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Of Goodness & Goodness of Nature
by Francis Bacon |
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I take goodness in this sense, the affecting of the weal of men,
which is that the Grecians call philanthropia; and the word
humanity, (as it is used) is a little too light to express it.
Goodness I call the habit, and goodness of nature, the inclination.
This of all virtues, and dignities of the mind, is the greatest; being
the character of the Deity: and without it, man is a busy,
mischievous, wretched thing; no better than a kind of vermin. Goodness
answers to the theological virtue, charity, and admits no excess,
but error. The desire of power in excess, caused the angels to fall;
the desire of knowledge in excess, caused man to fall: but in
charity there is no excess; neither can angel, nor man, come in danger
by it. The inclination to goodness, is imprinted deeply in the
nature of man; insomuch, that if it issue not towards men, it will
take unto other living creatures; as it is seen in the Turks, a
cruel people, who nevertheless are kind to beasts, and give alms, to
dogs and birds; insomuch, as Busbechius reporteth, a Christian boy, in
Constantinople, had like to have been stoned, for gagging in a
waggishness a long-billed fowl. Errors indeed in this virtue of
goodness, or charity, may be committed. The Italians have an
ungracious proverb, Tanto buon che val niente: so good, that he is
good for nothing. And one of the doctors of Italy, Nicholas Machiavel,
had the confidence to put in writing, almost in plain terms, That
the Christian faith, had given up good men, in prey to those that
are tyrannical and unjust. Which he spake, because indeed there was
never law, or sect, or opinion, did so much magnify goodness, as the
Christian religion doth. Therefore, to avoid the scandal and the
danger both, it is good, to take knowledge of the errors of an habit
so excellent. Seek the good of other men, but be not in bondage to
their faces or fancies; for that is but facility, or softness; which
taketh an honest mind prisoner. Neither give thou AEsop's cock a
gem, who would be better pleased, and happier, if he had had
barley-corn. The example of God, teacheth the lesson truly: He sendeth
his rain, and maketh his sun to shine, upon the just and unjust; but
he doth not rain wealth, nor shine honor and virtues, upon men
equally. Common benefits, are to be communicate with all; but peculiar
benefits, with choice. And beware how in making the portraiture,
thou breakest the pattern. For divinity, maketh the love of
ourselves the pattern; the love of our neighbors, but the portraiture.
Sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor, and follow me: but,
sell not all thou hast, except thou come and follow me; that is,
except thou have a vocation, wherein thou mayest do as much good, with
little means as with great; for otherwise, in feeding the streams,
thou driest the fountain. Neither is there only a habit of goodness,
directed by right reason; but there is in some men, even in nature,
a disposition towards it; as on the other side, there is a natural
malignity. For there be that in their nature do not affect the good of
others. The lighter sort of malignity, turneth but to a crossness,
or frowardness, or aptness to oppose, or difficulties, or the like;
but the deeper sort, to envy and mere mischief. Such men, in other
men's calamities, are, as it were, in season, and are ever on the
loading part: not so good as the dogs, that licked Lazarus' sores; but
like Ries, that are still buzzing upon any thing that is raw;
misanthropi, that make it their practice, to bring men to the bough,
and yet never a tree for the purpose in their gardens, as Timon had.
Such dispositions, are the very errors of human nature; and yet they
are the fittest timber, to make great pontics of; like to knee timber,
that is good for ships, that are ordained to be tossed; but not for
building houses, that shall stand firm. The parts and signs of
goodness, are many. If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers,
it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no
island, cut off from other lands, but a continent, that joins to them.
If he be compassionate towards the afflictions of others, it shows
that his heart is like the noble tree, that is wounded itself, when it
gives the balm. If he easily pardons, and remits offences, it shows
that his mind is planted above injuries; so that he cannot be shot. If
he be thankful for small benefits, it shows that he weighs men's
minds, and not their trash. But above all if he have St. Paul's
perfection, that he would wish to be anathema from Christ, for the
salvation of his brethren, it shows much of a divine nature, and a
kind of conformity with Christ himself.
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contact: morgan at [email protected] page last modified: thu jan 12 01:37:48 2006 |
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