Bacon's Essays/Of Death

by Francis Bacon

II

OF DEATH

Men feare Death, as Children feare to goe in the darke: And as that Natural Feare in Children is increased with Tales, so is the other. Certainly, the Contemplation of Death, as the wages of sinne, and Passage to another world, is Holy and Religious; But the Feare of it, as a Tribute due unto Nature, is weake. Yet in Religious Meditations, there is sometimes Mixture of Vanitie and of Superstition. You shal reade, in some of the Friars' Books of Mortification, that a man should thinke with himselfe, what the Paine is, if he have but his Finger's end Pressed or Tortured, And thereby imagine, what the Paines of Death are, when the whole Body is corrupted and dissolved; when^[1] many times Death passeth with lesse paine then the Torture of a Limme: For the most vitall parts are not the quickest of Sense. And by him, that spake onely as a Philosopher and Naturall^[2] Man, it was well said, Pompa Mortis magis terret quàm Mors ipsa^[3]. Groanes and Convulsions, and a discoloured Face, and Friends weeping, and Blackes^[4], and Obsequies, and the like, shew Death^[5] Terrible. It is worthy the observing, that there is no passion in the minde of man so weake, but it Mates^[6] and Masters the Feare of Death: And therefore Death is no such terrible Enemie, when a man hath so many Attendants about him that can winne the combat of him^[7]. Revenge triumphs over Death; Love slights it; Honour aspireth to it; Griefe flieth to it; Feare pre-occupateth^[8] it; Nay, we reade, after Otho the Emperour had slaine himselfe, Pitty (which is the tenderest^[9] of Affections) provoked^[10] many to die, out of meere compassion to their Soveraigne, and as the truest sort of Followers. Nay, Seneca addes Nicenesse^[11] and Saciety^[12]; Cogita quam diù eadem feceris; Mori velle, non tantùm Fortis, aut Miser, sed etiàm Fastidiosus potest^[13]. A man would die, though lie were neither valiant nor miserable, onely upon a wearinesse to doe the same thing so oft over and over. It is no lesse worthy to observe, how little Alteration, in good Spirits^[14], the Approaches of Death make; For they appeare to be the same Men, till the last Instant. Augustus Caesar died in a Complement; Livia, Coniugij nostri memor, vive et vale^[15]. Tiberius in dissimulation; As Tacitus saith of him; Iam Tiberium Vires et Corpus, non Dissimulatio, deserebant^[16]. Vespasian in a Iest, Sitting upon the Stoole, Ut puto Deus fio ^[17]. Galba with a Sentence; Feri, si ex re sit populi Romani ^[18]; Holding forth his Necke. Septimius Severus in dispatch; Adeste, si quid mihi restat agendum ^[19]. And the like. Certainly, the Stoikes bestowed too much cost upon Death, and by their great reparations made it appeare more fearefull. Better saith he, Qui Finem Vitæ extremum inter Munera ponat Nature ^[20]. It is as Naturall to die as to be borne; And to a little Infant, perhaps, the one is as painfull as the other. He that dies in an earnest Pursuit is like one that is wounded in hot Bloud; who, for the time, scarce feeles the Hurt; And therefore a Minde, fixt and bent upon somewhat that is good, doth avert the Dolors^[21] of Death: But above all, beleeve it, the sweetest Canticle is Nunc dimittis ^[22], when a Man hath obtained worthy Ends and Expectations. Death hath this also, That it openeth the Gate to good Fame, and extinguished Envie.

——————Extinctus amabitur idem ^[23].

1. whereas
2. i.e. without the guidance of revelation
3. The trappings of death are more terrifying than death itself
4. mourning garb
5. make death appear
6. overpowers
7. i.e. from death
8. anticipates (viz. by suicide)
9. frailest
10. moved
11. fastidiousness
12. satiety
13. Consider how long you have been doing the same things! It is not only the brave man or the wretched man that may wish to die, but also the man who is consumed with ennui.
14. in noble characters
15. Goodbye Livia! remember our married life while you live.
16. Tiberius's vigour and vitality were failing him, but not his duplicity
17. I suppose I am just turning into a god
18. Strike, if itbe for the good of the Roman people!
19. Be ready, if there is anything remaining that I must do
20. Who reckons the close of his life among the boons of naturæ
21. pains
22. Now lettest Thou
23. When his light is quenched his memory will be loved