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Of Suitors
by Francis Bacon |
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Many ill matters and projects are undertaken; and private suits do
putrefy the public good. Many good matters, are undertaken with bad
minds; I mean not only corrupt minds, but crafty minds, that intend
not performance. Some embrace suits, which never mean to deal
effectually in them; but if they see there may be life in the
matter, by some other mean, they will be content to win a thank, or
take a second reward, or at least to make use, in the meantime, of the
suitor's hopes. Some take hold of suits, only for an occasion to cross
some other; or to make an information, whereof they could not
otherwise have apt pretext; without care what become of the suit, when
that turn is served; or, generally, to make other men's business a
kind of entertainment, to bring in their own. Nay, some undertake
suits, with a full purpose to let them fall; to the end to gratify the
adverse party, or competitor. Surely there is in some sort a right
in every suit; either a right of equity, if it be a suit of
controversy; or a right of desert, if it be a suit of petition. If
affection lead a man to favor the wrong side in justice, let him
rather use his countenance to compound the matter, than to carry it.
If affection lead a man to favor the less worthy in desert, let him do
it, without depraving or disabling the better deserver. In suits which
a man doth not well understand, it is good to refer them to some
friend of trust and judgment, that may report, whether he may deal
in them with honor: but let him choose well his referendaries, for
else he may be led by the nose. Suitors are so distasted with delays
and abuses, that plain dealing, in denying to deal in suits at
first, and reporting the success barely, and in challenging no more
thanks than one hath deserved, is grown not only honorable, but also
gracious. In suits of favor, the first coming ought to take little
place: so far forth, consideration may be had of his trust, that if
intelligence of the matter could not otherwise have been had, but by
him, advantage be not taken of the note, but the party left to his
other means; and in some sort recompensed, for his discovery. To be
ignorant of the value of a suit, is simplicity; as well as to be
ignorant of the right thereof, is want of conscience. Secrecy in
suits, is a great mean of obtaining; for voicing them to be in
forwardness, may discourage some kind of suitors, but doth quicken and
awake others. But timing of the suit is the principal. Timing, I
say, not only in respect of the person that should grant it, but in
respect of those, which are like to cross it. Let a man, in the choice
of his mean, rather choose the fittest mean, than the greatest mean;
and rather them that deal in certain things, than those that are
general. The reparation of a denial, is sometimes equal to the first
grant; if a man show himself neither dejected nor discontented.
Iniquum petas ut aequum feras is a good rule, where a man hath
strength of favor: but otherwise, a man were better rise in his
suit; for he, that would have ventured at first to have lost the
suitor, will not in the conclusion lose both the suitor, and his own
former favor. Nothing is thought so easy a request to a great
person, as his letter; and yet, if it be not in a good cause, it is so
much out of his reputation. There are no worse instruments, than these
general contrivers of suits; for they are but a kind of poison, and
infection, to public proceedings.
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contact: morgan at [email protected] page last modified: thu jan 12 01:37:48 2006 |
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