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|
Essays (1625) |
Sir Francis Bacon |
| 1 |
HE that hath Wife and Children,
hath giuen Hostages to Fortune; For they are Impediments, to great Enterprises,
either of Vertue, or Mischiefe. Certainly,
the best workes, and of greatest Merit for
the Publike, haue proceeded from the
vnmarried, or Childlesse Men; which,
both in Affection, and Meanes, haue
married and endowed the Publike. Yet
it were great Reason, that those that haue
Children, should haue greatest care of future times; vnto which, they know, they
must transmit, their dearest pledges. Some
there are, who though they lead a Single
Life, yet their Thoughts doe end with
themselues, 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 couetous Men, that take a
pride in hauing no Children, because they
may be thought, so much the richer. For
perhaps, they haue heard some talke; Such
an one is 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 certaine Selfe-pleasing, and humorous Mindes, which are so sensible
of euery restraint, as they will goe neare,
to thinke their Girdles, and Garters, to be
Bonds and Shackles. Vnmarried Men are
best Friends; best Masters; best Seruants;
but not alwayes best Subiects; For
they are light to runne away; And almost
all Fugitiues are of that Condition. A Single Life doth well with Church men: For
Charity will hardly water the Ground,
where it must first fill a Poole. It is
indifferent for Iudges and Magistrates: For
if they be facile, and corrupt, you shall
haue a Seruant, fiue times worse than a
Wife. For Souldiers, I finde the Generalls
commonly in their Hortatiues, put Men
in minde of their Wiues and Children: And
I thinke the Despising of Marriage, amongst the Turkes, maketh the vulgar
souldier more base. Certainly, Wife and
Children, are a kinde of Discipline of Humanity: And single Men, though they be
many times more Charitable, because
their Meanes are lesse exhaust; yet, on the
other side, they are more cruell, and hard
hearted, ( good to make seuere Inquisitors ) because their Tendernesse, is not
so oft called vpon. Graue Natures, led by
Custome, and therfore constant, are commonly louing Husbands; As was said of
Vlysses; |
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