Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/194

 sute, either a rignt of equity, if it be a sufe of controuersie: or a right of desert, if it be a sute of petition. If affection lead a man to fauour the wrong side in justice, let him rather vse his countenance to compound the matter then to carry it. If affection lead a man to fauour the less worthy in desert, let him do it without deprauing or disabling the better deseruer. In sutes a man doth nut well vnderstand, it is good to refer them to some friend of trust and iudgment, that may report whether he may deale in them with honor. Sutors are so distasted with delaies and abuses, that plaine dealing in denying to deale in sutes at first, and reporting the successe barely, and in challenging no more thanks then one hath deserued, is growen not only honorable, hut also gratious. In sutes of fauor the first coming ought to take little place, so far forth consideration may be had of his trust, that if intelligence of the mater could not otherwise haue been had but by him, aduantage be not taken of the note. To be of thevalue of a suit is simplicity, as wel as to be ignorant of the right thereof is want of conscience. Secrecy in sutes is a great mean of obtaining, for voycing them to bee in forwardnesse may discourage some kind of sutors, but doeth quicken and awake otehrs. But tyming of the sutes is the principal, tyming I say not onely in respect of the person that should graunt it, but in respect of those which are like to crosse it. Nothing is thought so easie a request to a great person as his letter, and yet if it be not in a good cause, it is so much out of his reputation.

Riches are for spending, and spending for honour and good actions. Therefore extraordinary expence must bee limited by the worth of the ocasion, for voluntary vndoing may be as well for a mans country as for the kingdome of heauen, but ordinary expence ought to be limited by a man's estate, and gouerned with such regard as it be within his compasse and not subiect to deceite and abuse of seruants, and ordered to the best shew, that the billes may be lesse than the estimation abroad. It is no basenesse for the greatest to discend and looke into their owne estate. Some forbeare it not vpon negligence alone, but doubting to bring themselues into melancholy in respect they shall find it broken. "But wounds cannot bee cured without searching." He that cannot looke into his own estate, had need both chose wel those whom he employed, yea and change them often. For newe are more timerous and lesse subtle. In clearing of a mans estate he may as well hurt himselfe in being too suddaine, as in letting it run on too long, for hasty selling is commonly as disaduantagable as interest. He that hath a state to repaire may not dispise smal things: and comonly it is lesse dishonorable to abridge petty charges then to sloupe to pettye gettinges. A man ought warily to begin charges, which once begunne must continue. But in matters that returne not, he may bee more magnificent.

There is a wisedome in this beyond the rules of physicke. A mans own obseruation what hee findes good of, and what he findes hurt of, is the best Physicke to preserve health. But it is a safer conclusion to say, This aureeth not well with me, therefore I will not continue it, then this, I finde no offence of this, therefore I may vse it. For strength of nature in youth passeth ouer many excesses, which are owing a man till his age. Discerne of the comming on of years, and thinke not to doe the same things still. Beware of any suddaine change in any great point of diet, and if necessity inforce it, fit the rest to it. To be free minded and chearefully disposed at houres of meate, and of sleepe, and of exercise, is the best precept of long lasting. If you fly physicke in health altogether, it will hee too strange to your body when you shall need it. If you make it too familiar it wil work no extraordinary effect when sicknes commeth. Despise no new accident in the body but aske opinion of it. In sicknesse respect health principally, and in health action. For those that put their bodyes to endure in health, may in most sicknesses which are not very sharpe, be cured onely with diet and tendring. Physitians are some of them so pleasing and comfortable to the humours of the patient, as they presse not the true cure of the disease: and some other are so regular in proceeding according to art, for the disease, as they respect not sufficiently the condition of the patient. Take out of a middle temper, or if it may not be found in one man, compound two of both sortes, and forget not to call as well the best acquainted with your body, as the best reputed of for his faculty.

The winning of honor is but the reuealing of a mans vertue and worth without disadvantage, for some in their actions doe affect honour and reputation, which sorte of men are commonly much talked of, but inwardly litle admired: and some darken their vertue in the shew of it, so as they be under-valued in opinion. If a man performe that which hath not heen attempted before, or attempted and giuen ouer or hath been atchiued, but not with so good circumstance, hee shall purchase more honor, then by effecting a matter of greater difficulty or venue, wherin he is but a follower. If a man so temper his actions as in some one of them he do content euery faction or combination of people, the Mvsicke will he the fuller. A man is an ill hushand of his honor that entrelh into any action the failing wherin may disgrace him more, then the carrying of it through can honor him. Discreet followers help much to reputation. Envy which is the canker of honor is best extinguished by declaring a mans selfe in his endes, rather to seeke merite than fame, and by attributing a mans successes rather to deuine prouidence and felicity, then to his vertue or policy.

The true Marshaling of the degrees of Soueraigne Honour are these. In the first place are "Conditores," founders of states. In the second place are "Legislatores," Law-giuers, which are also called second founders, or "Perpetui principes," because they gouern by their ordinances after they are gone. In the third place are Liberatores, such as compounde the long miseries of ciuil wars, or deliver their countries from servitude of strangers or tyrants. In the fourth place are "propapatores," or "propugnatores imperii," such as in honorable wars inlarge their territories, or make Noble defence against inuaders. And in the last place are "Patres patræ," which raigne justly, and make the times good wherein they liue. Degrees of honour in subiectes are first "Participes curarum," those upon whom princes do discharge the greatest weight of their affaires, their Right hands (as we call them). The next are "Duces belli," great leaders, such as are Princes Lieutenantes, and do them notable services in the warres. The third are "Gratiosi," fauorites, such as exceed not this scantling to be solace to the Soveraigne, and harmles to the people And the fourth "Negotys pares," such as have great place vnder Princes, and execute their places with sufficiency.

Many have a newe wisedome indeed, a fond opinion: That for a prince to gouerne his estate, or for a great person to govern his proceedings according to the respects of Factions, is the principall part of policy. Whereas contrariwise, the chiefest wisedome is eyther in ordering these things which are generall, and wherin men of several factions do neuertheless agree, or in dealing with correspondence to particular persons one by one. But I say not that the consideration of Factions is to he neglected Meane men must adheare, but great men that haue strength in themselues were better to maintaine themselves indifferent and neutral, yet euen in beginners to adheare so moderately, as hee be a man of the one faction, which is passablest with the other, commonly giveth best way. The lower and weaker faction is the firmer in conjunction. When one of the factions is extinguished, the remaining subdiuideth, which is good for a second. It is commonly seene, that men once placed, take in with the contrary faction to that by which they enter. The traitor in factions lightly goeth away with it, for when matters have stuck long in hallancing, the winning of some one man casteth them, and he getteth al the thanks.

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 man would draw an aunswere by Letter backe againe, or when it may serue for a mans justification afterwards to produce his owne Letter. To deale in person is good when a mans face breedes regard, as commonly with inferiors. In choyce of instrumentes it is better to chuse men of a playner sort that are like to doe that that is committed to them, and to report backe againe faithfully the successe, then those that are cunning to contriue out of other men's busines somewhat to grace themselues, and will help the matter in reporte for satisfactions sake.

It is better to sounde a person with whom one deales a far off, then to fall vpon the point at first, except you mean to surprise him by some short question. It is better dealing with men in appetite then with those which are where they would be. If a man deale with another vpon conditions, the start or first performance is al, which a man cannot reason ably demaund, except either the nature of the thing be such which must go before, or else a man can perswade the other party that he shal stil need him in some, other thing, or els that he be counted the honester man. All practise is to discouer or to worke: men discouer themselues in trust, in passion, at vnwares, and of necessity, when they would haue somewhat done, and cannot finde an apt pretext. If you would work any man, you must eyther know his nature and fashions, and so lead him; or his endes, and so win him; or his weaknesse or disaduantages, and so awe him, or those that haue interest in him, and so gouerne him. In dealing with cunning persons wee must euer consider their ends to interpret their speeches, and it is good to say little to them, and that which they least looke for.