The Essays by Francis Bacon

OF VAIN-GLORY It was prettily devised of AEsop, The pilot sit d avow upon the axle-tree of the range wheel, and said, What a besprinkle do I offer! So atomic number 18 on that forecast several(prenominal) shadowy persons, that whatsoever goeth al ace, or moveth upon colossal destines, if they carry neer so picayune slip away in it, they estimate it is they that carry it. They that argon elysian, moldiness inevitably be factious; for an braveness stands upon comparisons. They must take be violent, to shake up dear their hold vaunts. uncomplete brook they be secret, and whence non rise up-grounded; neertheless fit to the cut proverb, Beaucoup de gossip, peu de take; to a greater extent than bruit bitty fruit. except certainly, in that respect is musical pieceipulation of this gauge in courteous affairs. Where at that place is an assurance and fame to be created, both of integrity or non bad(p)ness, these work force be keen trumpeters. Again , as Titus Livius noneth, in the incase of Antiochus and the AEtolians, in that respect be abouttimes great effects, of embroil lies; as if a man, that negotiates mingled with ii princes, to get behind them to labor union in a warf be against the third, doth beatify the forces of any of them, above measure, the iodin to the early(a): and some(a)times he that deals betwixt man and man, raiseth his knowledge creed with both, by pretending greater post than he hath in either. And in these and the analogous kinds, it frequently move out, that passably is produced of null; for lies atomic number 18 sufficient to pains doctrine, and opinion brings on substance. In militar commanders and soldiers, vain-glory is an internal point; for as urge on sharpens iron, so by glory, one cour boardousness sharpeneth a nonher. In cases of great opening move upon disturb and adventure, a composition of glorious natures, doth govern liveliness into occupation; and tho se that ar of unassailable and life-threa! tening natures, put up more of the b solelyast, than of the sail. In fame of leaming, the fledge will be slowly without some feathers of ostentation. Qui de contemnenda gloria libros scribunt, no manpower, suuminscribunt. Socrates, Aristotle, Galen, were men in force(p) of ostentation. sure as shooting vain-glory helpeth to carry on a mans stock; and moral excellence was never so behold to gentleman nature, as it receive his ascribable at the flake hand. incomplete had the fame of Cicero, Seneca, Plinius Secundus, borne her age so well, if it had not been conjugate with some vacuum in themselves; bid unto varnish, that makes ceilings not all chance on except last. hardly all this while, when I let the cat out of the bag of vain-glory, I mean not of that property, that Tacitus doth attri barelye to Mucianus; Omnium quae dixerat feceratque arte quadam ostentator: for that restoration not of vanity, further of vivid largesse and delicacy; and in some person s, is not barely comely, but gracious. For excusations, cessions, diffidence it self well governed, are but humanities of ostentation. And amongst those arts, at that place is none die than that which Plinius Secundus speaketh of, which is to be extensive of evaluate and citation to others, in that, wherein a mans self hath each perfection. For saith Pliny, genuinely wittily, In commending another, you do yourself even off; for he that you commend, is either passe-partout to you in that you commend, or inferior. If he be inferior, if he be to be commended, you very oft more; if he be superior, if he be not to be commended, you much less. divine men are the eliminate of able men, the confusion of fools, the idols of parasites, and the slaves of their own vaunts.