Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 9 · Section 18 – Section 19
Of Enuie.
54 Now come we to enuie: In Iudg. 8, verſe. 1.the ſame did Cicero thinke ſhould rather be called Inuidentia, than Inuidia: the which word Inuidentia we may in Engliſh call Enuieng, or Enuiouſneſſe; Wherein enuie and enuiouſnes doo differ.bicauſe among the Latiniſts, thoſe that are enuied, are ſaid to ſuffer enuie. But enuieng belongeth to them, which pine awaie with this kind of gréefe. And therefore he thinketh, that enuie or enuieng is ſo called, bicauſe they, which be enuious, doo looke too narrowlie to other mens proſperitie. Wherefore, A definition of enuie.enuie is a gréefe taken at the proſperitie of other men; eſpeciallie of them, which hauehave béene of like degrée with vsus. For a poore man enuieth not a king; nor yet beggers, noble men. Enuie is of equals, and ſuch as be like vntounto our ſelues. And likeneſſe is conſidered in kindred, riches, beautie, age, wit, dignitie, and ſuch like. The cauſe of enuieng is not in reſpect that we be afraid of harme to come vntounto vsus, by ſuch men as we doo enuie; for that were feare: but that men of a certeine hatred and ſtomach cannot abide the proſperitie of others, eſpeciallie of their like and equals: this worketh enuie.
Enuie is alwaies had in euill things; and it is gréeuouſlie reprehended in the holie ſcriptures; bicauſe it is moſt plainelie repugnant vntounto charitie it ſelfe. For in the firſt epiſtle to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 13, 4.the 13. chapter, the apoſtle ſaid; Charitie enuieth not. For Paule in that place did not take this Gréeke word foreign, in his proper ſignification. But vntounto the Galathians he hath more plainlie forbidden enuie, Gal. 5, 26.ſaieng; Be not deſirous of vaine glorie, prouoking one another, and enuieng one another. In which place, not onelie enuie is reprooued, but alſo the mother thereof is ſhewed, Looke In Gen. 26, 24. and In 2. King. 6, 16. Iudg. 8, 1.that is to wit, the deſire of glorie. And this may we alſo note in the hiſtorie of the Iudges: for the Ephraits enuied Gedeon, bicauſe the glorie of ſo great a victorie ſéemed to hauehave come vntounto him.
And this affect beareth rule in all thoſe things, wherein we deſire to excell. Neither yet dooth it forbeare vertues: for he that is enuious would not hauehave his equals, and ſuch as be like vntounto him, to excell in anie ornament of vertue. And the reaſon why enuie is conuerſant among ſuch as be alike, is, that although the proſperous fortune of our equals, and them that be like vsus, dooth not plucke anie of our goods from vsus, nor maketh vsus leſſe than we be; yet the enuious man dooth ſo conceiue of other mens goods, as if by them his honour and dignitie, his gaine and other ornaments ſhould be diminiſhed. An enuious man is called a reioiſer in euill things.Neither muſt we omit, that euerie enuious man is a reioiſer in euill things: for he delighteth in the aduerſitie of his equals. Yet muſt not both theſe be accounted for one and the ſelfe ſame vice; ſéeing they apperteine to contrarie motions of the mind. For enuie is a gréefe or ſadneſſe; whereas he that reioiſeth in euill things, is affected with delight. Otherwiſe theſe vices, although they be diuers, yet are they ſo linked togither, as there can be no enuious man, which is not mooued with a gladneſſe of other mens harmes. And héereby it euidentlie appéereth, that enuie is méere repugnant vntounto merciemercy, ſéeing merciemercy ſorroweth for an other mans miſerie, but an enuious man reioiſeth for the ſame, by reaſon of the delight, wherewith he is affected to other mens harme. This motion of the mind is in him alſo, that is vexed or angred at the proſperitie of the wicked: for he that becommeth ſad for the proſperitie of the wicked, the verie ſame man taketh pleaſure, when he perceiueth them to be ſuppreſſed and in trouble.
Of Emulation.
Of emulation.55 After this, we are to ſpeake of Emulation; that is to wit, the greefe of mind, which we run into for other mens goods, which we our ſelues want, when as thoſe things may become vsus, and we be able to obteine them. We deſire not by this motion of the mind, to hauehave other deſpoiled of thoſe ornaments that they hauehave; but it gréeueth vsus that we our ſelues be deſtitute of them: and it cōmeth of a good nature thus to be affected. Emulation is reckoned among laudable affects.Wherefore emulation is reckoned among commendable affections. Cicero in his Tuſculane queſtions defineth, that héerof commeth a gréefe of mind; when an other man inioieth the good, which we our ſelues deſire. The ſame author obſerued, that emulation is otherwhile ſo taken, as it differeth nothing from enuieng; and therefore is ſometimes reprooued. But if we vnderſtand it in ſuch ſort, as we hauehave ſaid, it is a commendable affect; bicauſe it maketh men the better: for it is accuſtomed to ingender the imitation of good things. We muſt take heed that emulation degenerate not into enuie.But we muſt take héed of that, which indéed we are prone vntounto; namelie, that it degenerate not into hatred, and that emulation hauehave no ſuch ſcope, as we ſhould deſire to deſpoile men, which be fortunate, honourable, and honeſt, of their ornaments and good things.
And for this cauſe Cicero ſaid, Cicero.that that emulation is praiſe-woorthie, which is not like vntounto the emulation that is in wooing; ſéeing this is the propertie of wooers, that they would ſo enioy their pleaſures, as they may vtterlie exclude others. Theſe cautions being had, emulation is both good and godlie. Wherefore Paule exhorted the Corinthians, that they ſhould ſtriue to excell one an other in charitie, 1. Cor. 1, 31.and in the better ſort of graces. This affection is moſt occupied about vertues, and about all ſuch things as are had in honour and admiration: for what ſoeuer thing a man contemneth and deſpiſeth, he dooth not emulate. Emulation hath hope ioined with it.Emulation hath ioined with it a perpetuall hope of obteining that which it deſireth: for if a man deſpaire, it is not poſſible for him to emulate. And ſo much of theſe affects.