The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

20 ESSAYS CIVIL AND MORAL.
in good part. The vices of authority are chiefly part of an orator he answered, action: what
four; delays, corruption, roughness, and facility. next. action: what next againl action. He said
For delays give easy access: keep times appoint- it that knew it best, and had by nature himself no
ed; go through with that which is in hand, and advantage in that he commended. A strange
interlace not business but of necessity. For cor- thing, that that part of an orator which is but su
nlption, do not only bind thine own hands or thy perficial, and rather the virtue of a player, should
servant's hands from taking, but bind the hands be placed so high above those other noble parts of
of suitors also from offering; for integrity used invention, elocution, and the rest; nay almost
doth the one; but integrity professed, and with alone, as if it were all in all. But the reason is
a manifest detestation of bribery, doth the other; plain. There is in human nature generally more
and avoid not only the fault, but the suspicion. of the fool than of the wise; and therefore those
Whosoever is found variable, and changeth mani- faculties by which the foolish part of men's minds
festly without manifest cause, giveth suspicion is taken, are most potent. Wonderful like is the
of corruption; therefore, always when thou chang- case of boldness in civil business; what firstS
est thine opinion or course, profess it plainly, and boldness: what second and third. boldness: And
declare it, together with the reasons that move thee yet boldness is a child of ignorance and baseness,
to change, and do not think to steal it. A sert- far inferior to other parts: but nevertheless, it doth
vant or a favourite, if he be inward, and no other fascinate, and bind hand and foot those that are
apparent cause of esteem, is commonly thought either shallow in judgment or weak in courage,
but a by-way to close corruption. Forroughness, which are the greatest part: yea, and prevaileth
it is a needless cause of discontent; severity with wise men at weak times: therefore we see it
breedeth fear, but roughness breedeth hate. Even hath done wonders in popular states, but with
reproofs from authority ought to be grave, and not senates and princes less; and more, ever upon
taunting. As for facility, it is worse than bribery; the first entrance of bold persons into action
for bribes come but now and then; but if impor- than soon after; for boldness is an ill keeper of
tunity or idle respects lead a man, he shall never promise. Surely as there are mountebanks for
be without; as Solomon saith,,, To respect per- the natural body; so are there mountebanks for
sons is not good, for such a man will transgress the politic body; men that undertake great cures,
for a piece of bread." It is most true that was and perhaps have been lucky in two or three exanciently spoken, ", A place showeth the man; periments, but want the grounds of science, and
and it showeth some to the better and some to therefore cannot hold out: nay, you shall see a
the worse;" "' omnium consensu capax imperii, hbold fellow many times do Mahomet's miracle.
nisi imperasset," saith Tacitus of Galba; but of Mahomet made the people believe that he would
Vespasian he saith, " solus imperantium, Ves- call a hill to him, and from the top of it offer up
pasianus mutatus in melius;" though the one his prayers for the observers of his law. The
was meant of sufficiency, the other of manners people assembled: Mahomet called the hill to
and affection. It is an assured sign of a worthy come to him again and again; and when the hill
and generous spirit,.whom honour amends; for stood still, he was never a whit abashed, but said,
honour is, or should be, the place of virtue; and,c If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet
as in nature things move violently to their place will go to the hill." So these men, when they
and calmly in their place, so virtue in ambition have promised great matters and failed most
is violent, in authority settled and calm. All shamefully, yet (if they have the perfection of
rising to great place is by a winding stair; and boldness) they will but slight it over, and make
if there be factions, it is good to side a man's self a turn and no more ado. Certainly to men of
whilst he is in the rising, and to balance himself great judgment, bold persons are a sport to bewhen he is placed. Use the memory of thy pre- hold; nay, and to the vulgar also boldness hath
decessor fairly and tenderly; for if thou dost not, somewhat of the ridiculous: for if absurdity be
it is a debt will sure be paid when thou art gone. the subject -of laughter, doubt you not but great
If thou have colleagues, respect them; and rather boldness is seldom without some absurdity;
call them when they looked not for it, than exclude especially it is a sport to see when a bold fellow
them when they have reason to look to be called. is out of countenance, for that puts his face into
Be not too sensible or too remembering of thy a most shrunken and wooden posture as needs it
place in conversation and private answers to must; for in bashfulness the spirits do a little go
suitors; but let it rather be said, "6 When he sits and come; but with bold men, upon like occasion,
in place he is another man." they stand at a stay; like a stale at chess, where
it is no mate, but yet the game cannot stir: but
this last were fitter for a satire than for a serious
observation. This is well to be weighed, that
IT is a trivial grammar-school text, but yet boldness is ever blind; for it seeth not dangers
worthy a wise man's consideration. Question and inconveniences: therefore it is ill in counsel,
was asked of Demosthenes what was the chief good in execution; so that the right use of bold