quiet; Fly to the End, without Consideration of the Meanes, and Degrees; Pursue some few Principles, which they have chanced upon absurdly; Care not to Innovate, which draws unknowne Inconveniences; Use extreme Remedies at first; And, that which doubleth all Errours, will not acknowledge or retract them; Like an unready Horse, that will neither Stop, nor Turne. Men of Age, Object too much, Consult too long, Adventure too little, Repent too soone, and seldome drive Businesse home to the full Period; But content themselves with a Mediocrity of Successe. Certainly, it is good to compound Employments of both; For that will be Good for the Present, because the Vertues of either Age, may correct the defects of both: And good for Succession, that Young Men may be Learners, while Men in Age are Actours: And lastly, Good for Externe Accidents, because Authority followeth Old Men, And Favour and Popularity Youth. But for the Morall Part, perhaps Youth will have the preheminence, as Age hath for the Politique. A certaine Rabbine, upon the Text; Your Young Men shall see visions, and your Old Menshall dreame dreames; Inferreth, that Young Men are admitted nearer to God then Old; Because Vision is a clearer Revelation, then a Dreame. And certainly, the more a Man drinketh of the World, the more it intoxicateth; And Age doth profit rather in the Powers of Understanding, then in the Vertues of the Will and Affections. There be some have an Overearly Ripenesse in their yeares, which fadeth betimes: These are first, Such as have Brittle Wits, the Edge whereof is soone turned; Such as was Hermogenes the Rhetorician, whose Books are exceeding Subtill; Who afterwards waxed Stupid. A Second Sort is of those, that have some naturall dispositions, which have better Grace in Youth, then in Age: Such as is a fluent and Luxuriant Speech; which becomes Youth well, but not Age: So Tully saith of Hortentius; Idemmanebat, neque idem decebat. The third is of such, as take too high a Straine at the First; And are Magnanimous, more then Tract of yeares can uphold. As was Scipio Affricanus, of whom Livy saith in effect; Ultima primis cedebant.