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Of Praise
by Francis Bacon |
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Praise is the reflection of virtue; but it is as the glass or
body, which giveth the reflection. If it be from the common people, it
is commonly false and naught; and rather followeth vain persons,
than virtuous. For the common people understand not many excellent
virtues. The lowest virtues draw praise from them; the middle
virtues work in them astonishment or admiration; but of the highest
virtues, they have no sense of perceiving at an. But shows, and
species virtutibus similes, serve best with them. Certainly fame is
like a river, that beareth up things light and swoln, and drowns
things weighty and solid. But if persons of quality and judgment
concur, then it is (as the Scripture saith) nomen bonum instar
unguenti fragrantis. It filleth all round about, and will not easily
away. For the odors of ointments are more durable, than those of
flowers. There be so many false points of praise, that a man may
justly hold it a suspect. Some praises proceed merely of flattery; and
if he be an ordinary flatterer, he will have certain common
attributes, which may serve every man; if he be a cunning flatterer,
he will follow the archflatterer, which is a man's self; and wherein a
man thinketh best of himself, therein the flatterer will uphold him
most: but if he be an impudent flatterer, look wherein a man is
conscious to himself, that he is most defective, and is most out of
countenance in himself, that will the flatterer entitle him to
perforce, spreta conscientia. Some praises come of good wishes and
respects, which is a form due, in civility, to kings and great
persons, laudando praecipere, when by telling men what they are,
they represent to them, what they should be. Some men are praised
maliciously, to their hurt, thereby to stir envy and jealousy
towards them: pessimum genus inimicorum laudantium; insomuch as it was
a proverb, amongst the Grecians, that he that was praised to his hurt,
should have a push rise upon his nose; as we say, that a blister
will rise upon one's tongue, that tells a lie. Certainly moderate
praise, used with opportunity, and not vulgar, is that which doth
the good. Solomon saith, He that praiseth his friend aloud, rising
early, it shall be to him no better than a curse. Too much
magnifying of man or matter, doth irritate contradiction, and
procure envy and scorn. To praise a man's self, cannot be decent,
except it be in rare cases; but to praise a man's office or
profession, he may do it with good grace, and with a kind of
magnanimity. The cardinals of Rome, which are theologues, and
friars, and Schoolmen, have a phrase of notable contempt and scorn
towards civil business: for they call all temporal business of wars,
embassages, judicature, and other employments, sbirrerie, which is
under-sheriffries; as if they were but matters, for under-sheriffs and
catchpoles: though many times those under-sheriffries do more good,
than their high speculations. St. Paul, when he boasts of himself,
he doth oft interlace, I speak like a fool; but speaking of his
calling, he saith, magnificabo apostolatum meum.
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contact: morgan at [email protected] page last modified: thu jan 12 01:37:48 2006 |
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