SHORT NOTES

FOR CIVIL CONVERSATION.

1. TO deceive mens expectations generally (with cautel) argueth a staid mind, and unexpected constancy, viz. in matters of fear, anger, sudden joy or grief, and all things which may affect ot alter the mind in public or sudden accidents, or such like.

2. It is necessary to use a stedfast countenance, not waving with action, as in moving the head or hand too much, which sheweth a fantastical light and fickle operation of the spirit, and consequently like mind as gesture: only it is sufficient, with leisure, to use a modest action in either.

3. In all kinds of speech, either pleasant, grave, severe, or ordinary, it is convenient to speak leisurely, and rather drawingly, than hastily; because hasty speech confounds the memory, and oftentimes (besides unseemliness) drive a man either to a non-plus or unseemly stammering, harping upon that which should follow; whereas a slow speech confirmeth the memory, addeth a conceit of wisdom to the hearers, besides a seemliness of speech and countenance.

4. To desire in discourse, to hold all arguments, is ridiculous, wanting true judgment; for in all. things no man can be exquisite.

5, 6. To have common places to discourse and to want variety, is both tedious to the hearers, and shews a shallowness of conceit; therefore it is good to vary, and suit speeches with the present occasions; and to have a moderation in all our speeches, especially in jesting, of religion, state, great persons, weighty and important business, poverty, or any thing deserving pity.

7. A long continued speech, without a good speech of interlocution, sheweth slowness; and a good reply, without a good set speech, sheweth shallowness and weakness.

8. To use many circumstances, ere you come to matter, is wearisome: and to use none at all, is but blunt.

9. Bashfulness is a great hinderance to a man, both of uttering his conceit, and understanding what is propounded unto him; wherefore, it is good to press himself forwards with discretion, both in speech, and company of the better sort.

Usus promptos facit,

LETTER

TO LORD MOUNTJOYE, ON THE COLOURS OF GOOD AND EVIL.

I SEND you the last part of the best book of Aris

totle of Stagira, who (as your Lordship knoweth) goeth for the best author. But saving the civil respect which is due to a received estimation, the man being a Grecian, and of a hasty wit, having hardly a discerning patience, much less a teaching patience, hath so delivered the matter, as I am glad to do the part of a good house-hen, which without any strangeness will sit upon pheasant's eggs. And yet perchance, some that shall compare my lines with Aristotle's lines, will muse by what art, or rather by what revelation I could draw these conceits out of that place. But I that should know best, do freely acknowledge, that I had my light from him; for where he gave me not matter to perfect, at the least he gave me occasion to invent. Wherein as I do him right, being myself a man that am as free from envying the dead in con, templation, as from envying the living in action or fortune: so yet nevertheless still I say, and I speak it more largely than before, that in perusing the writings of this person so much celebrated, whether it were the impediment of his wit, or that

he did it upon glory and affectation to be subtile, as one that if he had seen his own conceits clearly and perspicuously delivered, perhaps would have been out of love with them himself; or else upon policy, to keep himself close, as one that had been a challenger of all the world, and had raised infinite contradiction. To what cause soever it is to be ascribed, I do not find him to deliver and enwrap himself well of that he seemeth to conceive; nor to be a master of his own knowledge. Neither do I for my part also (though I have brought in a new manner of handling this argument to make it pleasant and lightsome) pretend so to have overcome the nature of the subject; but that the full understanding and use of it will be somewhat dark, and best pleasing the taste of such wits as are patient to stay the digesting and soluting unto themselves of that which is sharp and subtile. Which was the cause, joined with the love and honour which I bare to your Lordship, as the person I know to have many virtues, and an excellent order of them, which moved me to dedicate this writing to your Lordship, after the ancient manner: choosing both a friend, and one to whom I conceived the argument was agreeable.

FRANCIS BACON,

A FRAGMENT.

OF THE

COLOURS OF GOOD AND EVIL.

IN deliberatives, the point is, what is good, and what is evil; and of good, what is greater; and of evil, what is less.

matter.

So that the persuader's labour is, to make things appear good or evil, and that in higher or lower degree, which as it may be performed by true and solid reasons, so it may be represented also by colours, popularities and circumstances, which are of such force, as they sway the ordinary judgment either of a weak man, or of a wise man, not fully and considerately attending and pondering the Besides their power to alter the nature of the subject in appearance, and so to lead to error, they are of no less use to quicken and strengthen the opinions and persuasions which are true; for reasons plainly delivered, and always after one manner, especially with fine and fastidious minds, enter but heavily and dully: whereas if they be varied, and have more life and vigour put into them by these forms and insinuations, they cause a stronger apprehension, and many times suddenly win the mind to a resolution. Lastly, to make a true and safe judgment, nothing can be of greater