23. ie. the secret man is often compelled to be a dissembler. He means the same thing a few lines below when he says that 'dissimulations are but the skirts or train of secrecy.'

24.

'will be '-wishes to be.

25. 'cunning'-clever, shrewd, knowing.

26. 'indifferent carriage'-impartial bearing, a demeanour betraying no leaning to either party.

27. 'equivocations or oraculous speeches '-ambiguities; like the ancient oracles, that generaily had two meanings, one of which would seem to come true, whatever the issue might be. Shakespeare, in his Macbeth, gives us the history of a man whose ruin was brought about entirely by these ambiguous speeches, that palter with us in a double sense.' 28. more culpable.' The reader cannot but be painfully impressed with the low moral tone of this essay, a tone for which, doubtless, Bacon himself is in some measure personally responsible, but which belongs especially to the age in which he lived. At that time trickery was considered an essential part of statesmanship, and policy presupposed 'secrecy, dissimulation, and simulation.' This is, perhaps, to be mainly attributed to Machiavelli's work, Del Principe, published in Florence in 1532, five years after Machiavelli's death, in which are expounded the obnoxious principles of policy since designated by the opprobrious name, Machiavellian.

29.

30.

31.

32.

The highest moral eminence to which Bacon attains in this essay is an admission by implication that 'dissimulation is culpable!'

ure-practice. This word, now obsolete, except in the verb inure, has no etymological connection with the word use, though, as here, synonymous with it; but it comes from the French heur (=luck, good fortune), which again probably is derived from the Latin augurium. The word is sometimes used as a verb: 'The French soldiers from their youth have been practised and ured in feats of arms'—SIR J. More. alarum.' From the Italian all'arme, to arms.

'fair retreat '-open road for withdrawal, in case it should be necessary.

'discover-find out. This use of the word is rare in Bacon, who generally uses it (see note 21 above) for disclose; also note 16, Essay V.

33. 'fair'--simply, quietly.

'Fair fall (i.e. quietly rest) the bones that took the pains for me'-King John.

34. freedom of thought.' Instead of criticising the speaker in words, they keep silent, but criticise him all the more severely in their thoughts.

35. 'round'-direct, precise, straightforward. See note 28, Essay I. The figure is evidently borrowed from archery.

36. 'conceits'-thoughts, opinions, conceptions.

37. 'composition and temperature'-using and habit, or combina. tion and blending.

ANALYSIS OF ESSAY VI.

I. Dissimulation is a mark of weakness.

II. Secrecy

1. Exacts confession.

2. Is comely and decent (like clothing).
3. Checks vanity.

4. Prevents betrayal.

III. Dissimulation is often a necessary consequence of secrecy.
IV. Simulation-

1. Is more culpable.

2. When habitual is a real vice.

V. Advantages of simulation and dissimulation:

1. They lay asleep opposition.

2. They secure a man a safe retreat.

3. They help one to find out the mind of another.

VI. Their disadvantages:

1. They prevent promptness in any business.

2. Deprive a man of co-operation.

3. Make trust and belief impossible.

VII.-OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN.
(1612, enlarged 1625.)

THE joys of parents are secret, and so are their griefs and fears; they cannot utter the one, nor they will not1 utter the other. Children sweeten labours, but they make misfortunes more bitter; they increase the cares of life, but they mitigate the remembrance of death. The perpetuity by generation2 is common to beasts; but memory, merit, and noble works, are proper3 to men: and surely a man shall see the noblest works, and foundations have proceeded from childless men, which have sought to express the images of their minds where those of their bodies have failed; so the care of posterity is most in them that have no posterity. They that are the first raisers of their houses are most indulgent towards their children, beholding them as the continuance, not

only of their kind, but of their work; and so both children and creatures.

The difference in affection of parents towards their several children is many times unequal, and sometimes unworthy, especially in the mother; as Solomon saith, 'A wise son rejoiceth the father, but an ungracious son shames the mother." '10 A man shall see, where there is a house full of children, one or two of the eldest respected,11 and the youngest made wantons ;12 but in the midst some that are as it were forgotten, who, many times, nevertheless, prove the best.

The illiberality of parents, in allowance towards their children, is a harmful error, makes them base, acquaints them with shifts, makes them sort with mean company, and makes them surfeit 13 more when they come to plenty: and, therefore, the proof 14 is best when men keep their authority towards their children, but not their purse.

Men have a foolish manner (both parents, and schoolmasters, and servants), in creating and breeding an emulation between brothers during childhood, which many times sorteth 15 to discord when they are men, and disturbeth families. The Italians make little difference between children and nephews, or near kinsfolk; but so they be of the lump, they care not, though they pass not through their own body; and, to say truth, in nature it is much a like matter; insomuch that we see a nephew sometimes resembleth an uncle or a kinsman, more than his own parent, as the blood happens.

Let parents choose betimes 16 the vocations and courses they mean their children should take, for then they are most flexible, and let them not too much apply themselves to the disposition of their children, as thinking they will take best to that which they have most mind to. It is true, that if the affection, or aptness 17 of the children be extraordinary, then it is good not to cross it; but generally the precept is good, 'Optimum elige, suave et facile illud faciet consuetudo.'18

Younger brothers are commonly fortunate, but seldom or never where the elder are disinherited.

NOTES ON ESSAY VII.

1. 'nor they will not.' As a rule in English, two negatives make an affirmative, because the second negative neutralises the first; but here the sentence remains negative and the repetition merely gives emphasis.

'You may deny that you were not the cause'-Richard III.

'He denied you had in him no right'-Comedy of Errors.

2. 'perpetuity by generation'-continuous propagation of animals, their offspring in due course becoming parents themselves. He says that the having children to survive us is merely a part of our animal life and which we possess in common with other animals, but that the true offspring a man should seek to leave behind him is a name worthy to be remembered (memory'), a good character and example ('merit') and deeds, the happy results of which cannot die with him (good works').

3. 'proper'-peculiar, naturally and essentially belonging to one. The word is used in contradistinction to common, just as in grammar proper and common substantives.

4. foundations'-endowments, endowed institutions; such as schools, hospitals, churches. Bacon speaks here with prejudice, being himself a childless man; it is of course only natural that men who have no family cares should have more time and means than others at their disposal to devote to the benefit of posterity, but yet many of the best, greatest, and most permanently influential men the world has known have been fathers of families.

5. 'to express'-to give expression to, to make apparent. 6. so the care of posterity'-thus we see that anxiety to benefit those who shall come after us, etc.

7. 'raisers'-founders.

8. 'kind.

work'-family or kin . . . . and deeds. In the next sentence 'children' corresponds to 'kind,' and 'creatures' to 'work.'

9. 'several'-separate, different. See note 7, Essay VI. 10. Prov. x, II. Bacon refers to this passage again (De Aug

mentis, viii), and explains it to mean, that a wise and prudent son is more valued and appreciated by his father than by his mother, but that when a son proves vicious and wicked the sorrow and shame are felt more by his mother, 'conscious perhaps that she has spoiled and corrupted him by her indulgence.

II. 'respected'—regarded, considered, attended to, not neglected. The word as used here does not involve any notion of reverence, as in our modern usage. So in King Lear Cordelia says:

· Since that respects of fortune are his love,

I shall not be his wife.'

12. 'made wantons'—rendered dissolute through indulgence; become loose and unrestrained.

13.

'surfeit '—become riotous and gluttonous.

14. 'proof'-result.

15. sorteth'-leads to, results in, turns out to be. It comes from the Latin sors, a lot drawn out or shaken out, and is akin to sortie. For Bacon's other use of the verb to sort see a few lines above, and also note 5, Essay VI.

16. 'betimes'-early, literally by times; like beside, i.e. by the side, betwixt, between.

17. 'affection or aptness'-liking or natural ability (for a certain calling).

18. 'Choose what is best, custom will make it easy and pleasant.' This appears to be a saying of Pythagoras_preserved by Plutarch (De Exilio, c. 8). But Bp. Jeremy Taylor, in his Holy Living, quotes as if from Seneca, Elige optimam vitam, consuetudo faciet jucundissimam.'

ANALYSIS OF ESSAY VII.

I. The evils of parentage:

1. Children intensify sorrows and anxieties. 2. They give less opportunity for noble works. II. Faults of parents towards their children : 1. Unequal affection.

2. Illiberality.

3. Encouragement of emulation.

4. Unwise choice of future vocation.

III. 'Younger brothers are commonly fortunate.'

VIII.-OF MARRIAGE AND SINGLE LIFE. (1612, slightly enlarged in 1625.)

HE that hath wife and children hath given hostages1 to Fortune; for they are impediments 2 to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief. Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men, which both in affection and means have married and endowed the public. Yet it were great reason that those that have