goodly furniture of their horses and armour. of these toys. But enough XXXVIII. OF NATURE IN MEN. 2 Nature is often hidden, sometimes overcome, seldom extinguished. Force maketh nature more violent in the return; doctrine and discourse maketh nature less importune;1 but custom only doth alter and subdue nature. He that seeketh victory over his nature, let him not set himself too great nor too small tasks; for the first will make him dejected by often failings, and the second will make him a small proceeder, though by often prevailings. And, at the first, let him practise with helps, as swimmers do with bladders, or rushes; but, after a time, let him practise with disadvantages, as dancers do with thick shoes. For it breeds great perfection if the practice be harder than the use. Where nature is mighty, and therefore the victory hard, the degrees had need be first to stay and arrest nature in time, like to him that would say over the four and twenty letters when he was angry; then to go less in quantity, as if one should, in forbearing wine, come from drinking healths to a draught at a meal; and, lastly, to discontinue altogether. But if a man have the fortitude and resolution to enfranchise himself at once, that is the best: : 4 Optimus ille animi vindex, lædentia pectus 1 Importune] Importunate. 2 Often failings] Frequent failures. Often was anciently much used as an adjective. In Scripture, 1 Tim. v. 23, we have 'thine often infirmities.' 3 Like to him, &c.] See p. 114, note 3. Forbearing] Intending to abstain from. Compare Shakspeare, As You Like It, ii. 7, 'Then, but forbear your food a little while.' See p. 73, note 3. 5 6 Healths] Toasts. Optimus ille, &c.] Ovid, Remed. Amor. 293. He is the best Neither is the ancient rule amiss, to bend nature as a wand to a contrary extreme, whereby to set it right: understanding it where the contrary extreme is no vice. Let not a man force a habit upon himself with a perpetual continuance, but with some intermission. For both the pause reinforceth the new onset; and, if a man that is not perfect be ever in practice, he shall as well practise his errors as his abilities, and induce one habit of both; and there is no means to help this but by seasonable intermissions. But let not a man trust his victory over his nature too far; for nature will lie buried a great time, and yet revive upon the occasion, or temptation. Like as it was with Æsop's damsel, turned from a cat to a woman, who sat very demurely at the board's end, till a mouse ran before her. Therefore, let a man either avoid the occasion altogether, or put himself often to it, that he may be little moved with it. A man's nature is best perceived in privateness, for there is no affectation; in passion, for that putteth a man out of his precepts; and in a new case or experiment, for there custom leaveth him. They are happy men whose natures sort1 with their vocations; otherwise they may say, multum incola fuit anima mea,2 when they converse in those things they do not affect.3 In studies, whatsoever a man commandeth upon himself, let him set hours for it; but whatsoever is agreeable to his nature, let him take no care for any set times, for his thoughts will fly to it of themselves; so as the spaces of other business or studies will suffice. A man's nature runs 3 deliverer of his mind, who has broken the bonds that gall his breast, and at once has rid himself of grief. Sort] Suit; agree. 2 Multum incola, &c.] Psal. cxx. 6, 'My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.' 3 When they converse, &c.] When their occupation or engagement is with those things which they do not like. So as the spaces] So that the intervals. either to herbs or weeds; therefore let him seasonably water the one, and destroy the other. XXXIX. OF CUSTOM AND EDUCATION. Men's thoughts are much according to their inclination ; their discourse and speeches according to their learning and infused opinions; but their deeds are after' as they have been accustomed. And therefore, as Machiavel2 well noteth (though in an evil-favoured3 instance), there is no trusting to the force of nature, nor to the bravery of words, except it be corroborate by custom. His instance is, that for the achieving of a desperate conspiracy, a man should not rest upon the fierceness of any man's nature, or his resolute undertakings, but take such a one as hath had his hands formerly in blood. But Machiavel knew not of a Friar Clement, nor a Ravaillac, nor a Jaureguy, nor a Baltazar Gerard ;5 yet this rule holdeth still, that nature, nor the engagement of words,7 are not so forcible as custom. Only, superstition is now so well advanced, that men of the first blood are as firm as butchers by occupation; and votary 1 After] According. 6 2 Machiavel] See p. 49, note I. The quotation following is from the Discourses on Livy, iii. 6. 3 Evil-favoured] Ill-favoured; ugly. A Friar Clement, nor a Ravaillac] See p. 19, note 5. " Nor a Jaureguy, nor a Baltazar Gerard] The Latin adds Aut Guidone Faulxio. In 1582 John Jaureguy attempted the life of William of Nassau, Prince of Orange. Two years later the Prince was shot by the fanatic Balthazar Gerard, • Holdeth still] Ever holds. ciam. Nor the engagement of words] Lat. Aut promissorum fidem et fero 8 Men of the first blood] The Latin has Prima classis sicarii. Bacon evidently means those who for the first time are men of blood or murderers. resolution' is made equipollent to custom even in matter of blood. In other things, the predominancy of custom is everywhere visible; insomuch as a man would wonder to hear men profess, protest, engage, give great words, and then do just as they have done before: as if they were dead images and engines, moved only by the wheels of custom. We see also the reign or tyranny of custom, what it is. The Indians (I mean the sect of their wise men) lay themselves quietly upon a stack of wood, and so sacrifice themselves by fire: nay, the wives strive to be burned with the corpses of their husbands.3 The lads of Sparta, of ancient time, were wont to be scourged upon the altar of Diana, without so much as queching. I remember, in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's time of England, an Irish rebel condemned put up a petition to the deputy that he might be hanged in a withe, and not in a halter, because it had been so used with former rebels. There be monks in Russia, for penance, that will sit a whole night in a vessel of water, till they be engaged with hard ice. Many examples may be put of the force of custom, both upon mind and body. Therefore, since custom is the principal magistrate of man's 1 4 5 Votary resolution] Resolution consequent upon a solemn vow. 2 The Indians, &c.] He found this in North's Plutarch (Alexander), which says of Calanus, the Indian philosopher, that he laid him down upon the wood-stack, covered his face, nor never stirred hand nor foot, nor quitched when the fire took him, but did sacrifice himself in this sort, as the manner of his country was that the wise men should so sacrifice themselves.' 3 The wives strive, &c.] The suttees in India were formally abolished in 1829, and very few instances of them have occurred since. + Queching] Stirring. See note 2, above. The Latin inaccurately renders it by ejulatu aut gemitu ullo. Spenser wrote quich and quinche. Thus, in the F. Q. V. ix. 33, 'That once he could not move, nor quich at all;' and in the View of the State of Ireland, No part of all that realme shall be able or dare so much as to quinche.' 5 An Irish rebel] He is supposed to refer to Brian O'Rourke, who, however, was executed in 1597, a late year in Elizabeth's reign. M life, let men by all means endeavour to obtain good customs. Certainly custom is most perfect when it beginneth in young years: this we call education, which is, in effect, but an early custom. So we see, in languages the tongue is more pliant to all expressions and sounds, the joints are more supple to all feats of activity and motions, in youth than afterwards; for it is true, that late learners1 cannot so well take the ply,2 except it be in some minds that have not suffered themselves to fix, but have kept themselves open and prepared to receive continual amendment, which is exceeding rare. But if the force of custom simple and separate be great, the force of custom copulate, and conjoined, and collegiate is far greater. For there example teacheth, company comforteth, emulation quickeneth, glory raiseth; so as in such places the force of custom is in his 4 exaltation. Certainly, the great multiplication of virtues upon human nature resteth upon societies well ordained and disciplined. For commonwealths and good governments do nourish virtue grown, but do not much mend the seeds. But the misery is, that the most effectual means are now applied to the ends least to be desired. 1 Late learners] The Lat. version has opsimathes, a Greek term from οψέ late, and μανθάνω to learn. 2 Take the ply] Take the bending; be pliant. An allusion to the training of boughs. So in the Advancement, II., ‘A conceit that they can bring about occasions to their ply.' Comforteth] Fortifies or strengthens. So in the Advancement, II., water 'doth scatter and leese itself in the ground, except it be collected into some receptacle, where it may by union comfort and sustain itself;' and in the History of Henry the Seventh, 'If neighbour princes should patronise and comfort rebels against the law of nations and of leagues.' In Shakspeare, Wint. Tale, ii. 3, Paulina speaks of obsequious counsellors comforting the evils of Leontes, that is, upholding or encouraging his evil conduct. His] Its. See p. 39, note 5. 5 The great multiplication] The Latin adds et (ut chymicorum vocabulo utar) projectio. See p. III, note 3. |