Scrinia Ceciliana, mysteries of state & government in letters of the late famous Lord Burghley, and other grand ministers of state, in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, and King James, being a further additional supplement of the Cabala.

A Discourse touching Helps for the Intellectual Powers, by Sir Francis Bacon.

I Did ever hold it for an insolent and unlucky saying, Faber quisque fortunas suas; except it be uttered only as an hortative, or spur, to correct sloth: For otherwise, if it be believed as it soundeth, and that a man entreth into an high imagination that he can compass and fathom all Accidents, and ascribeth all Successes to his drifts and reaches, and the contrary to his errours and sleepings; it is commonly seen, that the Evening fortune of that man is not so prosperous, as of him that, without slacking of his industry, attributeth much to Felicity and Pro∣vidence above him. But if the Sentence were turned to this, Faber quisque ingenii sui, it were somewhat more true, and much more pro∣fitable; because it would teach men to bend themselves to reform those imperfections in themselves, which now they seek but to cover; and to attain those vertues and good parts, which now they seek but to have only in shew and demonstration. Yet, notwithstanding, every man at∣tempteth to be of the first Trade of Carpenters, and few bind them∣selves to the second; whereas, nevertheless, the rising in Fortune seldom amendeth the mind; but, on the other side, the removing of the stones and impediments of the mind, doth often clear the passage and current to a mans Fortune But certain it is, whether it be believed or no, that as the most excellent of Metals, Gold, is of all others the most pli∣ant, and most enduring to be wrought; so of all living and breathing substances, the perfectest, Man, is the most susceptible of help, im∣provement, imprestion, and alteration, and not only in his Body, but in his Mind and spirit; and there again, not only in his Appetite and Af∣fection, but in his powers of Wit and Reason.

For, as to the Body of Man, we find many and strange experiences, how Nature is over-wrought by custom, even in actions that seem of most difficulty, and least possible. As first, in voluntary motion, which though it be termed voluntary, yet the highest degrees of it are not vo∣luntary; for it is in my power and will to run, but to run faster than ac∣cording to my lightness, or disposition of body, is not in my power nor will. We see the industry and practice of Tumblers and Funambulo's, what effects of great wonder it bringeth the body of man unto. So for suffering of pain and dolour, which is thought so contrary to the nature of man, there is much example of Penances, in strict Orders of Superstition, what they do endure; such as may well verifie the report

of the Spartan Boyes, which were wont to be scourged upon the Altar so bitterly, as sometimes they died of it, and yet were never heard to complain. And to pass to those Faculties which are reckoned more in∣voluntary, as long fasting and abstinency, and the contrary extream, vo∣racity; the leaving and forbearing the use of drink for altogether, the enduring vehement cold, and the like; there have not wanted, neither do want, divers examples of strange victories over the body, in every of these. Nay, in respiration, the proof hath been of some, who by continual use of diving and working under the water, have brought themselves to be able to hold their Breath an incredible time; and o∣thers, that have been able, without suffocation, to endure the stifling breath of an Oven or Furnace, so heated, as though it did not scald nor burn, yet it was many degrees too hot for any man, not made to it, to breath or take in: And some Impostors and Counterfeits likewise, have been able to wreath and cast their bodies into strange forms and moti∣ons; yea, and others to bring themselves into Trances and Astonish∣ments. All which Examples do demonstrate, how variously, and to how high points and degrees the body of man may be (as it were) molded and wrought. And if any man conceive, that it is some se∣eret propriety of Nature that hath been in those persons which have at∣tained to those points, and that it is not open for every man to do the like, though he had been put to it; for which cause, such things come but very rarely to pass: It is true, no doubt, that some persons are apter than others; but so, as the more aptness causeth perfection, but the less aptness doth not disable; so that for Example, the more apt Child that is taken to be made a Funambulo, will prove more excellent in his Feats; but the less apt will be Gregarius Funambulo also. And there is small question, but that these abilities would have been more common; and others of like sort not attempted, would likewise have been brought up∣on the Stage, but for two Reasons: The one, because of mens diffi∣dence, in prejudging them as impossibilities; for it holdeth in these things, which the Poet saith, Possunt, quia posse videntur; for no man shall know how much may be done, except he believe much may be done: The other Reason is, because they be but practices base and in∣glorious, and of no great use, and therefore sequestred from reward of value; and on the other side painful, so as the recompence balanceth not with the travel and suffering.

And as to the Will of man, it is that which is most manageable and obedient, as that which admitteth most Medicines to cure and alter it. The most sovereign of all is Religion, which is able to change and trans∣form it in the deepest and most inward inclinations and motions. And

next to this, Opinion and Apprehension, whether it be infused by Tra∣dition and Institution, or wrought in by Disputation and Perswasion. And the third is Example, which transforms the Will of man into the similitude of that which is most observant and familiar towards it. And the fourth is, when one affection is healed and corrected by another. As when Cowardice is remedied by Shame and Dishonour; or Sluggish∣ness and Backwardness by Indignation and Emulation, and so of the like. And lastly, when all these means, or any of them, have new fra∣med or formed humane Will, then doth Custom and Habit corroborate and confirm all the rest: Therefore it is no marvel, though this faculty of the mind (of Will and Election) which inclineth Affection and Appetite, being but the inceptions and rudiments of Will, may be so well governed and managed, because it admitteth access to so divers Re∣medies to be applied to it, and to work upon it. The effects whereof are so many, and so known, as require no enumeration; but generally they do issue, as Medicines do, into kinds of Cures; whereof the one is a just or true Cure, and the other is called Palliation; for either the labour and intention is, to reform the affections really and truly, re∣straining them, if they be too violent, and raising them, if they be too soft and weak, or else it is to cover them; or if occasion be, to pretend them, and represent them. Of the former sort, whereof the Exam∣ples are plentiful in the Schools of Philosophers, and in all other Institu∣tions of Moral Vertue: And of the other sort, the Examples are more plentiful in the Courts of Princes, and in all Politick Traffick; where it is ordinary to find, not only profound dissimulations, and suffocating the affections, that no note or mark appear of them outwardly, but also lively simulations and affectations, carrying the Tokens of Passions which are not; as Risus jussus, and Lachrymae coactae, and the like.

Of Helps of the Intellectual Powers.

The Intellectual Powers have fewer means to work upon them, than the Will, or Body of Man; but the one that prevaileth, that is Exer∣cise, worketh more forcibly in them than in the rest.

The ancient Habit of the Philosophers; Si quis quaerat, in utramque partem, de omni Scibili. * 1.1

The Exercise of Scholars, making Verses ex tempore.

Stans pede in uno.

The Exercise of Lawyers, in Memory Narrative.

The Exercise of Sophists, and Io, ad oppositum, with manifest effect.

Artificial Memory greatly holpen by Exercise.

The Exercise of Buffons, to draw all things to Conceits Ri∣diculous.

The Means that help the Understanding, and faculties thereof, are not Example, (as in the Will, by conversation; and here, the conceit of Imitation, already digested; with the consutation, Obiter, si videbi∣tur, of Tullies Opinion, advising a man to take some one to imitate. Similitude of faces analalysed.)

Arts, Logick, Rhetorick; The Ancients, Aristotle, Plato, Thaestetus, Gorgias, Litigiosus, vel Sophista, Protagoras, Aristotle, Schola sua. Topicks, Elenchs, Rhetoricks, Organon, Cicero, Her∣mogenes.

The Neotericks, Ramus, Agricola, Nil sacri Lullius. His Typocosmia, studying Coopers Dictionary; Matthaeus Collections of proper Words for Metaphors. Agrippa, de Vanitate, &c.

Quaer. If not here, of Imitation.

Collections preparative. Aristotles similitude of a Shooe-makers Shop full of Shooes of all sorts: Demosthenes Exordia Concionum: Tul∣lies Precept of Theses of all sorts preparative.

The relying upon Exercise, with the difference of using and temper∣ing the Instrument: And the similitude of prescribing against the Laws of Nature, and of Estate.

Five Points.

1. That Exercises are to be framed to the life; that is to say, to work Ability in that kind, whereof a man in the course of Action shall have most use.

2. The indirect and oblique Exercises, which do per partes, and per consequentiam, inable these Faculties; which perhaps direct Exercise at first, would but distort. And these have chiefly place, where the Facul∣ty is weak; not per se, but per Accidents: As if want of Memory, grow through lightness of Wit, and want of stayed Attention; than the Mathematicks, or the Law helpeth; because they are things, where∣in if the mind once roam, it cannot recover.

3. Of the Advantages of Exercise; as to dance with heavy Shooes, to march with heavy Armour and Carriage; and the contrary Advan∣tage (in Natures very dull and unapt) of working Alacrity, by fra∣ming an Exercise with some delight or affection.

—Veluti pueris dant Crustula blandi Doctores, Elementa velint ut discere prima.

4. Of the Cautions of Exercise; as to beware, left by evil doing, (as all beginners do weakly) a man grow not, and be inveterate in an ill Habit; and so take not the advantage of Custom in perfection, but in confirming ill. Slubbering on the Lute.

5. The Marshalling and Sequele of Sciences and Practices; Logick and Rhetorick should be used to be read after Poesie, History and Philoso∣phy; first, Exercise to do things well and clean; after, promptly and readily.

The Exercises in the Universities and Schools, are of Memory and Invention, either to speak by heart that which is set down verbatim, or to speak ex tempore; whereas, there is little use in Action of either of both: But most things which we utter, are neither verbally premedi∣tate, nor meerly extemporal; therefore Exercise would be framed to take a little breathing, and to consider of Heads, and then to fit and form the Speech ex tempore. This would be done in two manners, both with Writing in Tables; and without, for in most Actions it is permitted and passable to use the Note; whereunto if a man be not ac∣customed, it will put him out.

There is no use of a Narrative Memory in Academies, viz. with Circumstances of Times, Persons and Places, and with Names; and it is one Art to discourse, and another to relate and describe: And herein use and actionis most conversant.

Also to Sum up and Contract, is a thing in action of very general use.

Notes

• * 1.1

  These that follow. are but indi∣gested Notes.