No man hath hurt by it but himself, who peradventure will go in wider
buskins than his legs will bear, or, as our proverb saith, "now and
then bear a bigger sail than his boat is able to sustain."
Certes the making of new gentlemen bred great strife sometimes amongst
the Romans, I mean when those which were _Novi homines_ were more
allowed of for their virtues newly seen and shewed than the old smell
of ancient race, lately defaced by the cowardice and evil life of their
nephews and descendants, could make the other to be. But as envy hath
no affinity with justice and equity, so it forceth not what language
the malicious do give out, against such as are exalted for their
wisdoms. This nevertheless is generally to be reprehended in all
estates of gentility, and which in short time will turn to the great
ruin of our country, and that is, the usual sending of noblemen's and
mean gentlemen's sons into Italy, from whence they bring home nothing
but mere atheism, infidelity, vicious conversation, and ambitious and
proud behaviour, whereby it cometh to pass that they return far worse
men than they went out.
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