summary of bacon's essay of love

Of Love by Francis Bacon Summary and Analysis

Bacon’s essay Of Love is about the evils of depraving and unchecked love , the goodness of marital love and the purity of universal love and the consequences of the three .

Table of Contents

Reality of love

Bacon starts the essay by describing the form of love portrayed on the stage and in stories and plays. It is unrealistic as it is often filled with ecstasy and triumph. It is shown to be noble and in a lot of ways easy to understand.

But in real life, love is far more mischievous and difficult to understand. It demands sacrifices, compromises and offers a lot more sorrow and torment than shown on the stage. Life of love can have a catastrophic end.

The present age is full of examples of great men meeting tragic circumstances in their pursuit of love. History and the past  are full of stories of men of great substance and stature being swept to their utter ruins by the storm of love.

They have been entranced by the madness of romance. On the flipside, there have been wise people who have refused to be conquered by the allurements of love and used their intellect and wits to remain to the snares and tricks of flirtation and temptation.

Let History be the Guide

Bacon gives some historical examples to stat his notion. He reminds us of Marcus Antonius who was a forthright and ambitious man and was given the reigns of a powerful empire like Rome.

Another man of the fabled triumvirate was Claudius who was also given the reign of one-third of Rome. While Antonius was impulsive and easily swayed by the desires of the heart, Claudius was wise, content and showed restraint.

Consequently, Antonius chased temptation and strayed into disrepute, Claudius gained praise for his unerring resolution, sagacity and influence.

Bacon then introduces the lessons of Greek philosopher Epicurus who was a proponent of exercising restraint and self-control. In his works, he extolled and encouraged a life of austerity and the dangers of pleasure seeking.

For him, great warriors enslaved to the wiles of their paramour and object of desires are an abomination. The sight of a strong man dancing to the whims of his beloved woman is an unfortunate reality.

In a sense, it is disregard and derogation of the great gifts and talents that those men would have otherwise used for great feats and achievements.

In Bacon’s opinion, untrammelled and unrestrained love only brings discomfiture to men . Such impassioned desires for someone can only lead to emotional and reckless judgments and causes men to err terribly.

It devalues their standing and importance. People who are love-struck eulogize in exaggeration about the beauty and qualities of their beloved and such heady praise only cloud their sanity and rationality.

It reduces their ability to think clearly and often leads to the destruction of the inner balance or fortitude of men. Such undeserved and unwarranted praise is unbecoming of a man of substance and value and such man compromise their wisdom to earn the approval of their women.

Such hyperbole is an insult to their intelligence.

Courting Womanly Affections

Such men suffer from a weakness of character; such weak characters are easily discernible in society. Such contests of love and dotage only ever have two outcomes.

Firstly, in case the woman does not reciprocate the feelings, she labels the man as pathetic and spineless being and treats him with sheer contempt. Another outcome is that she reciprocates it and he becomes imprisoned by her beauty and affection.

Bacon warns the men who have such romantic ambitions to be aware of such consequences of amorous pursuits. It can lead to complete devastation and ruin.

He reminds them of the fateful demise of a man infatuated by a woman named Helena. In his mad pursuit for her affections, he sacrificed and lost the love of two other beautiful women, Juno and Pallas.

He goes on to admonish men who are chasing wild pleasures of the senses and womanly courtship. In their craving for carnal gratification, they end up sacrificing their wealth, health and sanity.

In moments of vulnerability when men pull their guards down, they are inundated by such passions and desires and it leads to further misery. In moments of adversity and drudgery, such desires are rare and infrequent.

In times of comfort and abundance and in times of sadness and distress, those men yearn for carnal and sensual pleasures. Both circumstances heighten the man’s desire for amorous engagements.

It is compared to childish folly . Such follies if unchecked can turn into capitulation of health, riches, professional accomplishments etc. It can distract men from going after the truly great and noble endeavours in life.

Now, Bacon compares the weakness of men for women to that of wine. Be it brave warriors or might statesmen, all men are susceptible to the allure of a fine wine and beautiful woman.

To them, the perils and horrors of war and politics are offset through the pleasures in the company of attractive women.

According to Bacon, men are innately designed to satiate the need to love. They are born with the instincts to seek and spread the love. But if this love is extrapolated and spread universally instead of being reserved for one person (or a small group), it can be truly noble.

It can become a force for good. Such unfettered love for the whole humanity can lead to philanthropy and charitable endeavours. Love in marriages is the force for the creation of life, love in the form of friendships honours such life.

However, unrestrained love of debasing and deprave desires is ruinous, unsavoury and unworthy.

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In his essay “Of Love,” Francis Bacon looks at how complicated the idea of love is. At the beginning of the essay, there are comparisons between love and the theater. Bacon says that love is like a stage because it has comedy, tragedy, mischief, and anger. Love has many different parts, just like a play. Let us enjoy of love summary.

The first part of the summary “Of Love”

In this essay, Bacon talks about the bad things about love. He mostly talks about the bad things about love. He says that love makes a lot of problems in life. It goes back and forth between being a Siren and a Fury. Love is more important in the theater than it is in real life. Love has always given us material for both funny and sad stories.

But in the real world, love causes a lot of trouble for people. It can ruin a man’s career, like what happened to Antony, or drive a man crazy with jealousy, like what happened to Othello. As a moralist and puritan, he notices that no great and worthy person from the past or present has ever been taken to the insane state of love.

He said that God made people so they could think about great things. A man shouldn’t get down on his knees in front of a woman. He says that the lover is overstating how much he loves her, and he warns the lover that even the woman might laugh at the way he talks about her. He also says that the lover may give up both wealth and knowledge.

The second part of the summary “Of Love”

It is hard to agree with Bacon’s ideas and claims that love is the child of foolishness. Here, love is only shown from one person’s point of view. When a man is either very rich or going through a lot of pain, his desire for love is at its strongest. If a guy can’t stay away from love, he should at least be reasonable about it.

He shouldn’t let his love get in the way of his business, because that could cost him money. It might be smart to keep love in check and not let it get in the way of business. Surely, a person who loves someone must make sacrifices for that person. But the truth is that love is still a beautiful and wonderful thing. Love has many different parts. It is one of the things that drives and elevates people the most. Bacon says nothing about the joys of love.

It’s in a man’s nature to love other people. It comes naturally to want to love your neighbor. If a person’s love isn’t focused on one person, it will naturally spread to a lot of other people. If this happens, a man will become kinder and more charitable, like what sometimes happens with monks. Monks are kind and caring because they show love to a lot of different people.

The love between people who are married is good and good for society as a whole. Love is also a good thing that helps the world get better. The love between friends is beautiful and makes you feel good. But immoral love, like the kind a guy feels for a prostitute, makes people bad and corrupts them.

The last part of the summary

In short, the essay shows what Bacon thought about love from a philosophical point of view. He cares more about love on stage than he does in real life. But love makes more trouble in real life. It could make a man give up on his career or make him jealous. Bacon thought it was silly to kneel before a woman out of love.

Love makes men see things in a different way. Even with all the sacrifices, love has the power to beat what it wants. Paris gave up everything for Helen. Love is exactly proportional to both success and hard times.

Love is the child of madness. If you can’t stop it, it should be stopped. It could make someone’s life a living hell. The goal of the essay is to talk about love and how it affects different kinds of people. The essay reminds people that love will have an effect on them no matter who they are and what they do. There’s nowhere to go. This is the end of love summary.

You can read more summaries of Bacon: – Of Marriage and Single Life – Of Truth – Summary Of Revenge – Of Great Place

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Of Love by Francis Bacon – Summary & Analysis

Of love – francis bacon.

Francis Bacon’s essay Of Love delves into the complexities of the concept of love. The article begins by drawing parallels between love and the theatre. According to Bacon, love is similar to a stage in that it contains comedy, tragedy, mischief, and fury. As with stage productions, love is multidimensional.

Bacon discusses the unpleasant aspects of love in this article. He focuses primarily on the drawbacks of love. He asserts that love causes a great deal of havoc in life. It alternates between the roles of Siren and Fury. In the theatre, love plays a larger role than it does in everyday life. Love has always offered material for comedic and tragic dramas. However, in man’s actual existence, love produces a great deal of havoc. It can devastate a man’s career, as it did for Antony, or it can drive a man insane with jealously, as it did for Othello. As a moralist and puritan, he observes that no great and deserving person from ancient or modern times has ever been transported to the insane state of love. According to him, man was created to contemplate noble and magnificent objects. It is not proper for a guy to prostrate himself in front of a woman. He accuses the lover of exaggerating his feelings for her, and cautions the lover that even the woman may scoff at his overblown and lavish manner of speaking. Additionally, he states that the lover may forego both wealth and wisdom.

It is difficult to concur with Bacon’s views and assertions about love being the child of folly. Here, we witness a one-sided approach to love. When a man is either in a condition of tremendous affluence or great suffering, the desire of love is at its peak. If a guy is incapable of resisting love, he should at the very least keep it within reason. He should avoid allowing his love to interfere with his life’s business, as this could jeopardise his money. It may be prudent to keep love under check and avoid interfering with business. Undoubtedly, a lover must make sacrifices for the sake of his love. However, the reality remains that love is a magnificent and exquisite thing. Love is a multifaceted entity . It is one of humanity’s most motivating and ennobling interests. Bacon makes no mention of love’s raptures.

A man’s inherent nature is to love others. It is a natural urge to love one’s neighbour. If one does not focus his love on a single person, it will naturally spread to a wide number of others. If this occurs, a man will develop a greater capacity for kindness and charity, as is sometimes the case with monks. Monks are kind and caring because they spread their love to a large number of individuals. Married love is honourable and helpful to society as a whole. Love is also a good act that contributes to humanity’s advancement. Friendship love is beautiful and has an uplifting influence. However, immoral love, the kind that a guy feels for prostitutes, corrupts and degrades human beings.

In a nutshell, the essay reveals Bacon’s philosophical views on love. For him, love is more important onstage than in real life. However, love creates more havoc in real life. It may push a man away from his career; it may also fuel jealousy in a man. According to Bacon, kneeling before a lady for the sake of love is silly. Men’s perceptions of things are distorted by love. Despite all sacrifice, love has the potential to defeat its own object. For Helen, Paris sacrificed everything. Both success and adversity are precisely proportionate to love. Love is the offspring of insanity. If it cannot be resisted, it should be limited. It has the potential to ruin someone is life. The essay’s objective is to describe love and its effects on various types of individuals. The article reminds readers that regardless of who they are, love will have an effect on them. There is no way out.

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Of Love – Francis Bacon – Complete Explanation

by Francis Bacon

Complete explanation of the essay alongside the original text

THE stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury.

Explanation

Romance is generally portrayed somewhat unrealistically in plays, theaters, and in stages. Love is shown to be mostly as a human very noble trait that leads to joy, ecstasy, and a sense of fulfilment. In very small number of instances, love leads to tragedy and sorrow. It brings with it ends that are dark and foreboding. The consequence leads to disaster.

You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons [whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent] there is not one, that hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak passion.

Many great men of today who have been besotted leading to a tumultuous and eventful phase in their lives. History, also, has in its record many great men who have been swayed by turbulent winds of romance that has tended to throw them off their feet. However, there are umpteen instances where wise and sagacious men have refused to be gripped by such a distracting passion. They have not allowed their wisdom and intellectual pursuits to be held hostage to any form of infatuation.

You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems [though rarely] that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept.

Marcus Antonius, the able, ambitious and powerful member of the royalty was given the right to rule over almost a third of the Roman empire. Appius Cladius, the second member of the triumvirate, was also given a third of the empire to rule over. Antonius was amorous, un-restrained, and impulsive. He had little control of his heart that wandered wildly in pursuit of love and lust. Apius Cladius, his friend and compatriot, was a sober, contented and sage-like person of great wisdom and restraint. He never let his desires to overwhelm him and influence his decisions. So, he never erred, never strayed, and never brought himself to disrepute while chasing romantic passions.

It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus; as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth [as beasts are], yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes.

Bacon cites the case of the Greek philosopher Epiurus who advocated discipline, restraint and self-control in leading on’s lives. In his writings, he has cautioned against the perils of chasing worldly pleasures that invariably ravage our lives. He said, “Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus” which literally means, ‘we are big enough theater for one another’. Through this sermon, he says that we all can live our lives in full, without getting into conflicts, revenge, and other such misdeeds. He deprecates the way valiant men of great worth kneel before the women of their love looking so miserable and small. Such capitulation is unwarranted, and degrading for worthy and gifted men.

It is a strange thing, to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature, and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole, is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man’s self; certainly the lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love, and to be wise.

Unfettered love is a passion that invariably overwhelms, and thus, undermines a man. In a way it devalues him and trivializes his standing before others. In romantic discourses, exaggeration of the beauty and persona of the beloved is routinely resorted to. Such effusive praise or embellishment looks apt only in romance, and not in practical life. A lover who sacrifices his discerning power to pour honeyed words on his woman obviously compromises with his intelligence, and power of judgment. In the process, he devalues his inner self. No man with some amount of pride in him will ever lavish so much of undeserved praise on his beloved. So, Bacon feels, indulging in superfluous praise of his woman is both demeaning and unbecoming. Such men can not be said to be wise at all.

Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque. For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and secret contempt. By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet’s relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas.

Such penchant to flatter the woman becomes easily evident as a weakness of character to others in the society. When the lady does not feel like reciprocating the love, she treats the romantic overtures as a pathetic weakness of the man’s character. Love of a man towards a woman can lead to two consequences. Either the lady would enthusiastically reciprocate it, or it would create a secret contempt towards the man making the unsolicited proposition. So, men must be aware of such passion that could prove to be wasteful and ruinous. It could lead to self-doubt and loss of self-esteem in the man’s mind. Bacon reminds his readers about the lover, unduly infatuated by Helena, lost the two loveliest women, Juno and Pallas.

For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom. This passion hath his floods, in very times of weakness; which are great prosperity, and great adversity; though this latter hath been less observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more fervent, and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever it wholly from their serious affairs, and actions, of life; for if it check once with business, it troubleth men’s fortunes, and maketh men, that they can no ways be true to their own ends.

The men who see nothing in this world except sensual pleasures amidst women bring ruin onto themselves. In their senseless pursuit of carnal pleasures, they lose both wealth and wisdom. During unguarded times, such passions come rushing as floods swamping the lover miserably. Such overpowering of the lover by passion happens more during times of great prosperity. Rarely, during times of adversity, urge for carnal pleasures inundate the lover’s mind. Both during times of great happiness and affluence, and during periods of sorrow, want and distress, yearning for carnal pleasures get accentuated. So, such a slide to a state when the man is gripped by passion can be termed as ‘a child of folly’. Unbridled pursuit of sensual pleasures, if allowed to continue, might ruin business, profession, health and wealth. Men can seldom follow their noble goals of their lives.

I know not how, but martial men are given to love: I think, it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures. There is in man’s nature, a secret inclination and motion, towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars. Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth, and embaseth it.

Warriors, army generals, and professional fighting men have a special attraction for both wine and women. They seem to compensate the dangers they face in the battlefields with the pleasures derived from the company of sensuous women. However, there is another angle to the trait of ‘love’ so ingrained in human nature. Instead of loving a single person or a group, if he expands his love much farther, he makes it universal. Such love in indeed very benign, very noble. People belonging to certain religious orders have such love inherent in them. Love arising out of marriage is at the root of creation of mankind, love of friends ennobles it, but philandering love debases the man.

Click here for explanations of more essays by Francis Bacon.

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Of Love by Francis Bacon

THE STAGE is more beholding to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury. You may observe that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent) there is not one that hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits and great business do keep out this weak passion. You must except nevertheless Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely) that love can find entrance not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept. It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus [Each is to another a theatre large enough]; as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are), yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes. It is a strange thing to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man’s self; certainly the lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love and to be wise. Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque. 1 For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded either with the reciproque or with an inward and secret contempt. By how much the more men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet’s relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas. For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection quitteth both riches and wisdom. This passion hath his floods in very times of weakness; which are great prosperity and great adversity; though this latter hath been less observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more fervent, and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarter 2; and sever it wholly from their serious affairs and actions of life; for if it check 3 once with business, it troubleth men’s fortunes, and maketh men that they can no ways e true to their own ends. I know not how, but martial men are given to love: I think it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures. There is in man’s nature a secret inclination and motion towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars. Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth and embaseth it.

More from Francis Bacon :

• Of Vicissitude of Things
• Of Judicature
• Of Honor and Reputation
• Of Vain-glory

Francis Bacon on Love: Thoughts on the Sublime Emotion from the Father of Empiricism

By maria popova.

But one of the most poignant essays in the collection contributes to history’s most timeless meditations on love — a somewhat conflicted and ambivalent oscillation between the all-consuming surrender of love, which Stendhal aptly likened to “a fever which comes and goes quite independently of the will,” and the rational concessions it requires.

Bacon writes:

The stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury. You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent) there is not one, that hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely) that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept. It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus; as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are), yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes. It is a strange thing, to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature, and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole, is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man’s self; certainly the lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love, and to be wise. Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque. For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and secret contempt. By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet’s relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas. For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom. This passion hath his floods, in very times of weakness; which are great prosperity, and great adversity; though this latter hath been less observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more fervent, and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever it wholly from their serious affairs, and actions, of life; for if it check once with business, it troubleth men’s fortunes, and maketh men, that they can no ways be true to their own ends. I know not how, but martial men are given to love: I think, it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures. There is in man’s nature, a secret inclination and motion, towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars. Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth, and embaseth it.

Bacon’s Complete Essays is a treasure trove of wisdom in its entirety. Complement this particular bit with history’s finest definitions of love .

— Published January 22, 2013 — https://www.themarginalian.org/2013/01/22/francis-bacon-on-love/ —

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The Works of Francis Bacon/Volume 1/Essays/Of Love

X. OF LOVE. [1]

The stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man; for as to the stage, love is even matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury. You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent,) there is not one that hath been transported to the mad degree of love, which shows, that great spirits and great business do keep out this weak passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely,) that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept. It is a poor saying of Epicurus, "Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus;" as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are,) yet of the eye, which was given him for higher purposes. It is a strange thing to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature and value of things by this, that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole, is comely in nothing but in love: neither is ​ it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, "That the arch flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self;" certainly the lover is more; for there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, "That it is impossible to love and to be wise." Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved, but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciprocal; for it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciprocal, or with an inward, or secret contempt; by how much the more men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself. As for other losses the poet's relation doth well figure them: "That he that preferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas;" for whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom. This passion hath his floods in the very times of weakness, which are, great prosperity and great adversity, though this latter hath been less observed; both which times kindle love, and make it more frequent, and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who, if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarter, and sever it wholly from their serious affairs and actions of life; for if it check once with business, it troubleth men's fortunes, and maketh men that they can no ways be true to their own ends. I know not how, but martial men are given to love: I think it is, but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures. There is in man's nature a secret inclination and motion towards love of others, which, if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane and charitable, as it is seen sometimes in friars. Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth and embaseth it.

• ↑ See note F at the end of the Essays.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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51 Francis Bacon: Essays

Introduction.

by Mary Larivee and Rithvik Saravanan

Francis Bacon (1561-1626), the English philosopher, was instrumental in the development of the Scientific Revolution in the late 18th century even though he had passed away centuries before.  The “Scientific Revolution” was an important movement that emphasized Europe’s shift toward modernized science in fields such as mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology, and chemistry (Grant). It was an extension of the Renaissance period, which then led to the Enlightenment which brought advances across all areas of human endeavor. Francis Bacon, in particular, is remembered today primarily for the “scientific method” as a way of establishing what is true from what is false perception (a method that still lies at the heart of modern science). Bacon’s primary focus in his writings revolved around the practice of inductive reasoning, which he believed to be a complement to practical observation (Grant). Most people before this period followed the Aristotelian methodology for scientific arguments. This idea maintained that “if sufficiently clever men discussed a subject long enough, the truth would eventually be discovered” (“History – Francis Bacon.”). However irrational this sounds, the Scientific Revolution helped replace this outdated system of thinking with Bacon’s scientific method. Bacon argued that any proper argument required “evidence from the real world” (“History – Francis Bacon.”). His revolutionary ideas about empirical information helped propel him toward political and societal importance and fame.

Literary Context

Francis Bacon had a passion for metaphors, analogies, and vivid imagery. He was a rhetorical writer and his essays highlight his wisdom and incisive mind. His first book was released in 1597 followed by later editions with added essays that were released in 1612 and 1625. Each essay that Bacon wrote reveals his knowledge of Latin and draws on ancient Roman wisdom through axioms and proverbs. Additionally, Bacon uses wit as a way of getting his point across to his audience and this indeed causes the reader to reflect on his or her own beliefs and values. A key aspect of Bacon’s literature is its “terseness and epigrammatic force” (De). By managing to pack all of his thoughts and ideas into quick, brief statements, Bacon deepens the reach and impact of his work. His writing deviated from the typical Ciceronian style of the time, which was characterized by “melodious language, clarity, and forcefulness of presentation” (“Ciceronian.”). His statements are meaningful particularly because they are straight and to the point. The brevity of his ideas also facilitates the communication of his arguments, which is significant because, at the time, a solid, meaningful education was hard to come by. As such, Bacon’s work helped spread the notions that would eventually bear fruit with the discoveries of the Scientific Revolution.

Historical Context

Francis Bacon’s Essays cover a wide variety of topics and styles, ranging from individual to societal issues and from commonplace to existential. Another important aspect of the appeal of Bacon’s essays are that they weigh the argument at hand with multiple points of view. Bacon’s essays were received at the time with great praise, adoration, and reverence (Potter). He was noted for borrowing ideas from the works of historical writers such as Aristotle (Harmon), and, as such, he represents a continuation of this philosophical school of thought. Another important impact of the Scientific Revolution and Bacon’s literature is that it allowed common people of the era to question old, traditional beliefs. They began to consider everything with reason, which led to a greater sense of self as well as moral and ethical standards. By having the opportunity to judge for themselves, the people were able to advance society a step closer to a form of democracy.

Francis Bacon Essays is a collection of eight of the famous philosopher’s many essays. Each dissertation contains words of wisdom that have proven to be enlightening for many generations that followed. From “Truth” to “Of Superstition” and “Marriage and Single Life”, Bacon covers a wide range of intriguing topics in order to challenge the human mind to think deeply; as he himself writes: “Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider” (Bacon). The philosopher not only provides a framework for the genre of the modern essay but also provides his readers a code to live by.

Works Cited

“Ciceronian.” Dictionary.com , n.d., www.dictionary.com/browse/ciceronian. 23 Oct. 2020.

De, Ardhendu. “Rhetorical Devices as Used by Francis Bacon in His Essays.” A.D.’s English Literature: Notes and Guide , 07 Apr. 2011, ardhendude.blogspot.com/2011/04/rhetorical-devices-used-by-francis.html. Accessed 23 Oct. 2020.

Grant, Edward. The Foundations of Modern Science in the Middle Ages: Their Religious, Institutional, and Intellectual Contexts . Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Harmon, William. The Oxford Book of American Light Verse. Oxford University Press, 1979.

“History – Francis Bacon.” History , British Broadcasting Corporation, 2014, www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/bacon_francis.shtml. Accessed 24 Oct. 2020.

Potter, Vincent G. Readings in Epistemology: from Aquinas, Bacon, Galileo, Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant. Fordham University Press, 1993.

Discussion Questions

• Why do you think Francis Bacon chose to enlighten and inspire his readers as opposed to other writers of his time who focused more on classic folklore tales?
• Why do you think Francis Bacon choose the topics that he did? Who or what do you think had a major influence on his writings?
• What are the goals and intentions behind Bacon’s use of rhetorical questioning?
• What are some common themes and ideas from Francis Bacon’s Essays that can be applied to general situations and contemporary society?
• From the ideas presented in this reading, how do you think Francis Bacon’s work affected government policies throughout history, including modern day governmental standards?

Further Resources

• Detailed biography of Franics Bacon’s life
• Analytical article of Francis Bacon’s impact on the Scientific Revolution
• List of Francis Bacon’s most significant accomplishments
• Compilation of Francis Bacon’s literature
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Francis Bacon
• Discussion video of Francis Bacon’s “Of Studies”

Reading: From Essayes

I. of truth..

What is truth? said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer. Certainly there be that delight in giddiness; and count it a bondage to fix a belief; affecting free-will in thinking, as well as in acting. And though the sects of philosophers of that kind be gone, yet there remain certain discoursive wits, which are of the same veins, though there be not so much blood in them as was in those of the ancients. But it is not only the difficulty and labour which men take in finding out of truth, nor again, that when it is found, it imposeth upon men’s thoughts, that doth bring lies in favour, but a natural though corrupt love of the lie itself. One of the later schools of the Grecians examineth the matter, and is at a stand to think what should be in it, that men should love lies; where neither they make for pleasure, as with poet; nor for advantage, as with the mer chant, but for the lie’s sake. But I cannot tell: this same truth is a naked and open daylight, that doth not show the masks, and mummeries, and triumphs of the world, half so stately and daintily as candlelights. Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day, but it will not rise to the price of a diamond or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights. A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure. Doth any man doubt, that if there were taken out of men’s minds, vain opinions, flattering hopes, false valuations, imaginations as one would, and the like, but it would leave the minds of a number of men, poor shrunken things, full of melancholy and indisposition, and unpleasing to themselves? One of the fathers, in great severity, called poesy “vinum dæmonum,”; because it filleth the imagination, and yet it is but with the shadow of a lie. But it is not the lie that passeth through the mind, but the lie that sinketh in, and settleth in it, that doth the hurt, such as we spake of before. But howsoever these things are thus in men’s depraved judgments and affections, yet truth, which only doth judge itself, teacheth, that the inquiry of truth, which is the love-making, or wooing of it, the knowledge of truth, which is the presence of it, and the belief of truth, which is the enjoying of it, is the sovereign good of human nature. The first creature of God, in the works of the days, was the light of the sense: the last was the light of reason; and his Sabbath work ever since, is the illumination of his Spirit. First, he breathed light upon the face of the matter, or chaos; then he breathed light into the face of man; and still he breatheth and inspireth light into the face of his chosen. The poet that beautified the sect, that was otherwise inferior to the rest, saith yet excellently well: “It is a pleasure to stand upon the shore, and to see ships tossed upon the sea: a pleasure to stand in the window of a castle, and to see a battle, and the adventures thereof below: but no pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage ground of truth, (a hill not to be commanded, and where the air is always clear and serene,) and to see the errors, and wanderings, and mists, and tempests in the vale below:” so always that this prospect be with pity, and not with swelling or pride. Certainly, it is heaven upon earth, to have a man’s mind move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the poles of truth.

To pass from theological and philosophical truth, to the truth of civil business; it will be acknowledged even by those that practise it not, that clean and round dealing is the honour of man’s nature, and that mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the metal work the better, but it embaseth it. For these winding and crooked courses are the goings of the serpent; which goeth basely upon the belly, and not upon the feet. There is no vice that doth so cover a man with shame as to be found false and perfidious; and therefore Montaigne saith prettily, when he inquired the reason, why the word of the lie should be such a disgrace, and such an odious charge, saith he, “If it be well weighed, to say that a man lieth, is as much as to say, that he is brave towards God, and a coward towards men. For a lie faces God, and shrinks from man.” Surely the wickedness of falsehood and breach of faith cannot possibly be so highly expressed, as in that it shall be the last peal to call the judgments of God upon the generations of men: it being foretold, that when “Christ cometh,” he shall not “find faith upon the earth.”

VIII. OF MARRIAGE AND SINGLE LIFE.

He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief. Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men; which, both in affection and means, have married and endowed the public. Yet it were great reason that those that have children should have greatest care of future times, unto which they know they must transmit their dearest pledges. Some there are, who, though they lead a single life, yet their thoughts do end with themselves, and account future times impertinences; nay, there are some other that account wife and children but as bills of charges; nay more, there are some foolish rich covetous men, that take a pride in having no children, because they may be thought so much the richer; for, perhaps, they have heard some talk, “Such an one’s a great rich man” and another except to it. “Yea, but he hath a great charge of children;” as if it were an abatement to his riches: but the most ordinary cause of a single life is liberty, especially in certain self-pleasing and humorous minds, which are so sensible of every restraint, as they will go near to think heir girdles and garters to be bonds and shackles. Unmarried men are best friends, best masters, best servants; but not always best subjects; for they are light to run away; and almost all fugitives are of that condition. A single life doth well with churchmen, for charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool. It is indifferent for judges and magistrates; for if they be facile and corrupt, you shall have a servant five times worse than a wife. For soldiers, I find the generals commonly, in their hortatives, put men in mind of their wives and children; and I think the despising of marriage among the Turks maketh the vulgar soldier more base. Certainly wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity; and single men, though they may be many times more charitable, because their means are less exhaust, yet, on the other side, they are more cruel and hardhearted, (good to make severe inquisitors,) because their tenderness is not so oft called upon. Grave natures, led by custom, and therefore constant, are commonly loving husbands, as was said of Ulysses, “vetulam suam prætulit immortalitati.” Chaste women are often proud and froward, as presuming upon the merit of their chastity. It is one of the best bonds, both of chastity and obedience, in the wife, if she think her husband wise; which she will never do if she find him jealous. Wives are young men’s mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men’s nurses; so as a man may have a quarrel to marry when he will: but yet he was reputed one of the wise men, that made answer to the question when a man should marry:—”A young man not yet, an elder man not at all.” It is often seen, that bad husbands have very good wives; whether it be that it raiseth the price of their husband’s kindness when it comes, or that the wives take a pride in their patience; but this never fails, if the bad husbands were of their own choosing, against their friends consent, for then they will be sure to make good their own folly.

XI. OF GREAT PLACE.

Men in great place are thrice servants; servants of the sovereign or state, servants of fame, and servants of business; so as they have no freedom, neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in their times. It is a strange desire to seek power and to lose liberty; or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man’s self. The rising unto place is laborious, and by pains men come to greater pains; and it is sometimes base, and by indignities men come to dignities. The standing is slippery, and the regress is either a downfall, or at least an eclipse, which is a melancholy thing: “Cum non sis qui fueris, non esse cur velis vivere.” Nay, retire men cannot when they would, neither will they when it were reason; but are impatient of privateness even in age and sickness, which require the shadow: like old townsmen, that will be still sitting at their street door, though thereby they offer age to scorn. Certainly great persons had need to borrow other men’s opinions to think themselves happy; for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot find it: but if they think with themselves what other men think of them, and that other men would fain be as they are, then they are happy as it were by report, when, perhaps, they find the contrary within; for they are the first that find their own griefs, though they be the last that find their own faults. Certainly men in great fortunes are strangers to themselves, and while they are in the puzzle of business they have no time to tend their health either of body or mind: “Illi mors gravis incubat, qui notus nimis omnibus, ignotus moritur sibi.” In place there is license to do good and evil; whereof the latter is a curse: for in evil the best condition is not to will; the second not to can. But power to do good is the true and lawful end of aspiring; for good thoughts (though God accept them,) yet towards men are little better than good dreams, except they be put in act; and that cannot be without power and place, as the vantage and commanding ground. Merit and good works is the end of man’s motion; and conscience of the same is the accomplishment of man’s rest; for if a man can be partaker of God’s theatre, he shall likewise be partaker of God’s rest: “Et conversus Deus, ut aspiceret opera, quaæ fecerunt manus suæ, vidit quod omnia essent bona nimis;” and then the sabbath. In the discharge of the place set before thee the best examples; for imitation is a globe of precepts; and after a time set before thine own example; and examine thyself strictly whether thou didst not best at first. Neglect not also the examples of those that have carried themselves ill in the same place; not to set off thyself by taxing their memory, but to direct thyself what to avoid. Reform, therefore, without bravery or scandal of former times and persons; but yet set it down to thyself, as well to create good precedents as to follow them. Reduce things to the first institution, and observe wherein and how they have degenerated; but yet ask counsel of both times; of the ancienter time what is best; and of the latter time what is fittest. Seek to make thy course regular, that men may know be forehand what they may expect; but be not too positive and peremptory; and express thyself well when thou digressest from thy lure. Preserve the right of thy place, but stir not questions of jurisdiction; and rather assume thy right in silence, and “de facto,” than voice it with claims and challenges. Preserve likewise the rights of inferior places; and think it more honour to direct in chief than to be busy in all. Embrace and invite helps and advices touching the execution of thy place; and do not drive away such as bring thee information as meddlers, but accept of them in good part. The vices of authority are chiefly four; delays, corruption, roughness, and facility. For delays give easy access: keep times appointed; go through with that which is in hand, and interlace not business but of necessity. For corruption, do not only bind thine own hands or thy servant’s hands from taking, but bind the hands of suitors also from offering; for integrity used doth the one; but integrity professed, and with a manifest detestation of bribery, doth the other; and avoid not only the fault, but the suspicion. Whosoever is found variable, and changeth manifestly without manifest cause, giveth suspicion of corruption; therefore, always when thou changest thine opinion or course, profess it plainly, and declare it, together with the reasons that move thee to change, and do not think to steal it. A servant or a favourite, if he be inward, and no other apparent cause of esteem, is commonly thought but a by-way to close corruption. For roughness, it is a needless cause of discontent; severity breedeth fear, but roughness breedeth hate. Even reproofs from authority ought to be grave, and not taunting. As for facility, it is worse than bribery; for bribes come but now and then; but if importunity or idle respects lead a man, he shall never be without; as Solomon saith, “To respect persons is not good, for such a man will transgress for a piece of bread.” It is most true that was anciently spoken, “A place showeth the man; and it showeth some to the better and some to the worse;” “omnium consensu capax imperii, nisi imperasset,” saith Tacitus of Galba; but of Vespasian he saith, “solus imperantium, Vespasianus mutatus in melius;” though the one was meant of sufficiency, the other of manners and affection. It is an assured sign of a worthy and generous spirit, whom honour amends; for honour is, or should be, the place of virtue; and as in nature things move violently to their place and calmly in their place, so virtue in ambition is violent, in authority settled and calm. All rising to great place is by a winding stair; and if there be factions, it is good to side a man’s self whilst he is in the rising, and to balance himself when he is placed. Use the memory of thy predecessor fairly and tenderly; for if thou dost not, it is a debt will sure be paid when thou art gone. If thou have colleagues, respect them; and rather call them when they looked not for it, than exclude them when they have reason to look to be called. Be not too sensible or too remembering of thy place in conversation and private answers to suitors; but let it rather be said, “When he sits in place he is another man.”

XVII. OF SUPERSTITION.

It were better to have no opinion of God at all than such an opinion as is unworthy of him; for the one is unbelief, the other is contumely; and certainly superstition is the reproach of the Deity. Plutarch saith well to that purpose: “Surely,” saith he, “I had rather a great deal men should say there was no such man at all as Plutarch, than that they should say that there was one Plutarch, that would eat his children as soon as they were born:” as the poets speak of Saturn: and, as the contumely is greater towards God, so the danger is greater towards men. Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation: all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though religion were not; but superstition dismounts all these, and erecteth an absolute monarchy in the minds of men: therefore atheism did never perturb states; for it makes men wary of themselves, as looking no further, and we see the times inclined to atheism (as the time of Augustus Cæsar) were civil times: but superstition hath been the confusion of many states, and bringeth in a new “primum mobile,” that ravisheth all the spheres of government. The master of superstition is the people, and in all superstition wise men follow fools; and arguments are fitted to practice, in a reversed order. It was gravely said, by some of the prelates in the council of Trent, where the doctrine of the schoolmen bare great sway, that the schoolmen were like astronomers, which did feign eccentrics and epicycles, and such engines of orbs to save phenomena, though they knew there were no such things; and, in like manner, that the schoolmen had framed a number of subtle and intricate axioms and theorems, to save the practice of the church. The causes of superstition are, pleasing and sensual rites and ceremonies; excess of outward and pharisaical holiness; over great reverence of traditions, which cannot but load the church; the stratagems of prelates for their own ambition and lucre; the favouring too much of good intentions, which openeth the gate to conceits and novelties; the taking an aim at divine matters by human, which cannot but breed mixture of imaginations; and, lastly, barbarous times, especially joined with calamities and disasters. Superstition, without a veil, is a deformed thing: for as it addeth deformity to an ape to be so like a man, so the similitude of superstition to religion makes it the more deformed: and, as wholesome meat corrupteth to little worms, so good forms and  orders corrupt into a number of petty observances. There is a superstition in avoiding superstition, when men think to do best if they go furthest from the superstition formerly received; therefore care would be had that (as it fareth in ill purgings) the good be not taken away with the bad, which commonly is done when the people is the reformer.

XXXIII. OF PLANTATIONS.

Plantations are amongst ancient, primitive, and heroical works. When the world was young, it begat more children; but now it is old, it begets fewer; for I may justly account new plantations to be the children of former kingdoms. I like a plantation in a pure soil; that is, where people are not displanted to the end to plant in others; for else it is rather an extirpation than a plantation. Planting of countries is like planting of woods; for you must make account to lose almost twenty years profit, and expect your recompense in the end: for the principal thing that hath been the destruction of most plantations, hath been the base and hasty drawing of profit in the first years. It is true, speedy profit is not to be neglected, as far as may stand with the good of the plantation, but no further. It is a shameful and unblessed thing to take the scum of people and wicked condemned men, to be the people with whom you plant; and not only so, but it spoileth the plantation; for they will ever live like rogues, and not fall to work, but be lazy, and do mischief, and spend victuals, and be quickly weary, and then certify over to their country to the discredit of the plantation. The people wherewith you plant ought to be gardeners, ploughmen, labourers, smiths, carpenters, joiners, fishermen, fowlers, with some few apothecaries, surgeons, cooks, and bakers. In a country of plantation, first look about what kind of victual the country yields of itself to hand; as chestnuts, walnuts, pineapples, olives, dates, plums, cherries, wild honey, and the like, and make use of them. Then consider what victual, or esculent things there are which grow speedily and within the year: as parsnips, carrots, turnips, onions, radish, artichokes of Jerusalem, maize, and the like: for wheat, barley, and oats, they ask too much labour; but with pease and beans you may begin, both because they ask less labour, and because they serve for meat as well as for bread; and of rice likewise cometh a great increase, and it is a kind of meat. Above all, there ought to be brought store biscuit, oatmeal, flour, meal, and the like, in the beginning, till bread may be had. For beasts, or birds, take chiefly such as are least subject to diseases, and multiply fastest; as swine, goats, cocks, hens, turkeys, geese, house-doves, and the like. The victual in plantations ought to be expended almost as in a besieged town; that is, with certain allowance: and let the main part of the ground employed to gardens or corn, be to a common stock; and to be laid in, and stored up, and then delivered out in proportion; besides some spots of ground that any particular person will manure for his own private use. Consider, likewise, what commodities the soil where the plantation is doth naturally yield, that they may some way help to defray the charge of the plantation; so it be not, as was said, to the untimely prejudice of the main business, as it hath fared with tobacco in Virginia. Wood commonly aboundeth but too much: and therefore timber is fit to be one. If there be iron ore, and streams whereupon to set the mills, iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth. Making of bay-salt, if the climate be proper for it, would be put in experience: growing silk likewise, if any be, is a likely commodity: pitch and tar, where store of firs and pines are, will not fail; so drugs and sweet woods, where they are, cannot but yield great profit; soap-ashes likewise, and other things that may be thought of; but moil not too much under ground, for the hope of mines is very uncertain and useth to make the planters lazy in other things. For government, let it be in the hands of one, assisted with some counsel; and let them have commission to exercise martial laws, with some limitation; and, above all, let men make that profit of being in the wilderness, as they have God always, and his service before their eyes; let not the government of the plantation depend upon too many counsellors and undertakers in the country that planteth, but upon a temperate number; and let those be rather noblemen and gentle men, than merchants; for they look ever to the present gain: let there be freedoms from custom, till the plantation be of strength; and not only freedom from custom, but freedom to carry their commodities where they may make their best of them, except there be some special cause of caution. Cram not in people, by sending too fast, company after company; but rather hearken how they waste, and send supplies proportionably; but so as the number may live well in the plantation, and not by surcharge be in penury. It hath been a great endangering to the health of some plantations, that they have built along the sea and rivers in marish and unwholesome grounds: therefore, though you begin there, to avoid carriage and other like discommodities, yet build still rather upwards from the stream, than along. It concerneth likewise the health of the plantation that they have good store of salt with them, that they may use it in their victuals when it shall be necessary. If you plant where savages are, do not only entertain them with trifles and gingles, but use them justly and graciously, with sufficient guard nevertheless; and do not win their favour by helping them to invade their enemies, but for their defence it is not amiss: and send oft of them over to the country that plants, that they may see a better condition than their own, and commend it when they return. When the plantation grows to strength, then  it is time to plant with women as well as with men; that the plantation may spread into generations, and not be ever pieced from without. It is the sinfullest thing in the world to forsake or destitute a plantation once in forwardness; for, besides the dishonour, it is the guiltiness of blood of many commiserable persons.

XLVII. OF NEGOTIATING.

It is generally better to deal by speech than by letter; and by the mediation of a third than by a man’s self. Letters are good when a man would draw an answer by letter back again; or when it may serve for a man’s justification afterwards to produce his own letter; or where it may be danger to be interrupted, or heard by pieces. To deal in person is good, when a man’s face breedeth regard, as commonly with inferiors; or in tender cases, where a man’s eye upon the countenance of him with whom he speaketh, may give him a direction how far to go; and generally, where a man will reserve to himself liberty either to disavow or to expound. In choice of instruments, it is better to choose men of a plainer sort, that are like to do that that is committed to them, and to report back again faithfully the success, than those that are cunning to contrive out of ether men’s business somewhat to grace themselves, and will help the matter in report, for satisfaction sake. Use also such persons as affect the business wherein they are employed, for that quickeneth much; and such as are fit for the matter, as bold men for expostulation, fair-spoken men for persuasion, crafty men for inquiry and observation, froward and absurd men for business that doth not well bear out itself. Use also such as have been lucky and prevailed before in things wherein you have employed them; for that breeds confidence, and they will strive to maintain their prescription. It is better to sound a person with whom one deals afar off, than to fall upon the point at first; except you mean to surprise him by some short question. It is better dealing with men in appetite, than with those that are where they would be. If a man deal with another upon conditions, the start of first performance is all; which a man can reasonably demand, except either the nature of the thing be such, which must go before: or else a man can persuade the other party, that he shall still need him in some other thing; or else that he be counted the honester man. All practice is to discover, or to work. Men discover themselves in trust, in passion, at unawares; and of necessity, when they would have somewhat done, and cannot find an apt pretext, if you would work any man, you must either know his nature and fashions, and so lead him; or his ends, and so persuade him; or his weakness and disadvantages, and so awe him; or these that have interest in him, and so govern him. In dealing with cunning persons, we must ever consider their ends, to interpret their speeches; and it is good to say little to them, and that which they least look for. In all negotiations of difficulty, a man may not look to sow and reap at once; but must prepare business, and so ripen it by degrees.

XXXVII. OF MASQUES AND TRIUMPHS.

These things are but toys to come amongst such serious observations; but yet, since princes will have such things, it is better they should be graced with elegancy, than daubed with cost. Dancing to song, is a thing of great state and pleasure. I understand it that the song be inquire, placed aloft, and accompanied by some broken music; and the ditty fitted to the device. Acting in song, especially in dialogues, hath an extreme good grace; I say acting, not dancing, (for that is a mean and vulgar thing;) and the voices of the dialogue would be strong and manly, (a base and a tenor, no treble,) and the ditty high and tragical, not nice or dainty. Several quires placed one over against another, and taking the voice by catches anthem-wise, give great pleasure. Turning dances into figure is a childish curiosity; and generally let it be noted, that those things which  I here set down are such as do naturally take the sense, and not respect petty wonderments. It is true, the alterations of scenes, so it be quietly and without noise, are things of great beauty and pleasure; for they feed and relieve the eye before it be full of the same object. Let the scenes abound with light, especially coloured and varied; and let the masquers, or any other that are to come down from the scene, have some motions upon the scene it self before their coining down; for it draws the eye strangely, and makes it with great pleasure to desire to see that it cannot perfectly discern. Let the songs be loud and cheerful, and not chirpings or pulings: let the music likewise be sharp and loud, and well placed. The colours that show best by candle-light, are white, carnation, and a kind of sea-water green and ouches, or spangs, as they are of no great cost, so they are of most glory. As for rich embroidery, it is lost and not discerned. Let the suits of the masquers be graceful, and such as become the person when the vizards are off; not after examples of known attires; Turks, soldiers, mariners, and the like. Let anti-masques not be long; they have been commonly of fools, satyrs, baboons, wild men antics, beasts, spirits, witches, Ethiopes, pigmies turquets, nymphs, rustics, Cupids, statues moving and the like. As for angels, it is not comical enough to put them in anti-masques; and any thing that is hideous, as devils, giants, is, on the other side as unfit; but chiefly, let the music of them be recreative, and with some strange changes. Some sweet odours suddenly coming forth, without any drops falling, are, in such a company as there is steam and heat, things of great pleasure and refreshment. Double masques, one of men another of ladies, addeth state and variety; but all is nothing except the room be kept clean and neat.

For jousts, and tourneys, and barriers, the glories of them are chiefly in the chariots, wherein the challengers make their entry; especially if they be drawn with strange beasts; as lions, bears camels, and the like; or in the devices of their entrance, or in bravery of their liveries, or in the goodly furniture of their horses and armour. But enough of these toys.

L. OF STUDIES.

Studies serve for delight, for ornament and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business; for expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one: but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs come best from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies, is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humour of a scholar: they perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man; and, therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend “Abeunt studia in mores;” nay, there is no stond or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises; bowling is good for the stone and reins, shooting for the lungs and breast, gentle walking for the stomach, riding for the head, and the like; so, if a man’s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again; if his wit be no apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen, for they are “Cymini sectores;” if he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call upon one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyer’s cases: so every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.

Source Text:

Bacon, Francis. Bacon’s Essays and Wisdom of the Ancients . Little, Brown, and Company, 1884, is licensed under no known copyright.

An Open Companion to Early British Literature Copyright © 2019 by Allegra Villarreal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Francis Bacon: Essays and Major Works

By francis bacon, francis bacon: essays and major works summary and analysis of the essays, part one (civil).

Bacon divides his essays into two types: civil and moral. Notable civil essays include "Of Death," "Of Seditions and Troubles," "Of Friendship," "Of Praise," and "Of Beauty."

In "Of Death," Bacon argues that men fear death the same way that children fear the dark, and that the fear is only increased by storytelling. Bacon perceives a fear of death as "weak," arguing that often death occurs with less pain than other experiences, like the loss of a limb (342).

Bacon argues that death has so many combatants on earth that no man should be afraid of it. Some of these combatants include revenge, love, honor, grief, and pity.

In "Of Seditions and Troubles," Bacon explains that all states are subject to "libels and licentious discourses" (366). He compares seditious speech to tempests that a ship must face, arguing that this type of discourse is most common when a civilization begins to approach a state of equality. Sedition stems from poverty and discontentment, and so states should strive to eliminate these things among their citizens.

In "Of Friendship," Bacon offers his praise of friendship as a human pursuit consecrated by God . He notes that just as there exists medicine for different organs in the body, friendship is a figurative "medicine" for the heart.

In "Of Praise," Bacon argues that praise is the "reflection of virtue," but that if praise is given by the common people it is likely false and worthless (442). He notes that praise from the common folk is synonymous with fame, and one should instead strive for praise from "persons of quality and judgment" (442).

In "Of Beauty," Bacon suggests that virtue is what creates beauty, not physical appearance. He notes that it is not always the case that virtuous people are also beautiful, and that beauty should instead be defined by "dignity of presence" (425). Physical beauty is, according to Bacon, dependent on the observer, and beauty of youth – though pleasant to see – is fleeting and cannot last.

Bacon's civil essays address elements of human existence related to humanity as a civilization, such as socialization, governmental systems, and popular beliefs. While this guide divides the essays into moral and civil, it is important to note that Bacon himself does not. His complete essays are entitled Essays or Counsels, Moral and Civil , and he alternates freely between essays of the moral and civil nature. As such, Bacon implies that these "counsels" are all related to one another, and that his moral advice is inextricable from the civil and vice versa.

These civil essays, generally speaking, all tend to follow the same structure. They begin on a critical note, explaining how common perceptions or widely held beliefs are problematic or untrue. In his essay "Of Death," for example, Bacon argues that a fear of death – a common fear – is unwarranted. By comparing a fear of death to a child's fear of the dark, Bacon infantalizes those who would be afraid of dying, suggesting that they are lacking an important perspective on life and especially on God.

Similarly, in "Of Praise," Bacon dispels with the notion that fame is something to which men should aspire. Instead, he argues that fame is merely praise from those who do not understand true virtue, and is therefore meaningless in the grand scheme of life. Bacon's criticism of the "common people" in this essay, while certainly pejorative, emphasizes his belief that fame is something relegated only to society and that it does nothing to better or redeem one's soul.

One can witness Bacon's religious influence in the civil essays as well. He speaks frequently about virtue and its importance in shaping people's interactions with one another. In the essay "Of Friendship," Bacon argues that solitude is inherently antithetical to divine nature – that is, that pursuing friendships is in keeping with God's will. In "Of Beauty," he describes beauty as a divine quality rather than a physical one, a manifestation of one's commitment to virtue rather than an outward appearance.

In this way, the civil essays once again lead readers back to Bacon's moral perspective, which is defined first and foremost by his exaltation of Christianity.

Francis Bacon: Essays and Major Works Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Francis Bacon: Essays and Major Works is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

why baccon used OF before starting his essays

becose it is used to mention the things particular

What is Sir Francis Bacon’s main purpose in the text?

In this essay Bacon states his ideology about education and learning. He argues that, "studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability." Bacon felt that people should delight in knowledge for its own sake rather than a means to an end...

Part A: which statement best summarizes the text

A. Learning is personal and focuses on improving weaknesses and enhancing strengths.

Study Guide for Francis Bacon: Essays and Major Works

Francis Bacon: Essays and Major Works study guide contains a biography of Francis Bacon, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis of select works.

• About Francis Bacon: Essays and Major Works
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Essays for Francis Bacon: Essays and Major Works

Francis Bacon: Essays and Major Works essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Francis Bacon's quotes and writings.

• An Scholarly Analysis of A Scholar's Analysis

Wikipedia Entries for Francis Bacon: Essays and Major Works

• Introduction
• Philosophy and works
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• Historical debates

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Read our detailed notes on the Francis Bacon’s famous essay, “Of Truth”. Our notes cover Of Truth summary and analysis.

Of Truth by Francis Bacon Summary & Analysis

In this essay, Bacon has presented the objective truth in various manifestations.Similarly, Bacon shares with us the subjective truth, operative in social life. “OF TRUTH” is Bacon’s masterpiece that shows his keen observation of human beings with special regard to truth. In the beginning of the essay, Bacon rightly observes that generally people do not care for truth as Pilate, the governor of the Roman Empire, while conducting the trial of Jesus Christ, cares little for truth:

“What is truth? Said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer.”

Advancing his essay, Bacon explores the reasons why the people do not like truth. First, truth is acquired through hard work and man is ever reluctant to work hard. Secondly, truth curtails man’s freedom. More than that the real reason of man’s disliking to truth is that man is attached to lies which Bacon says “a natural though corrupt love of the lie itself.” Man loves falsehood because, Bacon says that truth is as if the bright light of the day and would show what men, in actual, are. They look attractive and colourful in the dim light of lies.He futher adds,

“A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure.”

It is a fact that man prefers to cherish illusions, which make his life more interesting. With a profound observation of man’s psychology, Bacon states that if deprived of false pride and vanities, the human mind would contract like a deflated balloon and these human beings would become poor, sad and ill. However, poetic untruth is not gone unnoticed by Bacon’s piercing intellect. He says though poetic untruth is a wine of the Devil in priest’s eyes, yet it is not as harmful as the other lies are. Bacon being a literary artist illustrates this concept with an apt imagery that the poetic untruth is but the shadow of a lie. The enquiry of truth, knowledge of truth and belief of truth are compared with the enjoyment of love. Such a comparison lends the literary charm to this essay.Bacon further says in that the last act of creation was to create rational faculty, which helps in finding truth, is the finished product of God’s blessing as he says:

“… The last was the light of reason…is the illumination of his spirit.”

Bacon’s moral idealism is obvious when he advancing his argument in favour of truth asserts that the earth can be made paradise only with the help of truth. Man should ever stick to truth in every matter, do the act of charity and have faith in every matter, do the act of charity and have faith in God. Bacon’s strong belief in truth and Divinity is stated thus:

“Certainly, it is heaven upon earth, to have a man’s mind move in charity, rest in Providence, and turn upon the poles of truth.”

From the objective truth, Bacon passes judgment, to the subjective truth, which he calls “the truth of civil business”. It is the compelling quality of truth, Bacon observes, that the persons who do not practice truth, acknowledge it. Bacon’s idealistic moral attitude is obvious in these lines when he says: “….. that clear and round dealing is the honour of man’s nature; and that mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the metal work better, but it embaseth it.”

Bacon further asserts that the liars are like a snake that goes basely upon the belly and not upon the feet. Imagery comprising comparison is apt and convincing. Moreover, Bacon refers to Montaigne who is of the view that “a lie faces God and shrinks from man”. Bacon adds that falsehood is the height of wickedness and as such will invite the Judgment of God upon all human beings on Doom’s day. Therefore, Bacon concludes his essay with didacticism with a tinge of Christian morality.

In the essay, “OF TRUTH”, there is no digression. All the arguments in the essay pertain to the single main idea, truth. Bacon’s wide learning is clearly observed when he refers to Pilate (history), Lucian (Greek literature), Creation, Montaigne (a French essayist). “OF TRUTH” is enriched with striking similes and analogies, such as he equates liars as a snake moving basely on its belly, mixture of falsehood is like an alloy of gold and silver.Similarly, truth is ‘open day light’ whereas lie is ‘candle light i.e fake dim light. Truth is ‘a pearl’ i.e worthy and precious whereas ,lie is ‘a diamond’ that reflects light illusions when placed in daylight.

The essay “OF TRUTH” is not ornamental as was the practice of the Elizabethan prose writers. Bacon is simple, natural and straightforward in his essay though Elizabethan colour is also found in “OF TRUTH” because there is a moderate use of Latinism in the essay. Economy of words is found in the essay not alone, but syntactic brevity is also obvious in this essay. We find conversational ease in this essay, which is the outstanding feature of Bacon’s style. There is a peculiar feature of Bacon i.e. aphorism. We find many short, crispy, memorable and witty sayings in this essay.

Therefore, Bacon’s essay “OF TRUTH” is rich in matter and manner. This is really a council ‘civil and moral’.

More From Francis Bacon

• Of Adversity
• Of Ambition
• Of Discourse
• Of Followers and Friends
• Of Friendship
• Of Great Place
• Of Marriage and Single Life
• Of Nobility
• Of Parents and Children
• Of Simulation and Dissimulation
• Of Superstition
• Of Goodness and Goodness of Nature

• International

Israel-Hamas war

University protests

SCOTUS hears abortion case

Second day of testimony wraps in Trump hush money trial

From CNN's Jeremy Herb, Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell in the courthouse

Key takeaways from Tuesday's hush money trial against Donald Trump

From CNN's Jeremy Herb, Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell

Donald Trump had a frustrating day in court on Tuesday. Even with an abbreviated day for the Passover holiday, there was a one-two punch of a morning hearing about possible gag order violations and the testimony about the “catch-and-kill” deals to bury negative stories about the former president during the 2016 election.

Former tabloid publisher David Pecker will return to the stand on Thursday after court is dark on Wednesday. He has spoken now about two of the three catch-and-kill deals — but not adult film star Stormy Daniels, which is likely coming on Thursday.

Here are key takeaways from Tuesday’s day in court:

• Gag order hearing goes badly for Trump: Judge Juan Merchan issued the gag order before the trial began, limiting Trump from publicly discussing witnesses, the jury, the district attorney’s staff and Merchan's family. He has not yet ruled on the district attorney’s motion to sanction Trump for allegedly violating the order, but it wasn’t hard to tell the judge’s sentiments. Merchan rejected the explanations that Trump attorney Todd Blanche offered for the offending posts after Trump’s attorney tried to argue that posts about Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen were political and not about the case.
• Judge says Trump lawyers are "losing all credibility": Tensions continued to grow between Trump’s legal team and the trial judge during the gag order hearing. Merchan repeatedly asked Blanche to clarify examples of when Trump was specifically responding to attacks from Cohen and Daniels on social media and grew visibly frustrated when Blanche failed to comply. Last week, Merchan supported prosecutors when they refused to give Trump’s legal team notice of their witness list, saying he understood the sentiment given Trump’s social media attacks.
• Pecker puts jury inside how AMI helped Trump in 2016 campaign: Pecker, who ran American Media Inc. during the 2016 election, testified for around two-and-a-half hours on Tuesday, walking jurors through how he worked with Cohen on Trump’s behalf to squash unflattering stories during the 2016 election. He testified about the “catch and kill” deals involving McDougal and Trump’s doorman. He said that he met with Trump and Cohen in 2015 where he agreed to be the “eyes and ears” of the campaign and look out for negative stories.
• Pecker places Michael Cohen deep in the conspiracy: Pecker placed Cohen in the heart   of the alleged “catch and kill conspiracy” by testifying that Cohen was the go-between for Trump fielding media stories from Pecker since 2007. At the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting, Pecker said he would notify Cohen about negative stories. During Trump’s campaign in 2015 and 2016, Pecker said Cohen would also pitch stories about Trump’s political opponents and offer feedback on behalf of “the boss,” as Cohen referred to Trump.

Secret Service and other officials discussing what to do if Trump is jailed for contempt of court, sources say

From CNN's John Miller

The US Secret Service, court officers and even the New York City Department of Corrections have been quietly discussing what to do if former President Donald Trump ends up being jailed for contempt of court, officials familiar with the plans tell CNN.

In Trump’s civil trial , Judge Arthur Engoran held the former president in contempt a number of times for violating his orders – but imposed only monetary penalties. In Trump’s civil trial in federal courts in January, Judge Lewis Kaplan considered holding Trump in contempt of court. He strongly hinted that he would order the former president to be held in custody if there was another violation of his instructions.

While that didn’t happen, it did cause a stir within the Secret Service and the US Marshals Service as they had to figure out how they would handle logistics if the judge did put Trump in custody, the sources said. Agents scrambled to find an office or conference room for this purpose if they needed to.

In the hush money case, an assistant district attorney asked Judge Juan Merchan to consider jail time for Trump’s alleged acts of contempt. Since last week, Secret Service agents, court officers and NYPD detectives assigned to Trump's security detail have been discussing how that would be handled if it came to pass, though nothing was decided.

The one thing that was decided was that this was not a plan that should be made just by the court, the prosecutors and Trump’s lawyers, the sources said.

Instead, the Secret Service would want to be included in any discussions about how and where Trump is being held in custody — if that came to pass — simply because it would have to figure out how to carry out officers' protective obligations. 

Trump falsely claims “thousands” of his supporters were turned away outside of the courtroom

From CNN's Kate Sullivan

Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed on Tuesday that “thousands” of his supporters were “turned away” by police from the courthouse where his New York criminal hush money trial is taking place. 

In the same  Truth Social post , Trump attacked New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, who wrote about Trump not being happy that only a handful of his supporters had shown up outside of the courthouse. 

Trump has issued public calls on social media for his supporters to show up outside of the courthouse to peacefully protest. 

“Thousands of people were turned away from the Courthouse in Lower Manhattan by steel stanchions and police, literally blocks from the tiny side door from where I enter and leave. It is an armed camp to keep people away. Maggot Hagerman of The Failing New York Times, falsely reported that I was disappointed with the crowds. No, I’m disappointed with Maggot, and her lack of writing skill, and that some of these many police aren’t being sent to Columbia and NYU to keep the schools open and the students safe,” Trump said. 

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins  has reported  that protestors are allowed outside the courthouse, but his supporters have just been small in number.

Pecker testified about a 2015 meeting with Trump. Here's a timeline of key events in the hush money case

From CNN’s Lauren del Valle, Kara Scannell, Annette Choi and Gillian Roberts 

On Tuesday, former American Media Inc. CEO David Pecker  testified about his August 2015 meeting with former President Donald Trump.

Pecker said he agreed to be the “eyes and ears” for Trump’s campaign and flag any negative stories to Trump’s then-fixer Michael Cohen.

CNN compiled a timeline of the key events leading up to the historic trial. Read up on the moments below:

• September 2016: Donald Trump discusses a $150,000 hush money payment understood to be for former Playboy model Karen McDougal with Michael Cohen who secretly records the conversation . McDougal has alleged she had an extramarital affair with Trump beginning in 2006, which he has denied. 
• October 7, 2016: The Washington Post releases an "Access Hollywood" video from 2005 in which Trump uses vulgar language to describe his sexual approach to women with show host Billy Bush. 
• October 27, 2016: According to prosecutors, Cohen pays Stormy Daniels $130,000 through her attorney via a shell company in exchange for her silence about an affair she allegedly had with Trump in 2006. This $130,000 sum is separate from the $150,000 paid to McDougal. Trump has publicly denied having any affairs and has denied making the payments. 
• November 8, 2016: Trump secures the election to become the 45th president of the United States. 
• February 2017: Prosecutors say Cohen meets with Trump in the Oval Office to confirm how he would be reimbursed for the hush money payment Cohen fronted to Daniels. Under the plan, Cohen would send a series of false invoices requesting payment for legal services he performed pursuant to a retainer agreement and receive monthly checks for $35,000 for a total of $420,000 to cover the payment, his taxes and a bonus, prosecutors alleged. Prosecutors also allege there was never a retainer agreement. 
• January 2018: The Wall Street Journal breaks news about the hush money payment Cohen made to Daniels in 2016. 

See the full timeline.  

Fact check: Trump falsely describes gag order restrictions

From CNN's Daniel Dale

Upon leaving the courtroom on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump approached media cameras, began talking, and complained that he is “not allowed to talk.” 

Trump was criticizing Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order on him. Merchan had held a hearing on Tuesday morning to consider prosecutors’ allegations that Trump violated the gag order with a series of  online posts , including some in which the presumptive Republican presidential nominee  shared others’ articles related to the case  on social media.

Trump claimed, “Can’t even allow articles to be put in.” He claimed the articles he is referring to say “the case is a sham." He added, “I don’t even know if you’re allowed to put them in.” He also claimed that although others are permitted to lie and speak about him, “I’m not allowed to say anything.”

“I’d love to talk to you people, I’d love to say everything that’s on my mind, but I’m restricted because I have a gag order," Trump said.

Facts First :  As he  has before , Trump made Merchan’s gag order sound far broader than it is. The  gag order  does not prohibit Trump from declaring the case a sham or from sharing others’ claims that the case is a sham. It also does not prohibit Trump from speaking to the media about the case, from defending his conduct at issue in the case, from denouncing the judge and district attorney involved in the case, or from campaigning for the presidency with speeches, media interviews and online posts. Rather, the gag order forbids Trump from three specific categories of speech:

• Speaking publicly or directing others to speak publicly about known or foreseeable witnesses, specifically about their participation in the case
• Speaking publicly or directing others to speak publicly about prosecutors — other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg — including, staff members in Bragg's office and the court, and their family members if those statements are made with the intent to interfere with the case
• Speaking publicly or directing others to speak publicly about jurors or prospective jurors

In his comments on Tuesday, Trump made the point that an article may have a certain headline that generally denounces the case but, “somewhere deep” in the body of the text, may mention somebody’s name he is not permitted to mention because of the gag order. It’s not clear how Merchan would view Trump having shared an article in which, say, a witness’s name was only mentioned deep in the text. To date, though, articles that prosecutors have alleged Trump violated the gag order by sharing  featured headlines  that made it entirely clear the articles discussed likely witness Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer. 

Catch up on David Pecker's second day of testimony — and the gag order hearing earlier this morning

From CNN staff

Former tabloid executive David Pecker was back on the stand Tuesday to resume his testimony in the hush money trial against former President Donald Trump.

Pecker testified about a myriad of topics — but mainly established the substance of the August 2015 meeting at the crux of the “catch and kill” practice that is central to the case.

As the then-chairman of American Media Inc., which publishes the National Enquirer,  Pecker  was involved in numerous schemes to kill negative stories about Trump, and he allegedly helped broker the deal with Stormy Daniels.

Before Pecker returned to the stand, Judge Juan Merchan held a hearing on whether the former president violated the gag order in the hush money case. Under the order, Trump is barred from publicly discussing witnesses or jurors in the case. Merchan said he is reserving a decision on the gag order violations.

Court is not in session on Wednesday. The trial will resume Thursday morning.

Here are key moments from Pecker's testimony:

• Relationship with Trump: Pecker said he has known Trump since the 80s and has had a “great relationship” with him over the years. He said that as a celebrity, Trump advised him on parties and events to attend and introduced him to various people in New York. The former tabloid executive said he saw Trump more frequently after he announced his 2016 presidential run.
• Meeting at Trump Tower: The former tabloid publisher said he attended a meeting with Trump and Michael Cohen in August 2015 where he told Trump he would be his “eyes and ears.” Pecker said he offered to tell Cohen “about women selling stories” so that Cohen could have those stories killed or for someone to purchase them. The agreements with Trump were not put in writing , Pecker said.
• Negative stories: Pecker said he would contact Cohen directly if he heard any negative stories about Trump or his family. He also testified that Cohen would request the Enquirer run negative stories about Trump’s political opponents. The Enquirer would also send articles to Cohen before they were published, Pecker said.
• Trump’s business practices: Pecker testified that he saw Trump review and sign invoices and checks and described him as “very knowledgable” and almost “a micromanager” in business. He also described Trump as “very frugal” in his approach to money.
• Pecker claims mutual benefit: Pecker testified that publishing negative stories about Trump’s opponents and alerting him about damaging information had a mutual benefit for the Enquirer and the campaign. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, though, pushed back and had Pecker confirm that stopping stories from being printed about Trump only benefited the campaign .
• Headlines and documents enter evidence: The jury was shown a series of National Enquirer articles both praising Trump and attacking political opponents . Prosecutors also introduced AMI business records into evidence, including text messages.
• First "catch and kill" story: Pecker said the first time he paid to kill a negative article about Trump was when he bought a story for $30,000 from a doorman who said Trump had fathered a child. Pecker said he decided to buy the story even after knowing it was false "it would have been very embarrassing to the campaign ” and Trump. The doorman was eventually released from the exclusivity agreement in December 2016 — after the election, at Cohen’s request.
• Karen McDougal: Pecker said former National Enquirer editor-in-chief Dylan Howard went to interview former Playboy model Karen McDougal about a story she was trying to sell alleging she had a relationship with Trump, which the former president denies. Pecker testified that Cohen called him frequently to ask about what happened at the interview and was agitated.

Analysis: Trump faces another major legal battle at the Supreme Court on Thursday 

From CNN's Ronald Brownstein

The Supreme Court’s hearing on  former President Donald Trump’s  immunity claim — happening on Thursday — will underline a historic power shift.

In a closely divided era when neither party has proven able to maintain control of the White House and Congress for very long, the six GOP-appointed justices on the high court have become the most durable source of influence determining the nation’s direction.

“There’s an argument to be made that the Supreme Court is the central character in our national story right now because they are setting the terms by which the other branches and the states and the American people operate in a much more assertive way than perhaps they ever have,” said historian Jeff Shesol.

Although Chief Justice John Roberts  at his confirmation hearing famously likened the court to an impartial “umpire, ” the conservative majority has steadily steered policy on a wide range of social, racial and economic issues toward the preferences of the Republican Party, whose presidents nominated them and whose senators provided the vast majority of votes to confirm them.

The rulings by the GOP-appointed justices over roughly the past two decades have produced cumulative policy changes “way more extensive than any administration, even within unified control of government, has been able to generate,” said Paul Pierson, a University of California at Berkeley political scientist.

The Supreme Court arguments will come as Trump sits in New York for his hush money trial proceedings.

Read the full analysis.

Prosecutors zeroed in on witness David Pecker today. These are the other key players in the trial

From CNN's Kaanita Iyer, Amy O'Kruk and Curt Merrill

Donald Trump has been accused of taking part in an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election and an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, which included a hush money payment made to an adult-film star to hide an affair. Trump has denied the affair.

Prosecutors allege that Trump allegedly disguised the transaction as a legal payment and falsified business records numerous times to “promote his candidacy.” Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records. He has pleaded not guilty.

David Pecker, the ex-publisher of the National Enquirer, was the prosecution's first witness.

Read up on the other key people in the Trump hush money criminal trial:

See a courtroom sketch from David Pecker's testimony today 

From Christina Cornell

No cameras are allowed inside the Manhattan courtroom where Donald Trump's hush money trial is underway, but sketch artists were capturing the scene as former tabloid executive David Pecker took the stand.

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