XXXIX. OF CUSTOM AND EDUCATION (1612. Enlarged, 1625) 1382. inclination. Individual temper or disposition. 138:3. infused opinions. Those received from sources other than their own 'inclinations.' 138:4. after as. According as. 138:5. Machiavel. See note on page 18, line 24. 138:6. evil-favoured. Of ugly countenance. Machiavel's remark has reference to the choice of knaves, and is therefore sinister. See below. 138: 7. bravery. Boastfulness. 138: 8. corroborate. Strengthened. 138:13. friar Clement. Jacques Clément, 1565-1589. He was a French monk who assassinated Henry III. of France, August 1, 1589. He himself was immediately killed, and became one of the 'martyrs' of the church (1578-1610). 138:14. Ravaillac. François Ravaillac assassinated Henry IV. of France May 14, 1610. Jáureguy. He attempted to kill William the Silent, Prince of Orange, 1582. Baltazar Gerard. Assassinated William the Silent in 1584. All four of these miscreants were contemporaries of Bacon. 138: 18. first blood. First experience in murder. 138: 19. votary. Determined by a vow. equipollent. Possessing equal power; equivalent. 138:27. the sect, etc. The Gymnosophists, an ancient sect of Hindus who devoted themselves to contemplation, and lived an ascetic hermit life. 1396. queching. Flinching. 139:13. engaged. Enclosed; bound. 139:24. take the ply. Incline in the desired direction Compare Pope's Moral Essays, Epistle I, lines 149, 150: — ""Tis education forms the common mind: Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined." 140: 2. comforteth. Strengthens. 140:4. exaltation. Zenith. The term 'exaltation' in astrology signified that the planet concerned was exercising its most powerful influence. 140: 10. ends. Bacon disliked to observe the growing temporal power of the Roman Catholic Church. XL. OF FORTUNE (1612. Slightly enlarged, 1625) 140:14. Faber," etc. Every man the builder of his own fortune.' 140:15. the poet. Bacon attributed the origin of the phrase to Plautus. 140: 18. 66 Serpens," etc. 'In order to become a dragon a serpent must devour a serpent.' 140:20. apparent. Conspicuous. 140:22. deliveries. Ways of preventing unfortunate lapses; or, means of rescuing one's self from weak or false positions. 140:24. desemboltura. Abbott explains this term as "(1) A turning of one's self inside out; (2) shamelessness; (3) facility of speaking." 140:25. stonds. Stands; hindrances. 141:1. Livy. Titus Livius, B.C. 59-A.D. 17; born at Patavium. He was a great Roman historian. 1412. Cato Major. In his De Senectute or Cato Major, Cicero wrote in praise of old age in the person of Cato the censor. "In illo viro," etc. In this great man there was such vigour of body and of mind, that wheresoever he had been born, it seemed certain that he would have made his for'tune.' 141: 5. versatile ingenium. A versatile nature.' 141: 16. "poco di matto." 'A little of the fool.' 141: 24. remover. Unstable man. 141:25. exercised. Experienced; thoroughly known. 142: 1. decline the envy. Discourage the restless criticism. 142:5. Cæsar. See note on page 91, line 19. 142:6.Cæsarem portas," etc. 'You carry Cæsar and his fortune.' 142:7. Sylla. See note on page 91, line 11. felix. Fortunate.' magnus. 'Great.' : 142 10. Timotheus. An Athenian leader who died about B.C. 354. North's translation of Plutarch's Lives tells us that Timotheus spoke as follows: “ My Lords of Athens, Fortune hath had no part in all this which I have told unto you. Hereupon the gods, it should seeme, were so angry with this foolish ambition of Timotheus that he never afterwards did any worthy thing; but all went utterly against the haire with him; until at the length he came to be so hated of the people that in the end they banished him from Athens. But Sylla, to the contrary, did not only patiently abide their words that said he was a happy man and singularly beloved of Fortune, but also increasing this opinion and glorying as at a special grace of the gods, did attribute the honour of his doings unto Fortune, either for a vain glory, or for that he had in fancy that the gods did prosper him in all his doings." 142:15. Homer's. See note on page 127, line 6. 142:17. Plutarch. See note on page 57, line 24. : 142 18. Timoleon's. Timoleon was a famous Greek general and statesman. He died about B.C. 336. Agesilaus. See note on page 26, line 5. 142:19. Epaminondas. B.c. 418–362. A Theban statesman and military leader. 142:20. it is much in a man's self. Depends chiefly on the individual. Compare above: "But chiefly the mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands." This is the cardinal proposition of the essay. XLI. OF USURY (1625) The question of lending money at interest was a vexed one in Bacon's day, owing to the rapacity of the lenders and the high rates exacted. Indeed, it had long been an open question whether any rate whatever was ethical. Human sympathy has been generally on the side of the debtor, and there are many passages of literature, Biblical and post-Biblical, that present and condemn the character of the professional usurer as a preyer upon his neighbour's distresses. The restrictions and methods that govern commercial loanings and borrowings today are comparatively modern, and although Bacon appreciated the industrial necessity of'usury', he is here working his way but slowly toward a sound economic basis therefor. 142:21. usury. Lending money at interest. 142:23. tithe. Or tenth part, set apart by the Mosaic code as each man's reasonable offering to God. Ten per cent. was the legal rate of interest under Henry VIII and Elizabeth. During Victoria's reign the law ceased to take cognizance of rates. In the United States the legal rate varies from five per cent., in Illinois, Louisiana, and Michigan, to ten per cent. in Idaho and Montana, but a number of states allow any rate specifically agreed upon by contract. 142:24. his plough, etc. Compare Essay XXXIV, page 125, lines 13-16. 142:25. Virgil. See note on page 102, line 4. 142:27. "Ignavum," etc. 'They drive the drones, an idle crowd, from the hives.' Georgics, IV, 1, 168. 143: 2. "In sudore," etc. thou eat thy bread.' 143: 3. "In sudore," etc. 'In the sweat of thy brow shalt 'In the sweat of another's brow.' 143:5. orange-tawny. The Jews were required by law to wear 'yellow bonnets.' judaize. Imitate the usurious hab its of the Jews. 143: 7. concessum," etc. the hardness of men's hearts.' 'A thing granted because of 148:11. suspicious. questionable. The early banks were not fortunate or popular. 143:12. discovery of men's estates. The examination of men's incomes and sources of revenue in order to ascertain their relations as lenders or borrowers, and to control those relations. 143:14. incommodities. inconveniences. 143: 23. vena porta. Gate vein. See note on page 67, line 30. 143:25. sit. Be settled. 143: 29. customs. Revenues through taxation. 144: 8. purchasing. Acquiring landed estates. Compare Chaucer's Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, line 320: "His purchasyng myghte nat been infect." 144:26. gnaw. Compare Bacon's letter to Conway, 1623, concerning usury: "... how to grind the teeth of it, and yet to make it grind to his Majesty's mill in good sort, without discontent and perturbation." 144:29. take pawns without use. Receive security without also requiring interest. 145:10. Utopia. The title of a book written by Sir Thomas More and published in 1516. The word Utopia' means |