Of Truth by Francis Bacon

• Introduction of Francis Bacon

• Introduction of the Essay OF Truth
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• Francis Bacon, also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and
statesman who served as Attorney General and as Lord Chancellor of England. His
works are seen as developing the scientific method and remained influential
through the scientific revolution.
• Born: January 22, 1561, York House, London, United Kingdom
• Died: April 9, 1626, Highgate, London, United Kingdom
• Francis Bacon was an English Renaissance statesman and philosopher, best known
for his promotion of the scientific method.
• Bacon, during the enlightenment era, now, and forever, is a symbol for science and
rational thought. Bacon's work spread and inductive methods for scientific analysis
became more prominent. These methods, known as Baconian method, were
intended to replace the methods of Aristotle.
• His works are seen as developing the scientific method and remained influential
through the scientific revolution. Bacon has been called the father of empiricism.
He argued for the possibility of scientific knowledge based only upon inductive
reasoning and careful observation of events in nature.
• Of Truth, by Francis Bacon. "Of Truth" is the opening essay in the final edition of
the philosopher, statesman and jurist Francis Bacon's "Essays or Counsels, Civil and
Moral" (1625). ... In "Of Truth," Bacon argues that people have a natural inclination
to lie to others: "a natural though corrupt love, of the lie itself."
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 discoursing 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 labor 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 favor, but
a natural though corrupt love of the lie itself. One of
the later school 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 poets, nor for advantage, as with
the merchant; but for the lie's sake.
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Summary
Pilate, the ancient Roman Governor of Judaea, was
not much interested in knowing the meaning of truth.
He seemed to have a sceptical frame of mind. There
are certainly people who frequently change their
opinions. They consider it a sign of mental slavery to
have fixed beliefs. They advocate free will in thought
as well as in action. In ancient Greece there was a
school of philosophers called the Sceptics.
The discovery of truth involves a lot of time and labor.
Besides, when truth has been discovered, it acts as a
kind of restraint upon the minds of men, because
men cannot then change their beliefs according to
their whims. Lies are in favor not because of either of
these two causes. It seems that human beings are
somehow or other attracted by lies.
Of Truth
But I cannot tell: this same truth is a naked and open
daylight that doth not show the masques and mummeries
and triumphs of the world half so stately and daintily as
candle-lights. 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 daemonum [the
wine of devils] 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
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Summary
Truth is like the clear day-light in which the
shows and the spectacles presented on the
stage of a theatre are seen for what they are,
while lies are like candle-lights in which the
same shows and spectacle appear to be far
more attractive. Truth gives greater pleasure
when a lie has been added to it.
An early writer of the church described
poetry as the wine of the devils. But poetry
tells lies which are received by the mind and
then forgotten. Such lies do not settle down
in the mind. But much harm is done by those
lies that sink into the mind and settle down
there.
Of Truth Summary
things are thus in men's depraved judgments and affections,
yet truth, which only doth judge itself, teacheth that the
Only those who understand truth
inquiry of truth, which is the love-making or wooing of it; the realise the value of truth. Truth is the
knowledge of truth, which is the presence of it; and the
belief of truth, which is the enjoying of it, is the sovereign
supreme good for human beings. The
good of human nature. inquiry of truth may be described as
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 the wooing of it; the knowledge of
Sabbath work ever since is the illumination of his spirit. First truth may be described as the
he breathed light upon the face of the matter, or chaos; then
he breathed light into the face of man; and still he breatheth presence of it; and the belief of truth
and inspireth light into the face of his chosen. The poet that may be described as the enjoying of it.
beautified the sect that was otherwise inferior to the rest,
saith yet excellently well, "It is a pleasure to stand upon the The first thing that God created was
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
light, and the final thing that He
adventures thereof below; but no pleasure is comparable to created was the rational faculty which
the standing upon the vantage ground of truth (a hill not to
be commanded, and where the air is always clear and
He bestowed upon man.
serene), and to see the errors and wanderings and mists and
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Of Truth Summary
tempests in the vale below"*; so always that this
prospect be with pity, and not with swelling or pride.
Having completed His work of
Certainly it is heaven upon earth to have a man's mind creation, God has ever since been
move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the
poles of truth.
illuminating the minds of human
To pass from theological and philosophical truth to the beings with His divine spirit. Truth is
truth of civil business: it will be acknowledged, even by
those that practice it not, that clear and round dealing is important not only in theological
the honor of man's nature, and that mixture of falsehood and philosophical fields, but also in
is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make
the metal work the better, but it embaseth it. For these the sphere of ordinary life. Even
winding and crooked courses are the goings of the those who do not practice truth
serpent, which goeth basely upon the belly and not upon
the feet. There is no vice that doth so cover a man with know that honest and
shame as to be found false and perfidious; and therefore
Montaigne saith prettily, when he inquired the reason
straightforward dealings show the
why the word of the lie should be such a disgrace and dignity and honorable quality of a
such an odious charge. Saith he, "If it be well weighed, to
man.
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Of Truth
say that a man lieth, is as much as to
say that he is brave towards God, and
a coward towards man." 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."
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Summary
Having completed His work of
creation, God has ever since been
illuminating the minds of human
beings with His divine spirit. Truth is
important not only in theological and
philosophical fields, but also in the
sphere of ordinary life. Even those
who do not practice truth know that
honest and straightforward dealings
show the dignity and honorable
quality of a man.
CRTICAL ANALYSIS
Humans and Truth & Lie Of truth is Bacon’s great work of prose which shows his keen observation of human beings with their attributes of
truth and lie. In the beginning, he states that people generally do not care for the truth.
He gives the example of Pilate, the governor of the Roman Empire while conducting the session with Jesus Christ, does not pay attention to
the truth and said: “what is the truth? Said Jesting Pilate, and would not stay for an answer.”
Reason Why People Hate Truth Moving on he describes the reasons why people do not like the truth. First, the truth is difficult to acquire
without hard work and man is ever reluctant to work hard. Moreover, truth makes people bound to a certain fact. It diminishes freedom.
According to Bacon truth is like a bright day which shows the real self. Truth is like a pearl that shows what is visible to the naked eye. It
cannot show anything by adding unrealistic elements. Falsehood can show something apparent in dark.
Lies and Pleasure People lie because it covers their real personality. Bacon rightly says that “A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure.” The
mixture of truth and lie makes things interesting and pleases everyone.
He states if everything is presented as its real colour with no additional praise, flattering comments, and illusions the society will become
indolent.
Same is the case with poets. They add false praises in their poetry to reach a higher level of accomplishments. Truth is utmost important in
every aspect of life civil or business.
A bit of lie added to truth is like making an alloy of copper and gold. It becomes easier to work with these metals but at the same times, it
makes it impure.
Lie is Like Snake Bacon compares lie with a snake crawling on its belly instead of walking on its feet. The false person has to let his head down
because he feels guilty all the time due to his habit of speaking falsehood all the time to earn benefits in business. There is no shameful act
than to be a liar.
Bacon quotes Montaigne who said that “a liar is a man who is brave towards God but is coward towards men.” He emphasizes on the
wickedness of the falsehood by saying that these are the negative qualities of men which will call upon the judgment of God upon mankind.
Conclusion Therefore Bacon concludes his essay with didacticism by giving a tinge of Christian morality. The essay is rich in manner and
matter. This is a council, civil and moral and should be read slowly to understand the lucid and condensed prose style of Bacon.