The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

156. ANALYSIS OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING.
Deeds. 31. The causes of the undervaluing merit.
16. They are not to be trusted without a diligent con- 1. Self-obtrusion.
sideration of their magnitude and nature. 2. Waste of ability.
3. Too sudden elation with applause.
Natures and End of Men. The Art of Covering Defects...... 234
17. This is the surest key to unlock men's minds. 32. The art of covering defects is of as much imprt18. The weakest men are best interpreted by their na- ance as a dexterous ostentation of virtue.. 234
tures; the wisest by their ends. 33. Modes of concealing defects.
It is an error frequent for men to shoot 1. Caution.
over, and to suppose deeper ends, and more 2. Colour.
compass-reaches than are.' 3. Confidence.
19. Princes are best interpreted by their natures; pri- 34. A man should not dismantle himself by showing
vate persons by their ends. too much dulceness, goodness, and facility of na20. The variety and predominancy of affections are ture, without sparkles of liberty, spirit, and edge.
to be estimated. 35. The mind should be pliant and obedient to occaReports of Others. sion................................. 235
21. Modes by which our defects and virtues may be Nothing is more politic than to make the
estimated from report.................2..... 233 wheels of our mind concentric and voluble with
the wheels of fortune.
Of the Knowledge of Ourselves..... 233 36. Precepts for the architect of his own fortune.
22. A man ought to make an exact estimate of his 1. He should not engage in too arduous matmerits and defects: accounting these with the ters.....................235
most, and those with the least. Fatis accede deisqle.
Though men look oft in a glass, yet they do 2. He should be able to plan and to execute
suddenly forget themselves. 3. He should observe a good mediocrity in the
declaring or not declaring himself. 235
Particular Considerations respecting Self-Knowledge. 4. He should judge of the proportion or value
23. The consonance, or dissonance of his constitution of things.
and temper with the times. We shall find the logical part, as I may
Tiberius was never seen in public. Au- term it, of some men's minds good, but the
gustus lived ever in men's eyes. mathematical part erroneous; that is, they
24. The adaptation of his nature to the different pro- can welljudge of consequences, but not of professions and courses of life. portions and comparisons, preferring things
25. The competitors in different professions; that the of show and sense before things of substance
course may be taken where there is most soli- and effect.2
tude. 5. He should consider the order in which obAs Julius Caesar did, who at first was an jects should be attained.......... 236
orator or pleader; but when he saw the ex- 1. The mind should be amended.
cellency of Cicero, Hortensius, Catulus, and 2. Wealth and measure should be atothers, for eloquence, and saw there was no tained.3
man of reputation for the wars but Pompeius, 3. Fame and reputation should be acupon whom the state was forced to rely, he quired.
forsook his course begun toward a civil and Because of the peremptory tides and curpopular gleatness, and transferred his designs rents it hath; which, if they be not taken in
to a martial greatness. their due time, are seldom recovered, it being
26. In the choice of friends to consult similar nature. extreme hard to play an after-game of repuAs we may see in Caesar; all whose friends tation.4
and followers were men active and effectual, U Men run after the satisfaction of their sottish appetites,
but not solemn, or of reputation. foolish as fishes pursuing a rotten worm that covers a deadly
27. Caution is not being misled by examples. hook: or like children with great noise pursuing a bubble
In which error it seemeth Pompey was, of rising from a walnut shell. B. J. TAYLOR.
whom Cicero saith, that he was wont often to 3 Money brings honour, friends, conquest and realms:
say, " Sylla potuit, ego non potero." Therefore, if at great things thou wouldst arrive,
Get riches first, get wealth, and treasure heap.The Art of Revealing a Man's Self. Riches are mine, fortune is in my hand:
28. From not properly revealing a man's self, the They whom I favour thrive in wealth amain,
less able man is often esteemed before the more While virtue, valour, wisdom, sit in want.
lessable. manisoftnstemebeortTo whom, thus Jesus patiently replied:
able. Yet wealth, without these three, is impotent
29. The setting forth virtues, and covering defects is To gain dominion, or to keep it gained.
advantageous........................ 234 Witness, &c.
30. Self-setting-forth requires art, lest it turn to arro- Bacon says, "God in the first day of creation made nogance. thing but light, allowing one whole day to that work, without
creating any material thing therein: so the experiments of
I Neither give thou XEsop's cock a gem, who would be bet- light and not of profit should be first investigated."
ter'pleased and happier if he had a barley-corn. The exam- 4 There are various sentiments similar to this in Shaksples of God teaches the lesson truly: "He sendeth his rain, peare. "There is a tide in the affairs of men," &c. So in
and maketh his sun to shine, upon the just and unjust:" but Antony and Cleopatra.
he doth not rain wealth, nor shine honour and virtues upon Who seeks and will not take when once'tis offered,
men equally: common benefits are to be communicated with Shall never find it more.
all, but peculiar benefits with choice.-Bacon's Essay on The Advancement of Learning was published in 1605.
Goodness and Goodness of Nature. Shakspeare died in 1616. There is a copy of the Advance