< Page:Essays of Francis Bacon 1908 Scott.djvu
This page has been validated.

172

BACON'S ESSAYS

will take that part, except lie be like a seeled[1] dove, that mounts and mounts because he cannot see about him. There is use also of ambitious men in pulling down the greatness of any subject that overtops; as Tiberius used Macro[2] in the pulling down of Sejanus.[3] Since therefore they must be used in such cases, there resteth[4] to speak how they are to be bridled, that they may be less dangerous. There is less danger of them if they be of mean birth, than if they be noble; and if they be rather harsh of nature, than gracious and popular: and if they be rather new raised, than grown cunning[5] and fortified in their greatness. It is counted by some a weakness in princes to have favourites; but it is of all others the best remedy against ambitious great-ones. For when the way of pleasuring[6] and displeasuring[7] lieth by the favourite, it is impossible any other should be over-great. Another means to curb them, is to balance them by others as proud

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

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

    Ben Jonson. The Alchemist. iv. 2.

  5. ↑ Cunning. Skilful. "And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents." Genesis xxv. 27.
  6. ↑ Pleasure. To give pleasure to; to please.

    "I count it one of my greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman." Shakspere. Timon of Athens. iii. 2.
  7. ↑ Displeasure. To displease, annoy.
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.