The Essays of Francis Bacon/XXXVI Of Ambition

by Francis Bacon

XXXVI. Of Ambition.

Ambition is like choler; which is an humour that maketh men active, earnest, full of alacrity, and stirring, if it be not stopped. But if it be stopped, and cannot have his way, it becometh adust,^[1] and thereby malign and venomous. So ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and still get forward, they are rather busy than dangerous; but if they be cheeked in their desires, they become secretly discontent,^[2] and look upon men, and matters with an evil eye, and are best pleased when things go backward; which is the worst property in a servant of a prince or state. Therefore it is good for princes, if they use ambitious men, to handle it so as they be still progressive and not retrograde; which because it cannot be without inconvenience, it is good not to use such natures at all. For if they rise not with their service, they will take order^[3] to make their service fall with them. But since we have said it were good not to use men of ambitious natures, except it be upon necessity, it is fit we speak in what cases they are of necessity. Good commanders in the wars must be taken, be they never so ambitious; for the use of their service dispenseth^[4] with the rest; and to take a soldier without ambition is to pull off his spurs. There is also great use of ambitious men in being screens to princes in matters of danger and envy; for no man will take that part, except lie be like a seeled^[5] dove, that mounts and mounts because he cannot see about him. There is use also of ambitious men in pulling down the greatness of any subject that overtops; as Tiberius used Macro^[6] in the pulling down of Sejanus.^[7] Since therefore they must be used in such cases, there resteth^[8] to speak how they are to be bridled, that they may be less dangerous. There is less danger of them if they be of mean birth, than if they be noble; and if they be rather harsh of nature, than gracious and popular: and if they be rather new raised, than grown cunning^[9] and fortified in their greatness. It is counted by some a weakness in princes to have favourites; but it is of all others the best remedy against ambitious great-ones. For when the way of pleasuring^[10] and displeasuring^[11] lieth by the favourite, it is impossible any other should be over-great. Another means to curb them, is to balance them by others as proud as they. But then there must be some middle counsellors, to keep things steady; for without that ballast the ship will roll too much. At the least, a prince may animate and inure^[12] some meaner persons, to be as it were scourges to ambitious men. As for the having of them obnoxious^[13] to ruin; if they be of fearful natures, it may do well; but if they be stout and daring, it may precipitate their designs, and prove dangerous. As for the pulling of them down, if the affairs require it, and that it may not be done with safety suddenly, the only way is, the interchange continually of favours and disgraces;^[14] whereby they may not know what to expect, and be as it were in a wood. Of ambitions, it is less harmful, the ambition to prevail in great things, than that other to appear in every thing; for that breeds confusion, and mars business. But yet it is less danger to have an ambitious man stirring in business, than great in dependances.^[15] He that seeketh to be eminent amongst able men hath a great task; but that is ever good for the public. But he that plots to be the only figure amongst ciphers is the decay of a whole age. Honour hath three things in it: the vantage ground to do good; the approach to kings and principal persons; and the raising of a man's own fortunes. He that hath the best of these intentions, when he aspireth, is an honest man; and that prince that can discern of these intentions in another that aspireth, is a wise prince. Generally, let princes and states choose such ministers as are more sensible of duty than of rising; and such as love business rather upon conscience than upon bravery;^[16] and let them discern a busy nature from a willing mind.

1. Adust. Parched; fiery.

   "High in front advanc't,
   The brandisht sword of God before them blaz'd
   Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat,
   And vapour as the Libyan air adust,
   Began to parch that temperate clime."
   

   Milton. Paradise Lost. XII. 632–636.

2. Discontent. Discontented.
3. Take order. To take measures or steps; to make arrangements.

   "Now will we take some order in the town,
   Placing therein some expert officers."
   

   Shakspere. I. King Henry VI. iii. 2.

4. Dispense with. To excuse.
5. Seel. To close the eyes of. The eyes of a newly taken hawk were 'seeled' in training it.
6. Naevius Sertorius Macro, killed 38 A.D., was prefect of the Roman pretorians under Tiberius and Caligula.
7. Aelius Sejanus, died 31 A.D., Roman courtier under Augustus and Tiberius. His story is the subject of Ben Jonson's tragedy, Sejanus his Fall; when this play was first acted, in 1603, Shakspere was one of the "principal Tragoedians" who took part in the representation.
8. Rest. To be left; to remain.

   "Well then; nought rests
   But that she fit her love now to her fortune."
   

   Ben Jonson. The Alchemist. iv. 2.

9. Cunning. Skilful. "And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents." Genesis xxv. 27.
10. Pleasure. To give pleasure to; to please.
    
    "I count it one of my greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman." Shakspere. Timon of Athens. iii. 2.
11. Displeasure. To displease, annoy.
12. Inure. To make use of.
13. Obnoxious. Liable, subject, or exposed (to anything harmful or undesirable).
14. Disgrace. Disfavor, dishonor, affront.
15. Dependance. A body of dependants or subordinates; a retinue.
16. Bravery. Ostentation; display.