The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

COLOURS OF GOOD AND EVIL. 73
what they deceive: which as it cannot be done, May. Sometimes because the nature of some
but out of a very universal knowledge of the na- kinds is to be more equal, and more indifferent, and
ture of things, so being performed, it so cleareth not to have very distant degrees, as hath been
man's judgment and election, as it is the less apt noted in the warmer climates, the people are
to slide into any error. generally more wise, but in the northern climates
the wits of chief are greater. So in many armies,
if the matter should be tried by duel between two
champions, the victory should go on the one side,
A Table of the Colours or Appearances of Good and yet if it be tried by the gross, it would go on
and Evil, and their degrees, as places of persua- the other side; for excellencies go as it were by
sion and dissuasion, and their several fallacies chance, but kinds go by a more certain nature, as
and the elenches of them.
by discipline in war.
I. Lastly many kinds have much refuse, which
"Cui catere partes vel sectm secundas unanimiter deferunt, countervail that which they have excellent, and
cum singalre principatum sibi vindicent, melior reliquis therefore generally metal is more precious than
videtur. Nam primas quoeque ex zelo videtur sumere, stone
secundas autem ex vero et merito tribuere."*; and yet a diamond is more precious than
So Cicero went about to prove the sect of Aca- gold.
demics, which suspended all asseveration, for to be III.
the best: for, saith he, ask a Stoic which philo-,, Quod ad veritatem refertur majus est quam quod ad opinisophy is true, be will prefer his own. Then ask onem. Modus auterm et probatio ejus quod ad opinionem
pertinet haec est, quod quis si clam putaret fore facturus
him which approacheth next the truth, he will nonesset."t
confess the Academics. So deal with the Epi- So the Epicures say of the Stoics felicity placed
cure, that will scant endure the Stoic to be in sight in virtue; that it is like the felicity of a player,
of him, so soon as he hath placed himself, he will who if he were left of his auditory and their applace the Academics next him. plause, he would straight be out of heart and counSo if a prince took divers competitors to a place, tenance, and therefore they call virtue," bonum
and examined them severally, whom next them- theatrale." But of riches the poet saith;
selves they would rarest commend, it were like "Populus me sibilat,
the ablest man should have the most second voices. At mihi plaudo."
The fallax of this colour happeneth oft in respect "AGrata sub imo
of envy, for men are accustomed after themselves Gaudia corde premens, vultu simulante pudorem."
and their own faction, to incline unto them which The fallax of this colour is somewhat subtile,
are softest, and are least in their way, in despite though the answer to the example be ready, for
and derogation of them, that hold them hardest to virtue is not chosen "propter auram popularem."
it. So that this colour of meliority and pre-emi- But contrariwise, -maxime omnium teipsum revenence is a sign of enervation and weakness. rere," so as a virtuous man will be virtuous in
4" solitudine," and not only in " theatro," thouogh
II. percase it will be more strong by glory and fame,
" Cujus excellentia vel exsuperantia melior, id toto genere as an heat which is doubled by reflection; but
APPERTAINING to this are the forms: " Let us that denieth the supposition, it doth not reprehend
not wander in generalities: Let us compare pr the fallax, whereof the reprehension is: Allow
not wander in generalities: Let us com partithat virtue, (such as is joined with labour and
cular with particular," &c. This appearance, irtue, (such as is joined with labour and
though it seem of strength, and rather logical than conflict,) would not be chosen but for fame and
rhetorical yet is very oft a fallax. opinion, yet it followeth not, that the chief motive
Sometime because some things are in kind very of the election should not be real and for itself, for
casual, which if they escape, prove excellent, so fame may be only " causa impulsiva," and not
that the kind is inferior, because it is so subject "causa constituens, or efficiens." As if there
to peril, but that which is excellent being proved were two horses, and the one would do better withis superior, as the blossom of March and the out the spur than the other: but again, the other
blossom of May, whereof the French verse goeth: with the spur would far exceed the doing of the,, Burgeon de Mars, enfans de Paris,
"nBurgeon de Mars, enfans de Paris, former, giving him the spur also: yet the latter will
Si un eschape, ii en vaut dix." be judged to be the better horse. And the form as
So that the blossom of May is generally better to say, "' Tush, the life of this horse is but in the
than the blossom of March, and yet the best blos- spur," will not serve as to a wise judgment; for
sorn of March is better than the best blossom of since the ordinary instrument of horsemanship is
* "Since all parties or sects challenge the pre-eminence the spur, and that it is no manner of impediment,
of the first place to themselves, that to which all the rest nor burden, the horse is not to be accounted the
with one consent give the second place, seems to be better
than the others: for every one seems to take the first place f "That which hath a relation to truth is greater than that
out of self-zeal but to give the second where it is really due." which refers to opinion: but the measure and trial of that
- "That kind is altogether best, whose excellence or pre- which belongs to opinion is this: It is tlht which a man
eminence is best." would not do, if he thought it would not be know"
VoI'. 1.-10 G