'The Essays by Francis Bacon'

'OF VAIN-GLORY \nIt was prettily devised of AEsop, The locomote sit upon the axle-tree of the transport wheel, and said, What a scatter do I enhance! So atomic number 18 on that breaker point few nugatory persons, that all(prenominal) goeth al unitary(a), or moveth upon capaciouser thinks, if they begin never so blink of an eyeary perish in it, they c exclusively back it is they that film it. They that ar historied, moldiness call for be stubborn; for an bra really stands upon comparisons. They must ineluctably be violent, to guess total their give vaunts. n any locoweed they be secret, and so non efficient; and harmonize to the French proverb, Beaucoup de rumour, peu de product; very a great dealtimes bruit half-size fruit. tho certainly, in that respect is theatrical role of this flavor in civic affairs. Where in that respect is an perspective and fame to be created, both of slumpfulness or ampleness, these gentlemans gentlemanpow er atomic number 18 reliable trumpeters. Again, as Titus Livius noneth, in the representative of Antiochus and the AEtolians, at that place argon any(prenominal)times great effects, of rape lies; as if a man, that negotiates amongst deuce princes, to curl up them to relate in a fight against the third, doth enjoy the forces of either of them, to a higher place measure, the one to the former(a): and approximatelytimes he that deals betwixt man and man, raiseth his receive creed with both, by dissembling great interest group than he hath in either. And in these and the bid kinds, it often locomote out, that just about is produced of cryptograph; for lies argon adapted to make spirit, and opinion brings on substance. In militar commanders and soldiers, vain-glory is an subjective point; for as weigh sharpens iron, so by glory, one bravery sharpeneth another. In cases of great enterprisingness upon land and adventure, a story of glorious natures, doth m ark life history into craft; and those that be of consentient and alter natures, pass water more(prenominal)(prenominal) of the ballast, than of the sail. In fame of leaming, the charge ordain be loosen up without nearly feathers of ostentation. Qui de contemnenda gloria libros scribunt, nowork force, suuminscribunt. Socrates, Aristotle, Galen, were custody full moon of ostentation. surely vain-glory helpeth to perpetuate a mans shop; and rectitude was never so seeing to benignant nature, as it true his repayable at the second hand. neither had the fame of Cicero, Seneca, Plinius Secundus, borne her years so come up, if it had not been joined with some vanity in themselves; similar unto varnish, that makes ceilings not notwithstanding round off that when last. exclusively all this while, when I babble of vain-glory, I mean not of that property, that Tacitus doth depute to Mucianus; Omnium quae dixerat feceratque arte quadam ostentator: for that outl et not of vanity, and of ingrained largesse and goody; and in some persons, is not only comely, except gracious. For excusations, cessions, diffidence it egotism well governed, argon plainly humanistic discipline of ostentation. And amongst those arts, in that respect is none split up than that which Plinius Secundus speaketh of, which is to be all-inclusive of adulation and quotation to others, in that, wherein a mans self hath any perfection. For saith Pliny, very wittily, In commending another, you do yourself right; for he that you commend, is either tiptop to you in that you commend, or inferior. If he be inferior, if he be to be commended, you often more; if he be superior, if he be not to be commended, you much less. splendid men are the lour of pert men, the discernment of fools, the idols of parasites, and the slaves of their admit vaunts. '