The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

26 ESSAYS CIVIL AND MORAL.
orders corrupt into a number of petty observances. one city or town, more or less as the place deservThere is a superstition in avoiding superstition, eth, but not long; nay, when lie stayeth in one
when men think to do best if they go furthest city or town, let him change his lodging from one
from the superstition formerly received; there- end and part of the town to another, which is a great
fore care would be had that (as it fareth in ill adamant of acquaintance; let him sequester himpurgings) the good be not taken away with the self from the company of his countrymen, and diet
bad, which commonly is done when the people is in such places where there is good company of
the reformer. the nation where he travelleth: let him, upon his
removes from one place to another, procure recomXVIII. OF TRAVEL. mendation to some person of quality residing in
the place whither he removeth, that he may use
TRAVEL, in the younger sort, is a part of educa- his favour in those things he desireth to see or
tion; in the elder, a part of experience. He that know: thus he may abridge his travel with much
travelleth into a country, before he hath some en- profit. As for the acquaintance which is to be
trance into the language, goeth to school, and not sought in travel, that which is the most of all proto travel. That young men travel under some fitable, is acquaintance with the secretaries and
tutor, or grave servant, I allow well; so that he be employed men of ambassadors: for so in travelling
such a one that hath the language, and hath been in one country he shall suck the experience of
in the country before; whereby he may be able to many: let him also see and visit eminent persons
tell them what things are worthy to be seen in the in all kinds, which are of great name abroad, that
country where they go, what acquaintances they he may be able to tell how the life agreeth with
are to seek, what exercises or discipline the place the fame; For quarrels, they are with care'and disyieldeth; for else young men shall go hooded, and cretion to be avoided; they are commonly for mislook abroad little. It is a strange thing that, in tresses, healths, place, and words; and let a man
sea voyages, where there is nothing to be seen but beware how he keepeth company with choleric and
sky and sea, men should make diaries; but in land quarrelsome persons, for they will engage him into
travel, wherein so much is to be observed, for the their own quarrels. When a traveller returneth
most part they omit it; as if chance were fitter to home, let him not leave the country where he hath
be registered than observation: let diaries, there- travelled altogether behind him; but maintain a
fore, be brought in use. The things to be seen correspondence by letters with those of his acand observed are, the courts of princes, especially quaintance which are most worth; and let his
when they give audience to ambassadors; the travel appear rather in his discourse than in his
courts of justice, while they sit and hear causes; apparel or gesture; and in his discourse let him be
and so of consistories ecclesiastic; the churches rather advised in his answers, than forward to tell
and monasteries, with the monuments which are stories: and let it appear that he doth not change
therein extant; the walls and fortifications of cities his country manners for those of foreign parts; but
and towns; and so the havensand harbours, anti- only prick in some flowers of that he hath learned
quities and ruins, libraries, colleges, disputations, abroad into the customs of his own country.
and lectures, where any are; shipping and navies;
houses and gardens of state and pleasure, near XIX. OF EMPIRE.
great cities: armories, arsenals, magazines, exchanges, burses, warehouses, exercises of horse- IT is a miserable state of nlind to have few
manship, fencing, training of soldiers, and the things to desire, and many things to fear; and yet
like: comedies, such whereunto the better sort of that commonly is the case of kings, who being at
persons do resort; treasuries of jewels and robes; the highest, want matter of desire, which makes
cabinets and rarities; and, to conclude, whatso- their minds more languishing; and have many reever is memorable in the places where they go: presentations of perils and shadows, which makes
after all which the tutors or servants ought to make their minds the less clear: and this is one reason
diligent inquiry. As for triumphs, masks, feasts, also of that effect which the Scripture speaketh of,
weddings, funerals, capital executions, and such ", That the king's heart is inscrutable:" for miulshows, men need not to be put in mind of them: titude of jealousies, and lack of some predominant
yet are they not to be neglected. If you will have desire, that should marshal and put in order all the
a young man to put his travel into a little room, and rest, maketh any man's heart hard to find or sound.
in short time to gather much, this you must do; first, Hence it comes likewise, that princes many times
as was said, he must have some entrance into the make themselves desires, and set their hearts upon
language before he goeth; then he must have such toys; sometimes upon a building; sometimes
a servant, or tutor, as knoweth the country, as was upon erecting of an order; sometimes upon the
likewise said: let him carry with him also some advancing of a person; sometimes upon obtaincard or book, describing the country where he ing excellence in some art, or feat of the hand; as
travelleth, which will be a good key to his inquiry; Nero for playing on the harp; Domitian for ceret him keep also a diary; let him not stay long in tainty of the hand with the arrow; Commodus for