Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/284

 156 ANALYSIS OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. Deeds. ! 6. They are not to be trusted without a diligent con sideration of their magnitude and nature. Natures and End of Men. . This is the surest key to unlock men s minds. . The weakest men are best interpreted by their na tures ; the wisest by their ends. // is an error frequent for men to shoot over, and to suppose deeper ends, and more compass-reaclits than are.* . Princes are best interpreted by their natures; pri vate persons by their ends. . The variety and predominancy of affections are to be estimated. Reports of Others. . Modes by which our defects and virtues may be estimated from report 233 Of the Knowledge of Ourselves 233 . A man ought to make an exact estimate of his merils and delects : accounting these with the most, and those with the least. Though men look oft in a glass, yet they do suddenly forget themselves. Particular Considerations respecting Self-Knowledge, . The consonance, or dissonance of his constitution and temper with the times. Tiberius was never seen in public. Au gustus l/v/d ever in men s eyes. . The adaptation of his nature to the different pro fessions and courses of life. . The competitors in different professions; that the course may be taken where there is most soli tude As Julius Cxsar did, who at first was an orator or pleader, but when he saw the ex cellency of Cicero, Hortensius, Catulus, and others, fur eloquence, and saw there was no mnn of reputation for the wars but Pompeius, upon whom the state was forced to rely, he forsook his course begun toward a civil and popular greatness, and transfirrtd his designs to a martial greatness. . In the choice of friends to consult similar nature. As we may see in Caspar ,- all whose friends and follower* were men active and effectual, but not fiolemn, or of reputation. . Caution is not being misled by examples. In which error it seemeth Pompey was, of whom Cicero saith, that he was wont often to say, &quot; Sylla potuit, ego non poteru? &quot; The Art of Revealing a Man s Self. ZB From not properly revealing a man s self, the less able man is often esteemed before the more able. . The setting forth virtues, and covering defects is advantageous 234 . Self-setting-forth requires art, lest it turn to arro gance. Neither give thou ..Tsop s cock a gem, who would he bet tor pleased and happier if he had a barley-corn. The exam ples of God teaches the lesson truly : &quot;Hesendeth his rain, nd maketh his sun to shine, upon the just and unjust :&quot; but he dr Bljn equally: common benefits are to be communicated with all, but peculiar benefits with choice. Bacon s Essay Goodness and Goodness of Nature. . The causes of the undervaluing merit. . Sell-obtrusion. . Waste of ability. . Too sudden elation with applause. The Art of Covering D-fects ...... 231 . The art of covering defects is of as much import ance as a dexterous ostentation of virtue. . 234 . Modes of concealing defects. . Caution. . Colour. . Confidence. . A man should not dismantle himself by showing too much dulceness, goodness, and facility of na ture, without sparkles of liberty, spirit, and edge. . The mind should be pliant and obedient to occa sion 235 Nothing is more politic than to make the wheels of our mind concentric and voluble with the wheels if fortune. . Precepts for the architect of his own fortune. . He should not engage in too arduous mat ters 235 Fatis accede deisque. . He should be able to plan and to execute . He should observe a good mediocrity in the declaring or not declaring himself. 235 . He should judge of the proportion or value of things. We shall find the logical part, as I may term it, of some men s minds good, but the mathematical part erroneous, that is, they can we/I judge of consequences, but not of pro portions and comparisons, preferring things of show and sense before things of substance and effect? . He should consider the order in which ob jects should be attained 236 . The mind should be amended. . Wealth and measure should be at tained. 3 . Fame and reputation should be ac quired. Because of the peremptory tides and cur rent* it hath ; which, if they be not taken in their due //.me, are seldom recovered, it being extreme hard to play an after-game of repu tation.* a Men run after the satisfaction of their sottish appetites, foolish as fishes pursuing a rotten worm that covars a deadly hook: or like children with great noise pursuing a bubble rising from a walnut shell. B. J. TAYLOR. Money brings honour, friends, conquest and realms: Therefore, if at great things thoa wouldst arrive, Get riches first, get wealth, and treasure heap. Riches are mine, fortune is in my hand : They whom I favour thrive in wealth amain, While virtue, valour, wisdom, sit in want. To whom, thus Jesus patiently replied : Yet wealth, without these three, is impotent To gain dominion, or to keep it gained. Witness, &c. Bacon says, &quot;God in the first day of creation made no thing but light, allowing one whole day to that work, without creating any material thine therein: so the experiments of light and not of profit should be first investigated.&quot; There are various sentiments similar to this in Slinks peare. &quot;There is a tide in the affairs of men,&quot; &c. So in Antony and Cleopatra. Who seeks and will not take when once tis offered, Shall never find it more. The Advancement of Learning was published in 1605. Sliakspeare died in 1016. There is u copy of the Advance-