UG TRB ENGLISH - Unit 2 - Francis Bacon's Of Revenge and Of Studies
FRANCIS BACON
BIO
1561 - 1626
Francis Bacon was the son of Nicolas Bacon, the Lord Keeper of the seal of Elizabeth I.
Studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. College at 12.
Bacon on his tutors " Men of sharp wits, shut up in their cells of a few authors, chiefly Aristotle, their Dictator.
Bacon did not agree with Aristotelianism, Scholasticism and the new Renaissance Humanism.
He is the practitioner of the Scientific method.
Bacon has been called the creator of empiricism. He popularized inductive methodologies for scientific inquiry. His scientific method is also known as the Beconian method.
He was the first Scientist to receive Knighthood in 1603.
He is also known as the creator of Empiricism and Baconian method.
His aim: uncover truth + serve country + serve church
At the age of 23, he entered the House of Commons.
His life progressed when James I became king.
1618 - created Baron Verulam
1621 - Viscount St. Albans
He was once made Lord Chancellor of England.
He was accused of bribery. That led to his downfall.
Alexander Pope praises him as 'the wisest, brightest, meanest of mankind'
He has the spirit of Machiavelli.
Bacon became one of the first prose writers.
Father of Empiricism.
Major Works:
Bacon wrote both in Latin and English.
Latin works : He called his Latin work as Instauratio Magna
De Augmentis Scientiarum (1623)
His English work The Advancement of Learning (1605) is embodied here.
Novam Organon
1620
Philosophical work
It's title is a reference to Aristotle's work Organon
2 parts - On the interpretation of Nature and the Empire of Man and On the interpretation of Nature, or the Reign of Man.
Sylva Sylvarum
1627
Incomplete work
In English Natural History.
English Works:
Of Proficience and Advancement of Learning Divine and Human
1605
Written in the form of a letter to King James.
Essays / Essays : Religious Meditations. Places of Perwasion and Disswasion seen and Allowed
First book published by Francis Bacon
Appeared in three editions.
1597 - 10 essays
1612 - 38 essays
1625 - Essays or Counsels, Civill and Morall 58 essays
The History of Henry VII
1622
Written to please James I of his Tudor ancestry.
Henry VIII and Elizabeth are portrayed nicely.
Apophthegms
1625
New Atlastis
Left unfinished
Modelled upon More's Utopia
He described Solomon's House or the College of the Six Days' Works' anticipates the Royal Society.
Of Revenge
Text lines
REVENGE is a kind of wild justice; which the more man’ s nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. For as for the first wrong, it doth but offend the law; but the revenge of that wrong, putteth the law out of office. Certainly, in taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior; for it is a prince’s part to pardon. And Solomon, I am sure, saith, It is the glory of a man, to pass by an offence. That which is past is gone, and irrevocable; and wise men have enough to do, with things present and to
come; therefore they do but trifle ( a thing of little value or importance) with themselves, that labor in past matters. There is no man doth a wrong, for the wrong’s sake; but thereby to purchase himself profit, or pleasure, or honor, or the like. Therefore why should I be angry with a man, for loving himself better than me? And if any man should do wrong, merely out of ill-nature, why, yet it is but like the thorn or briar, which prick and scratch, because they can do no other. The most tolerable sort of revenge, is for those wrongs which there is no law to remedy; but then let a man take heed, the revenge be such as there is no law to punish; else a man’s enemy is still before hand, and it is two for one. Some, when they take revenge, are desirous, the party should know, whence it cometh. This is the more generous. For the delight seemeth to be, not so much in doing the hurt, as in making the party repent. But base and crafty cowards, are like the arrow that flieth in the dark. Cosmus, duke of Florence, had a desperate saying against perfidious (untrustworthy) or neglecting friends, as if those wrongs were unpardonable; You shall read (saith he) that we are commanded to forgive our enemies; but you never read, that we are commanded to forgive our friends. But yet the spirit of Job was in a better tune: Shall we (saith he) take good at God’s hands, and not be content to take evil also? And so of friends in a proportion. This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge, keeps his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal, and do well. Public revenges are for the most part fortunate; as that for the death of Caesar; for the death of Pertinax; for the death of Henry the Third of France; and many more. But in private revenges, it is not so. Nay rather, vindictive persons live the life of witches; who, as they are mischievous, so end they infortunate.(unpropitious)
Summary:
The act of taking revenge on someone who did a wrong to us can be regarded as an arbitrary form of justice which is not based on common justice.
Man's nature may be revengeful but law tries to weed it out.
When someone does something wrong to someone, that act is against law.
But when the victim takes revenge on their wrong doer, it makes the law powerless.
It is true, when a victim takes revenge, he/she equalises the act of wrong with his/her wrong doer.
But, when a victim decides not to take revenge, he become superior to his wrong doer, like a prince, because it is only the powerful who has the power to forgive.
Like Solomon once said, "It is the glory of a man to pass by an offence". That means, by ignoring a wrong that has been done to him, a man shows his noble side.
Past is past. So, wise man will focus only on present.
If a man out of his selfishness, did a wrong, there is no point in thinking about it.
If a man, did a wrong for wrong sake, he is like a thorn or brair. It is their nature. Others couldn't do anything to improve it.
We could take revenge only in the case, if there is no law to punish the wrong.
But the revenge that we are taking should be of a kind in where no law to punish it.
When taking revenge, we have to let the wrong doer know that we are taking revenge on them.
The pleasure lies not in the revenge but in the act of making the wrong doer know about his wrong doings.
But some cunning, cruel person, like a arrow in the dark, will not reveal their identity while taking revenge.
Cosimo de Medici has the opinion that the wrong or injury done by a friend should never be pardoned.
But Job says, if we are ok with receiving good from friends, we should be also be ok to receive bad from friends.
A man who resort to revenge, does not let his hurt heal.
By history, we could see public revenges, like the assassination of Julius Caesar, for the murder of Pertinax and for the killing of Henry III of France, are fruitful. But private revenges are fruitless.
Speciality of this essay :
Condensation with clarity.
Used quotes from Saloman, Cosimo de Medici and Job.
The Salaman quote is from Proverbs
Cosimo de Medici also known as Cosmus, The Duke of Tuskany
Bible and historical allusions.
Lot of illustration, similes and metaphors
Man of ill nature - thorn
Cowerd - arrow in the dark
Of Studies
Text lines
STUDIES serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment, and disposition of business. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best, from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning, by study; and studies themselves, do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books, else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know, that he doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. Nay, there is no stond or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies; like as diseases of the body, may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man’s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the Schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study 197 the lawyers’ cases. So every defect of the mind, may have a special receipt.
Summary of the Essay:
Bacon says studies can be used for pleasure, for showcasing to others and for adding to one's ability.
The pleasure value of study can be understood when we are alone and studying.
The ornamental value of study can be seen when a person talks in a manner in which others like him.
The ability which study gives to a man is seen in the free flowing of his duties and his act of judging correctly.
But spending too much time studying is lazy.
The one who is showing off his studies a lot in his conversation is simply a man who wants to please others by pretending.
When a scholar acts only by the rules that he has read became eada laughing stock.
Stdies develop a natural ability.
But proper experience is needed to gain the full fruit.
Man's natural abilities are like natural plants which needs proyning regularly.
Experience is needed to make use of the study to the fullest level.
The men of cunning nature do not approve of study.
Common men will admire study.
But only the wise man will make full use of it.
A man should not read a book just to oppose other's views.
And he should not completely believe whatever said in the book without questioning.
He should not just read a book to use it in his conversation.
But a man should read a book to completely understand and think about the points that are given in the book and to consider the value of the book.
Some books can be read in parts. Some books can be read quickly for the sake of completing it. But there are some books which should be given close and through reading.
In the case of some books, a man can appoint a deputy to read and tell the summary of the book to him. But this method should be used with only a small number of books only when there is no other way, because summaries will not give us the contentment of reading a full book.
The act of reading makes a man complete. Conversation makes a man quick witted. If a man takes notes of whatever he is reading, his thinking and his talks will improve.
Different kinds of books give different uses to the readers. History makes a man wise. Poetry makes a man imaginative. Mathematics will make a man precise. Natural philosophy will make a man understand better. Logic will improve the debating power.
So we could cure various mental ailments with the use of studies.
If a man lacks concentration he should study mathematics.
If a man could not find out the differences between things, he should read philosophers of the Middle ages.
If a man lacks the ability to find the main point, he should read the cases n of b Lawyer.
Notes :
Affectation - pretending
Reins - kidney
Riding - puzzle
Distilled books - epitome; summaries
Abeunt studia in mores - studies pass into character.
Cymini Sector - Antonius Pius he divided cumin seed. Also known as 'hair splitters'.
Comments
Post a Comment