Textpedia
francis bacon

The Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall

First published 1625 · the 1625 edition
begin readingcite

contents

dedication
To the Duke of Buckingham
Salomon saies; A good Name is as a precious oyntment; And I assure my selfe, such wil your Graces Name bee, with Posteritie. For your…
i
Of Truth
What is Truth; said jesting Pilate; And would not stay for an Answer. Certainly there be, that delight in Giddinesse; And count it a…
ii
Of Death
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.…
iii
Of Unity in Religion
Religion being the chiefe Band of humane Society, it is a happy thing, when it selfe, is well contained, within the true Band of Unity. The…
iv
Of Revenge
Revenge is a kinde of Wilde Justice; which the more Mans Nature runs to, the more ought Law to weed it out. For as for the first Wrong, it…
v
Of Adversitie
It was an high speech of Seneca, (after the manner of the Stoickes) That the good things, which belong to Prosperity, are to be wished; but…
vi
Of Simulation And Dissimulation
Dissimulation is but a faint kind of Policy, or Wisdome; For it asketh a strong Wit, and a strong Heart, to know, when to tell Truth, and…
vii
Of Parents and Children
The Joyes of Parents are Secret; And so are their Griefes, and Feares: They cannot utter the one; Nor they will not utter the other.…
viii
Of Marriage And Single Life
He that hath Wife and Children, hath given Hostages to Fortune; For they are Impediments, to great Enterprises, either of Vertue, or…
ix
Of Envy
There be none of the Affections, which have beene noted to fascinate, or bewitch, but Love, and Envy. They both have vehement wishes; They…
x
Of Love
The Stage is more beholding to Love, then the Life of Man. For as to the Stage, Love is ever matter of Comedies, and now and then of…
xi
Of Great Place
Men in Great Place, are thrice Servants: Servants of the Soveraigne or State; Servants of Fame; and Servants of Businesse. So as they have…
xii
Of Boldnesse
It is a triviall Grammar Schoole Text, but yet worthy a wise Mans Consideration. Question was asked of Demosthenes; What was the Chiefe…
xiii
Of Goodnesse And Goodnesse of Nature
I Take Goodnesse in this Sense, the affecting of the Weale of Men, which is that the Grecians call Philanthropia; And the word Humanitie…
xiv
Of Nobility
We will speake of Nobility, first as a Portion of an Estate; Then as a Condition of Particular Persons. A Monarchy, where there is no…
xv
Of Seditions And Troubles
Shepheards of People, had need know the Kalenders of Tempests in State; which are commonly greatest, when Things grow to Equality; As…
xvi
Of Atheisme
I HAD rather beleeve all the Fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, then that this universall Frame, is without a Minde.…
xvii
Of Superstition
It were better to have no Opinion of God at all; then such an Opinion, as is unworthy of him: For the one is Unbeleefe, the other is…
xviii
Of Travaile
Travaile, in the younger Sort, is a Part of Education; In the Elder, a Part of Experience. He that travaileth into a Country, before he…
xix
Of Empire
It is a miserable State of Minde, to have few Things to desire, and many Things to feare: And yet that commonly is the Case of Kings; Who…
xx
Of Counsell
The greatest Trust, betweene Man and Man, is the Trust of Giving Counsell. For in other Confidences, Men commit the parts of life; Their…
xxi
Of Delayes
Fortune is like the Market; Where many times, if you can stay a little, the Price will fall. And againe, it is sometimes like Sybilla's…
xxii
Of Cunning
We take Cunning for a Sinister or Crooked Wisedome. And certainly, there is great difference, between a Cunning Man, and a Wise Man; Not…
xxiii
Of Wisedome for a Mans selfe
An Ant is a wise Creature for it Selfe; But it is a shrewd Thing, in an Orchard, or Garden. And certainly, Men that are great Lovers of…
xxiv
Of Innovations
As the Births of Living Creatures, at first, are ill shapen: So are all Innovations, which are the Births of Time. Yet notwithstanding, as…
xxv
Of Dispatch
Afected Dispatch, is one of the most dangerous things to Businesse that can be. It is like that, which the Physicians call Predigestion, or…
xxvi
Of Seeming wise
It hath been an Opinion, that the French are wiser then they seeme; And the Spaniards seeme wiser then they are. But howsoever it be…
xxvii
Of Frendship
It had beene hard for him that spake it, to have put more Truth and untruth together, in few Words, then in that Speech; Whosoever is…
xxviii
Of Expence
Riches are for Spending; And Spending for Honour and good Actions. Therefore Extraordinary Expence must be limitted by the Worth of the…
xxix
Of the true Greatnesse of Kingdomes and Estates
The Speech of Themistocles the Athenian, which was Haughtie and Arrogant, in taking so much to Himselfe, had been a Grave and Wise…
xxx
Of Regiment of Health
There is a wisdome in this, beyond the Rules of Physicke: A Mans owne Observation, what he findes Good of, and what he findes Hurt of, is…
xxxi
Of Suspicion
Suspicions amongst Thoughts, are like Bats amongst Birds, they ever fly by Twight. Certainly, they are to be repressed, or, at the least,…
xxxii
Of Discourse
Some in their Discourse, desire rather Commendation of Wit, in being able to hold all Arguments, then of Judgment, in discerning what is…
xxxiii
Of Plantations
Plantations are amongst Ancient, Primitive, and Heroicall Workes. When the World was young, it begate more Children; But now it is old, it…
xxxiv
Of Riches
I Cannot call Riches better, then the Baggage of Vertue. The Roman Word is better, Impedimenta. For as the Baggage is to an Army, so is…
xxxv
Of Prophecies
I Meane not to speake of Divine Prophecies; Nor of Heathen Oracles; Nor of Naturall Predictions; But only of Prophecies, that have beene of…
xxxvi
Of Ambition
Ambition is like Choler; Which is an Humour, that maketh Men Active, Earnest, Full of Alacritie, and Stirring, if it be not stopped. But if…
xxxvii
Of Masques and Triumphs
These Things are but Toyes, to come amongst such Serious Observations. But yet, since Princes will have such Things, it is better, they…
xxxviii
Of Nature in Men
Nature is Often Hidden; Sometimes Overcome; Seldome Extinguished. Force maketh Nature more violent in the Returne: Doctrine and Discourse…
xxxix
Of Custome and Education
Mens Thoughts are much according to their Inclination: Their Discourse and Speeches according to their Learning, and Infused Opinions; But…
xl
Of Fortune
It cannot be denied, but Outward Accidents cō duce much to Fortune: Favour, Opportunitie, Death of Others, Occasion fitting Vertue. But…
xli
Of Usurie
Many have made Wittie Invectives against Usurie. They say, that it is Pitie, the Devill should have Gods part, which is the Tithe. That the…
xlii
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…
xliii
Of Beauty
Vertue is like a Rich Stone, best plaine set: And surely Vertue is best in a Body, that is comely, though not of Delicate Features: And…
xliv
Of Deformity
Deformed Persons are commonly even with Nature: For as Nature hath done ill by them; So doe they by Nature: Being for the most part, (as…
xlv
Of Building
Houses are built to Live in, and not to Looke on: Therefore let Use bee preferred before Uniformitie; Except where both may be had. Leave…
xlvi
Of Gardens
God Almightie first Planted a Garden. And indeed, it is the Purest of Humane pleasure. It is the Greatest Refreshment to the Spirits of…
xlvii
Of Negociating
It is generally better to deale by Speech, then by Letter; And by the Mediation of a Third, then by a Mans Selfe. Letters are good, when a…
xlviii
Of Followers and Frends
Costly Followers are not to be liked; Lest while a Man maketh his Traine Longer, hee make his Wings Shorter. I reckon to bee Costly, not…
xlix
Of Sutours
Many ill Matters and Projects are undertaken; And Private Sutes doe Putrifie the Publique Good. Many Good Matters are undertaken with Bad…
l
Of Studies
Studies serve for Delight, for Ornament, and for Ability. Their Chiefe Use for Delight, is in Privatenesse and Retiring; For Ornament, is…
li
Of Faction
Many have an Opinion not wise; That for a Prince to Governe his Estate; Or for a Great Person to governe his Proceedings, according to the…
lii
Of Ceremonies and Respects
He that is only Reall, had need have Exceeding great Parts of Vertue: As the Stone had need to be Rich, that is set without Foile. But if a…
liii
Of Praise
Praise is the Reflection of Vertue. But it is as the Glasse or Bodie, which giveth the Reflection. If it be from the Common People, it is…
liv
Of Vaine-Glory
It was prettily Devised of Æsope; The Fly sate upon the Axle-tree of the Chariot wheele, and said, What a Dust doe I raise? So are there…
lv
Of Honour and Reputation
The Winning of Honour, is but the Revealing of a Mans Vertue and Worth, without Disadvantage. For some in their Actions, doe Wooe and…
lvi
Of Judicature
Iudges ought to remember, that their Office is Jus dicere, and not Jus dare; To Interpret Law, and not to Make Law, or Give Law. Else will…
lvii
Of Anger
To seeke to extinguish Anger utterly, is but a Bravery of the Stoickes. We have better Oracles: Be Angry, but Sinne not. Let not the Sunne…
lviii
Of Vicissitude of Things
Salomon saith; There is no New Thing upon the Earth. So that as Plato had an Imagination; That all Knowledge was but Remembrance: So…