The Essays of Francis Bacon/LIII Of Praise

by Francis Bacon

LIII. Of Praise.

Praise is the reflexion of virtue. But it is as the glass or body which giveth the reflexion. 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 all. But shews, and species virtutibus similes,^[1] 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 inslar unguenti fragrantis.^[2] It filleth all round about, and will not easily away.^[3] For the odours 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 arch-flatterer, 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 imprudent 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, spretâ conscientiâ.^[4] Some praises come of good wishes and respects, which is a form due in civility to kings and great persons, laudando præcipere,^[5] 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;^[6] insomuch as it was a proverb amongst the Grecians, that he that was praised to his hurt, should have a push^[7] 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. Salomon saith, He that praiseth his friend aloud, rising early, it shall be to him no better than a curse.^[8] 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,^[9] 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:^[10] 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;^[11] but speaking of his calling, he saith, magnificabo apostolatum meum.^[12]

1. Appearances similar to virtues. "Is Calpurnio genere ortus, ac multa insignesque familias paterna nobilitate complexus, claro apud vulgum rumore erat per virtutem, aut species virtutibus similes." P. Cornelii Taciti Annalium Liber XV. 48.
2. A good name is like unto a fragrant ointment. Bacon has here in mind Ecclesiastes vii. 1, where the proverb is, "A good name is better than precious ointment."
3. Away. Go away. Elliptical use, with verb suppressed, simulating an imperative, or rarely, as here, an infinitive.

   "For 'get you gone,' she doth not mean away!"
   

   Shakspere. The Two Gentlemen of Verona. iii. 1.

4. Conscience being despised.
5. To instruct by praising.
6. 'Flatterers are the worst kind of enemies. "Causa periculi non crimen ullum, aut querela laesi cujusquam, sed infensus virtutibus Princeps, et gloria viri, ac pessimum inimicorum genus, laudantes." Cornelii Taciti Vita Agricolae. Caput 41.
7. Push. Pimple.
8. "He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him." Proverbs xxvii. 14.
9. Theologues. Theologians.
10. Catchpole, or catchpoll. A bailiff's assistant; a sergeant (of police).
11. "Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft." II. Corinthians xi. 23.
12. "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office." Romans xi. 13.