ospital in his life, or be induced to give
liberally to pious uses after his death. For I dare boldly say, vainglory,
that opinion of merit, and this enforced necessity, when they know not
otherwise how to leave, or what better to do with them, is the main cause
of most of our good works. I will not urge this to derogate from any man's
charitable devotion, or bounty in this kind, to censure any good work; no
doubt there be many sanctified, heroical, and worthy-minded men, that in
true zeal, and for virtue's sake (divine spirits), that out of
commiseration and pity extend their liberality, and as much as in them lies
do good to all men, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, comfort the sick and
needy, relieve all, forget and forgive injuries, as true charity requires;
yet most part there is _simulatum quid_, a deal of hypocrisy in this kind,
much default and defect. [4614]Cosmo de Medici, that rich citizen of
Florence, ingeniously confessed to a near friend of his, that would know of
him why he built so many public and magnificent palaces, and bestowed so
liberally on scholars, not that he loved learning more than others, "but to
[4615]eternise his own name, to be immortal by the benefit of scholars; for
when his friends were dead, walls decayed, and all inscriptions gone, books
would remain to the world's end." The lantern in [4616]Athens was built by
Zenocles, the theatre by Pericles, the famous port Pyraeum by Musicles,
Pallas Palladium by Phidias, the Pantheon by Callicratidas; but these brave
monuments are decayed all, and ruined long since, their builders' names
alone flourish by meditation of writers. And as [4617]he said of that
Marian oak, now cut down and dead, _nullius Agricolae manu vulta stirps tam
diuturna, quam quae poetae, versu seminari potest_, no plant can grow so
long as that which is _ingenio sata_, set and manured by those ever-living
wits. [4618]Allon Backuth, that weeping oak, under which Deborah, Rebecca's
nurse, died, and was buried, may not survive the memory of such everlasting
monuments. Vainglory and emulation (as to most men) was the cause
efficient, and to be a trumpeter of his own fame, Cosmo's sole intent so to
do good, that all the world might take notice of it. Such for the most part
is the charity of our times, such our benefactors, Mecaenates and patrons.
Show me amongst so many myriads, a truly devout, a right, honest, upright,
meek, humble, a patient, innocuous, innocent, a merciful, a lo