Essays of Francis Bacon | Page 6

waves of the world. But to speak in a mean. The virtue of prosperity,
is temperance; the virtue of adversity, is fortitude; which in morals is
the more heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old
Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New; which carrieth the
greater benediction, and the clearer revelation of God's favor. Yet even
in the Old Testament, if you listen to David's harp, you shall hear as
many hearse-like airs as carols; and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath

labored more in describing the afflictions of Job, than the felicities of
Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and
adversity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needle-works
and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have a lively work, upon a sad
and solemn ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work, upon a
lightsome ground: judge therefore of the pleasure of the heart, by the
pleasure of the eye. Certainly virtue is like precious odors, most
fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed: for prosperity doth best
discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.

Of Simulation AND DISSIMULATION

DISSIMULATION is but a faint kind of policy, or wisdom; for it
asketh a strong wit, and a strong heart, to know when to tell truth, and
to do it. Therefore it is the weaker sort of politics, that are the great
dissemblers.
Tacitus saith, Livia sorted well with the arts of her husband, and
dissimulation of her son; attributing arts or policy to Augustus, and
dissimulation to Tiberius. And again, when Mucianus encourageth
Vespasian, to take arms against Vitellius, he saith, We rise not against
the piercing judgment of Augustus, nor the extreme caution or
closeness of Tiberius. These properties, of arts or policy, and
dissimulation or closeness, are indeed habits and faculties several, and
to be distinguished. For if a man have that penetration of judgment, as
he can discern what things are to be laid open, and what to be secreted,
and what to be showed at half lights, and to whom and when (which
indeed are arts of state, and arts of life, as Tacitus well calleth them), to
him, a habit of dissimulation is a hinderance and a poorness. But if a
man cannot obtain to that judgment, then it is left to bim generally, to
be close, and a dissembler. For where a man cannot choose, or vary in
particulars, there it is good to take the safest, and wariest way, in
general; like the going softly, by one that cannot well see. Certainly the
ablest men that ever were, have had all an openness, and frankness, of
dealing; and a name of certainty and veracity; but then they were like

horses well managed; for they could tell passing well, when to stop or
turn; and at such times, when they thought the case indeed required
dissimulation, if then they used it, it came to pass that the former
opinion, spread abroad, of their good faith and clearness of dealing,
made them almost invisible.
There be three degrees of this hiding and veiling of a man's self. The
first, closeness, reservation, and secrecy; when a man leaveth himself
without observation, or without hold to be taken, what he is. The
second, dissimulation, in the negative; when a man lets fall signs and
arguments, that he is not, that he is. And the third, simulation, in the
affirmative; when a man industriously and expressly feigns and
pretends to be, that he is not.
For the first of these, secrecy; it is indeed the virtue of a confessor. And
assuredly, the secret man heareth many confessions. For who will open
himself, to a blab or a babbler? But if a man be thought secret, it
inviteth discovery; as the more close air sucketh in the more open; and
as in confession, the revealing is not for worldly use, but for the ease of
a man's heart, so secret men come to the knowledge of many things in
that kind; while men rather discharge their minds, than impart their
minds. In few words, mysteries are due to secrecy. Besides (to say truth)
nakedness is uncomely, as well in mind as body; and it addeth no small
reverence, to men's manners and actions, if they be not altogether open.
As for talkers and futile persons, they are commonly vain and
credulous withal. For he that talketh what he knoweth, will also talk
what he knoweth not. Therefore set it down, that an habit of secrecy, is
both politic and moral. And in this part, it is good that a man's face give
his tongue leave to speak. For the discovery of a man' s self, by the
tracts of his countenance, is a great weakness and