The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

ESSAYS CIVIL AND MORAL. 21
persons is, that they never command in chief, but give it to the poor, and follow me;" but sell not
be seconds and under the direction of others; for all thou hast except thou come and follow me;
in counsel it is good to see dangers, and in execu- that is, except thou have a vocation wherein thou
tion not to see them except they be very great. mayest do as much good with little means as
with great; for otherwise, in feeding the streams,
XIII OF GOODNESS AND GOODNESS thou driest the fountain. Neither is there only
OF NAT'TURIE. a habit of goodness directed by right reason;
but there is in some men, even in nature, a dispoI TAKE goodness in this sense, the affecting of sition towards it; as on the other side, there is a
the weal of men, which is that the Grecians call natural malignity; for there be that in their naPhilanthropia; and the word humanity (as it is ture do not affect the good of others. The lighter
used) is a little too light to express it./ Good- sort of malignity turneth but to a crossness, or
ness I call the habit, and goodness of nature the frowardness, or aptness to oppose, or difficileness,
inclination. I This of all virtues and dignities of or the like; but the deeper sort to envy, and mere
the mind is the greatest, being the character of mischief. Such men in other men's calamities,
the Deity: and without it man is a busy, mischie- are, as it were, in season, and are ever on the loadvous, wretched thing, no better than a kind of ing part: not so good ais the dogs that licked
vermin. Goodness answers to the theological Lazarus' sores, but like flies that are still buzzing
virtue charity, and admits no excess but error. upon any thing that is raw; misanthropi, that
The desire of power in excess caused the angels make it their practice to bring men to the bough,
to fall: the desire of knowledge in e:xcess caused and yet have never a tree for the purpose in their
man to fall: but in charity there is no excess, neither gardens, as Timon had; such dispositions are the
can angel or man come in danger by it. The in- very errors of human nature, and yet they are
clination to goodness is imprinted deeply in the the fittest timber to make great politics of; like
nature of man; insomuch, that if it issue not to- to knee timber, that is good for ships that are orwards men, it will take unto other living crea- dained to be tossed, but not for building houses
tures; as it is seen in the Turks, a cruel people, that shall stand firm. The parts and signs of
who nevertheless are kind to beasts, and give goodness are many. If a man be gracious and
alms to dogs and birds; insomuch, as Busbechius courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of
reporteth, a Christian boy in Constantinople had the world, and that his heart is no island cut off
liked to have been stoned for gagging in a wag- from other lands, but a continent that joins to
gishness a long-billed fowl. Errors indeed, in them: if he be compassionate towards the afflicthis virtue, of goodness or charity, may be com- tions of others, it shows that his heart is like the
mitted. The Italians have an ungracious proverb, noble tree that is wounded itself when it gives the,"Tanto buon che val niente;" ", So good, that balm: if he easily pardons and remits offences, it
he is good for nothing:" and one of the doctors shows that his mind is planted above injuries, so
of Italy, Nicholas Machiavel, had the confidence that he cannot be shot: if he be thankful for small
to put in writing almost in plain terms, ", That the benefits, it shows that he weighs men's minds, and
Christian faith had given up good men in prey to not their trash: but, above all, if he have St.
those that are tyrannical and unjust;" which he Paul's perfection, that he would wish to be an
spake, because, indeed, there was never law or sect anathema from Christ for the salvation of his
or opinion did so much magnify goodness as the brethren, it shows much of a divine nature, and a
Christian religion doth; therefore to avoid the scan- kind of conformity with Christ himself.
dal and the danger both, it is good to take knowledge oftheerrors of anhabitso excellent. Seek XI OF NOBLITY
the good of other men, but be not inbondage to their
faces or fancies; for that is but facility or softness, WE will speak of nobility first as a portion of
which taketh an honest mind prisoner. Neither an estate, then as a condition of particular pergive thou XEsop's cock a gem, who would be better sons. A monarchy where there is no nobility
pleased and happier if he had a barley-corn.* at all, is ever a pure and absolute tyranny, as that
The example of God teacheth the lesson truly; of the Turks; for nobility attempers sovereignty,
"6 He sendeth his rain, and maketh the sun to and draws the eyes of the people somewhat aside
shine upon the just and the unjust;" but he doth from the line royal; but for democracies they
not rain wealth, nor shine honour and virtues upon need it not; and they are commonly more quiet
men equally; common benefits are to be commu- and less subject to sedition, than where there are
nicated with all, butpeculiar benefits with choice. stirps of nobles; for men's eyes are upon the
And beware how in making the portraiture thou business, and not upon the persons; or if upon
breakest the pattern: for divinity maketh the love the persons, it is for the business' sake, as fittest,
of ourselves the pattern; the love of our neigh- and not for flags and pedigree. We see the Switbouts but the portraiture: " Sell all thou hast and zers last well, notwithstanding their diversity of
* See note G, at the end of the Essays. religion and of cantons; for utility is their bond