Francis Bacon

“ Though his style, varying with the requirements of his subject, is sometimes rich and ornate, sometimes solemn and majestic, sometimes penetrating and concise, the quality of superb self-confidence is seldom absent. What he conceives as a poet, he utters as a prophet, and as a prophet who delivers his message and disdains controversy. ”

“ The Vertue of Prosperitie is Temperance; The Vertue of Adversity is Fortitude; which in Morals is the more Heroicall Vertue. Prosperity is the Blessing of the Old Testament; Adversity is the Blessing of the New ”

“ Truth may perhaps come to the price of a Pearle, that sheweth best by day; But it will not rise to the price of a Diamond, or Carbuncle, that sheweth best in varied lights. A Mixture of a Lie doth ever adde Pleasure. ”

“ And besides, it being of Necessity that many of the Nobility fall in time to be weake in Fortune, it maketh a kinde of Disproportion betweene Honour and Meanes.
As for Nobility in particular Persons; It is a Reverend Thing to see an Ancient Castle or Building not in decay, Or to see a faire Timber Tree, sound and perfect: How much more, to behold an Ancient Noble Family, which hath stood against the Waves and weathers of Time. For new Nobility is but the Act of Power, But Ancient Nobility is the Act of Time. ”

“ Thoughts which a writer of our own day would distil over a page, Bacon condenses into a sentence. What he writes is meant, not 'to be swallowed' in a hurry, but to be chewed and digested with deliberation. No man ever packed so much matter into smaller compass.
Dean Church says of Bacon's Essays that 'they are like chapters in Aristotle's Ethics and Rhetoric on virtues and characters; only Bacon takes Aristotle's broad marking lines as drawn, and proceeds with the subtler and more refined observations of a much longer and wider experience. ”

“ It is a strange desire, to seeke Power and to lose Libertie; Or to seeke Power over others and to lose Power over a Man's Selfe. The Rising unto Place is Laborious, And by Paines Men come to greater Paines; And it is sometimes base, And by Indignities Men come to Dignities. ”

“ To put the Sword into the People's Hands, And the like, Tending to the Subversion of all Government, which is the Ordinance of God. For this is but to dash the first Table against the Second, And so to consider Men as Christians, as [41] we forget that they are Men. ”

“ It is as Naturall to die as to be borne; And to a little Infant, perhaps, the one is as painfull as the other. He that dies in an earnest Pursuit is like one that is wounded in hot Bloud; who, for the time, scarce feeles the Hurt; And therefore a Minde, fixt and bent upon somewhat that is good, doth avert the Dolors [21] of Death: But above all, beleeve it, the sweetest Canticle is Nunc dimittis [22] , when a Man hath obtained worthy Ends and Expectations. ”

“ It is a pleasure, to stand upon the shore, and to see ships tost upon the Sea: A pleasure to stand in the window of a Castle, and to see a Battaile, and the Adventures [21] thereof, below: But no pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage ground of Truth, (A hill not to be commanded [22] , and where the Ayre is alwaies cleare and serene,) And to see the Errours, and Wandrings, and Mists, and Tempests, in the vale below: So alwaies, that [23] this prospect be with Pitty, and not with Swelling or Pride. ”

“ A great and Potent Nobility addeth Maiestie to a Monarch, but diminisheth Power; And putteth Life and Spirit into the People, but presseth [9] their Fortune. It is well, when Nobles are not too great for Soveraignty, nor for Justice ”

“ The desire of Power in Excesse caused the Angels to fall; The desire of Knowledge in Excesse caused Man to fall; But in Charity there is no Excesse; Neither can Angell or Man come in danger by it. The Inclination to Goodnesse is imprinted deepely in the Nature of Man; In so much that, if it issue not towards Men, it will take unto Other Living Creatures; As it is seen in the Turks, a Cruell People who, neverthelesse, are kinde to Beasts and give Almes to Dogs and Birds ”

“ Persons of Noble Bloud are lesse envied in their Rising; For it seemeth but Right done to their Birth. Besides, there seemeth not much added to their Fortune; And Envy is as the Sunne Beames, that beat hotter upon a Bank or steepe rising Ground then upon a Flat. And, for the same reason, those that are advanced by degrees are lesse envied then those that are advanced suddainly and per saltum [27] .
Those that have ioyned with their Honour great Travels [28] , Cares, or Perills, are lesse subiect to Envy. For Men thinke that they earne their Honours hardly, and pitty them sometimes ”

“ Justice, which the more Man's Nature runs to, the more ought Law to weed it out. For as for the first Wrong, it doth but offend the Law; but the Revenge of that wrong putteth the Law out of Office [2] . Certainly, in taking Revenge, A Man is but even with his Enemy ”

“ Certainly, to Men of great Judgment, Bold Persons are a Sport to behold; Nay, and to the Vulgar also, Boldnesse hath somewhat of the Ridiculous. For if Absurdity be the Subiect of Laughter, doubt you not but great Boldnesse is seldome without some Absurdity. Especially, it is a Sport to see, when a Bold Fellow is out of Countenance ”

“ The Part of Epimetheus mought well become Pro metheus in the case of Discontentments, For there is not a better provision against them. Epimetheus, when Griefes and Evils flew abroad, at last shut the lid, and kept Hope in the Bottome of the Vessell. Certainly, the Politique and Artificiall [56] Nourishing and Entertaining of Hopes, and Carrying Men from Hopes to Hopes, is one of the best Antidotes against the Poyson of Discontentments. And it is a certaine Signe of a wise Government and Proceeding, when it can hold Men's hearts by Hopes, when it cannot by Satisfaction ”

“ But it is not onely the Difficultie and Labour, which men take in finding out of Truth; Nor againe, that when it is found, it imposeth [6] upon men's Thoughts, that doth bring Lies in [7] favour; But a naturall though corrupt Love of the Lie it selfe. One of the later Schoole of the Grecians, examineth the matter, and is at a stand [8] to think what should be in it, [9] that men should love Lies; Where neither they make for Pleasure, as with Poets; Nor for Advantage, as with the Merchant; but for the Lie's sake. ”

“ Unmarried Men are best Friends, best Masters, best Servants, but not alwayes best Subiects; For they are light [8] to runne away, And almost all Fugitives are of that Condition. ”

“ And you have planted Things, that are like to last. I doe now publish my Essayes; which of all my other workes have beene most Currant; For that, as it seemes, they come home to Men's Businesse and Bosomes. I have enlarged them, both in Number and Weight; So that they are indeed a New Worke. I thought it therefore agreeable, to my Affection and Obligation to your Grace, to prefix your Name before them, both in English and in Latine. For I doe conceive, that the Latine Volume of them, (being in the Universall Language) may last, as long as Bookes last. ”

“ Nobility of Birth commonly abateth [17] Industry; And he that is not industrious envieth him that is. Besides, Noble persons cannot goe much higher; And he that standeth at a stay [18] , when others rise, can hardly avoid Motions [19] of Envy. On the other side, Nobility extinguisheth the passive Envy from others towards them [20] , Because they are in possession of Honour. Certainly Kings, that have Able men of [21] their Nobility, shall finde ease in imploying them, And a better Slide into their Businesse [22] ; For People naturally bend to them, as born in some sort to Command. ”

“ He that is not with us is against us: And againe, He that is not against us is with us: That is, if the Points Fundamentall and of Substance in Religion were truly discerned and distinguished from Points not meerely [24] of Faith, but of Opinion, Order, or good Intention. ”

“ Neither is there only a Habit of Goodnesse, directed by right Reason; but there is, in some Men, even in Nature, a Disposition towards it: As, on the other side, there is a Naturall Malignitie. For there be that, in their Nature, doe not affect the Good of Others. ”

“ And it is also noted that Love and Envy doe make a man pine, which other Affections doe not, because they are not so continuall. It is also the vilest Affection and the most depraved; For which cause, it is the proper Attribute of the Devill, who is called The Envious Man that soweth tares amongst the wheat by night. As it alwayes commeth to passe that Envy worketh subtilly, and in the darke, And to the preiudice of good things, such as is the Wheat. ”

“ For Removing Discontentments, or at least the danger of them; There is in every State (as we know) two Portions of Subiects, The Noblesse and the Commonaltie. When one of these is Discontent, [49] the danger is not great; For Common People are of slow Motion, if they be not excited by the Greater Sort; [50] And the Greater Sort are of small strength, except the Multitude be apt and ready to move of themselves. Then is the danger, when the Greater Sort doe but wait for the Troubling of the Waters amongst the Meaner, that then they may declare themselves. ”

“ For if they iudge by their owne Feeling they cannot finde it: But if they thinke with themselves what other men thinke of them, and that other men would faine be as they are, then they are happy, as it were by report, When perhaps they finde the Contrary within. For they are the first that finde their owne Griefs, though they be the last that finde their owne Faults. Certainly, Men in Great Fortunes are strangers to themselves, and while they are in the pusle [9] of businesse, they have no time to tend their Health either of Body or Minde. ”

“ And therefore Mountaigny saith prettily, when he inquired the reason why the word of the Lie should be such a Disgrace, and such an Odious Charge, Saith he, If it be well weighed, To say that a man lieth, is as much to say as that he is brave towards God and a Coward towards Men. For a Lie faces God, and shrinkes from Man. Surely the Wickednesse of Falshood and Breach of Faith cannot possibly be so highly expressed, as in that it shall be the last Peale [28] to call the Iudgements of God upon the Generations of Men ”

“ Prosperity is not without many Feares and Distastes [11] ; And Adversity is not without Comforts and Hopes. Wee see in Needle-workes and Imbroideries, It is more pleasing to have a Lively [12] Worke upon a Sad [13] and Solemne Ground then to have a Darke and Melancholy Worke upon a Lightsome Ground: Iudge, therfore, of the Pleasure of the Heart, by the Pleasure of the Eye. ”

“ Men must beware that, in the Procuring or Muniting [37] of Religious Unity, they doe not Dissolve and Deface the Lawes of Charity and of humane [38] Society. There be two Swords amongst Christians, the Spirituall and Temporall; And both have their due Office and place in the maintenance of Religion. But we may not take up the Third sword, which is Mahomet's Sword, or like unto it; That is, to propagate [39] Religion by Warrs, or by Sanguinary Persecutions to force Consciences ”

“ Men feare Death, as Children feare to goe in the darke: And as that Natural Feare in Children is increased with Tales, so is the other. Certainly, the Contemplation of Death, as the wages of sinne, and Passage to another world, is Holy and Religious ”

“ There is no man doth a wrong for the wrong's sake, But therby to purchase himselfe [4] Profit, or Pleasure, or Honour, or the like. Therfore why should I be angry with a Man, for loving himselfe better then mee? And if any Man should doe wrong, meerely [5] out of ill nature, why [6] , yet it is but like the Thorn, or Bryar, which prick and scratch because they can doe no other. The most Tolerable [7] Sort of Revenge is for those wrongs which there is no Law to remedy: But then, let a man take heed the Revenge be such as there is no law to punish ”

“ It is worthy the observing, that there is no passion in the minde of man so weake, but it Mates [6] and Masters the Feare of Death: And therefore Death is no such terrible Enemie, when a man hath so many Attendants about him that can winne the combat of him [7] . Revenge triumphs over Death; Love slights it ”

“ Some of his expressions have obtained currency as quotations among people of education. Even the man in the street can speak of children as 'hostages to fortune,' though he might be puzzled to fix the phrase on its right author. Whatever the subject of discourse, Bacon has an illustration at hand. ”

“ But the Feare of it, as a Tribute due unto Nature, is weake. Yet in Religious Meditations, there is sometimes Mixture of Vanitie and of Superstition. You shal reade, in some of the Friars' Books of Mortification, that a man should thinke with himselfe, what the Paine is, if he have but his Finger's end Pressed or Tortured, And thereby imagine, what the Paines of Death are, when the whole Body is corrupted and dissolved; when [1] many times Death passeth with lesse paine then the Torture of a Limme: For the most vitall parts are not the quickest of Sense. ”

“ Boldnesse; What Second, and Third? Boldnesse. And yet Boldnesse is a Childe of Ignorance and Basenesse, farre inferiour to other Parts. But, neverthelesse, it doth fascinate, and binde hand and foot those that are either shallow in Iudgment or weake in Courage, which are the greatest Part; Yea, and prevaileth with wise men at weake times. Therfore, we see it hath done wonders in Popular [6] States, but with Senates and Princes lesse; And more ever upon the first entrance of Bold Persons into Action then soone after; For Boldnesse is an ill keeper of promise. ”

“ Wives are young Men's Mistresses, Companions for middle Age, and old Men's Nurses: So as [18] a Man may have a Quarrell [19] to marry, when he will. ”

“ So good that he is good for nothing. And one of the Doctors of Italy, Nicholas Macciavel, had the confidence to put in writing, almost in plaine Termes, That the Christian Faith had given up Good Men in prey to those that are Tyrannicall and uniust. ”

“ For as, in the Naturall Body, a Wound or Solution of Continuity [6] is worse then a Corrupt Humor, So in the Spirituall. So that nothing doth so much keepe Men out of the Church, and drive Men out of the Church, as Breach of Unity: And therefore, whensoever it commeth to that passe that one saith, Ecce in Deserto [7] Another saith, Ecce in penetralibus [8] ; That is, when some Men seeke Christ in the Conventicles of Heretikes, and others in an Outward Face of a Church, that voice had need continually to sound in Men s Eares, Nolite exire,—Goe not out. ”

“ That the good things, which belong to Prosperity, are to be wished; but the good things, that belong to Adversity, are to be admired. Bona Rerum Secundarum, Optabilia; Adversarum, Mirabilia. Certainly, if Miracles be the Command over Nature, they appeare most in Adversity. ”

“ For Roughnesse, It is a needlesse cause of Discontent: Severitie breedeth Feare, but Roughnesse breedeth Hate. Even Reproofes from Authoritie ought to be Grave and not Taunting. As for Facilitie [38] , It is worse then Bribery [39] . For Bribes come but now and then; But if Importunitie or Idle Respects [40] lead a Man, he shall never be without. As Salomon saith, To respect Persons is not good; For such a man will transgresse for a peece of Bread. ”

“ For if it checke [13] once with Businesse, it troubleth Men's For tunes, and maketh Men that they can no wayes [14] be true to their owne Ends. I know not how, but Martiall Men are given to Love: I thinke it is but as they are given to Wine, For Perils commonly aske to be paid in Pleasures. There is in Man's Nature a secret Inclination and Motion towards love of others, which, if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread it selfe towards many, and maketh men become Humane and Charitable, As it is seene sometime in Friars. Nuptiall love maketh Mankinde ”