Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/283

 ANALYSIS OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. bad, so gorrrnmi iifx, fur a timi: well grounded, do hear i&amp;gt; it frrorx fn/lniring. . Division of civil knowledge, . Conversatiun for comfort. . Negotiation for use . Government for protection. CONVERSATION 22S . Wisdom of conversation ought not to be too much affected, much less despised. . Of behaviour. The sum of behaviour is to retain a man s own dignity, without intruding upon the liberty of others. Behaviour seemeth to me as a garment of the mind, and to have the conditions of a gar ment. For it ought to be made in fashion / it ought not to be too curious ; it ought to be shaped so as to set forth any good making oj the mind, and hide any deformity, and above all, it ought not to be too strait, or restrained for exercise or motion. . Evils of too much attention to behaviour. . The danger of affectation. . Waste of time. . Waste of mind, and checking aspirings tc higher virtues. . Retarding action. . The knowledge of conversation is not deficient. 229 NEGOTIATION 229 . This knowledge, to the derogation of learning, hath not been collected into writing. Of the three wisdoms which we have set down to pertain to civil life, for wisdom oj behaviour, it is by learned men for the most part dexpiscd, as on inferior to virtue, and an enemy to meditation ; for wisdom of govern ment, they acquit themselves well when they are called to it, but that happeneth to few , but for the wisdom of business, wherein man s life is most conversant, there be no books of it except some few scattered advertisements, thni have no proportion to the magnitude of thL subject. . This knowledge is reducible to precept, illustrate by the proverbs of Solomon 22! . Ancient fables and parables contain informatioi upon this subject 231 . The proper form of writing upon this subject is dis course upon history or examples. . Of discourses upon history of times, and upon lives, and upon letters 23 ENTOFLIFE.. 23 KNOWLEDGE OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF ! . Preliminary observations. . This is the wisdom of pressing a man s own fortune. This is the knowledge &quot; sibi sapere .&quot; snpere is to move from the centre to the circumfer- ence : gilii sapere, from the circumference to the centre. . Many are wise for themselves, yet weak for the public. Like which are ivise creatures for themselves, but very hurtful for the garden 3. Faber quisque fortunre proprise. Livy attribittelh it to Ca/o the first, &quot; in fine viro tanfo vis animi et ingenii inerat, tit quocunque lco nut us esstt,sibi ipse fortu/iam fadurus videretur.&quot; TJie open dtrltirolinn of this if impolitic, being taken and used a.i spurt ( industry, and nut ax xtirrttp* to iiixnh-nry, ruth rr for re solution than for presumption or outward de~ duration, /i/irc litrn ever thought snund and good; and are, no ijui-xtion, im/irinted in the greatest minds, who are so sensible oj this opinion, as they can scarce contain it within. The knowledge of the advancement of life is de ficient 231 . The investigation of this subject concerns learning, both in honour and in substance. Pragmatical men nhnuld not go away with an opinion that learning is like a lark, that can mount, and sing, and please herself, and nothing else, but may know that she holdeth as well of the hawk, that can soar aloft, and can also descend and strike upon the prey. It is the perfect law of inquiry of truth, &quot; that nothing be in the globe of mutter, which should not be likewise in the globe of crystal, or form ,&quot; that is, that there be not tiny thing in being and action, which should not be drawn and collected into contemplation and doctrine. . Learning esteems the architecture of fortune as of an inferior work 232 . This doctrine is reducible to science. . Precepts respecting this knowledge. . The fundamental precept is to acquire knowledge of the particular motives by which those with whom we have to deal are actuated 232 Obtain that window which Momus did re quire; who seeing in the frame of man s heart such angles and recesses, found fault that there was not a window to look info them. . The sinews of wisdom are slowness of belief. . General modes of acquiring a knowledge of others 233 . A general acquaintance with know ing men. . A good mediocrity in liberty of speech and secrecy : indulging rathr r in freedom of speech. . A watchful and serene habit of ob serving when acting. . Modes by which the knowledge of man is acquired. . By their faces. . By words. . By deeds. . By their natures. . By their ends. . By the relations of others. . More trust is to be given to countenances and deeds, than to words 233 The Faces. 2. Much reliance cannot be placed upon the face a 1 rest. . The face in motion cannot deceive a vigilant ob server. It is animi janua. Words. . They are full of flattery 212 . Modes in which words disclose chaiacter. ... 2. 3 . When sudden. vino tnrtus et ira . From affpctions. . From counter simulation.