FRANCIS BACON SAID
(PART FOUR)
1.
The
desire of power in excess caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge in
excess caused man to fall; but in charity there is no excess; neither can angel
or man come in danger by it.
2.
If
a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the
world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a
continent that joins to them. If he be compassionate towards the afflictions of
others, it shows that his heart is like the noble tree that is wounded itself
when it gives them balm.
3.
Common
benefits are to be communicate with all; but peculiar benefits with choice. And
beware how in making the portraiture thou breakest the pattern. For divinity
maketh the love of ourselves the pattern; the love of our neighbours , but the
portraiture. .Sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor and follow me: But
sell not all thou hast, except thou come and follow me; that is, except thou
have a vocation wherein thou mayest do as much good with little means as with
great; for otherwise in feeding the streams thou driest the fountain.
4.
A great
and potent nobility addeth majesty to a
monarch, but diminisheth power; and putteth life and spirit into the people, and presseth their
fortune.
5.
Nobility
of birth commonly abateth industry; and he that is not industrious envieth him
that is. Besides, noble persons cannot go much higher; and he that standeth at
a stay when others rise, can hardly avoid motions of envy.
6.
There
is a limit to suffering, but not to fear.
7.
The cord breaketh at the last by the weakest
pull.
8.
The
causes and motives of seditions are, innovation in religion’ taxes; alteration
of laws and customs; breaking of privileges; general oppression; advancement of
unworthy persons; strangers; dearths; disbanded soldiers; factions grow
desperate; and whoever, in offending people, joineth and knitteth them in a
common cause. The first remedy or prevention is to remove by all means possible
that material cause of sedition, which is, want of poverty in the estate.
9.
Above
all things, good policy is to be used that the treasure and monies in a state
be not gathered into few hands. For otherwise a state may have a great stock,
and yet starve.
10.
Certainly,
the politic and artificial nourishing and entertaining of hopes, and carrying
men from hopes to hopes, is one of the best antidotes against the poison of
discontentments.
********
G.R. Kanwal
28 Occtober 2026
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