246 BACON 



Aphorism 15 



A fool speaks all his mind, but a wise man reserves something 

 for hereafter v 



This aphorism seems principally levelled, not against the 

 futility of light persons, who speak what they should conceal, 

 nor against the pertness with which they indiscriminately and 

 injudiciously fly out upon men and things, nor against the 

 talkative humor with which some men disgust their hearers, 

 but against a more latent failing, viz., a very imprudent and im- 

 politic management of speech ; when a man in private conver- 

 sation so directs his discourse as, in a continued string of words, 

 to deliver all he can say, that any way relates to the subject, 

 which is a great prejudice to business. For I. discourse in- 

 terrupted and infused by parcels, enters deeper than if it were 

 continued and unbroken ; in which case the weight of things 

 is not distinctly and particularly felt, as having not time to fix 

 themselves; but one reason drives out another before it had 

 taken root. 2. Again, no one is so powerful or happy in elo- 

 quence, as at first setting out to leave the hearer perfectly mute 

 and silent ; but he will always have something to answer, and 

 perhaps to object in his turn. And here it happens, that those 

 things which were to be reserved for confutation, or reply, be- 

 ing now anticipated, lose their strength and beauty. 3. Lastly, 

 if a person does not utter all his mind at once, but speaks by 

 starts, first one thing, then another, he will perceive from the 

 countenance and answer of the person spoken to, how each 

 particular affects him, and in what sense he takes it ; and thus 

 be directed more cautiously to suppress or employ the matter 

 still in reserve. 



Aphorism 16 



// the displeasure of great men rise up against thee, forsake not 

 thy place; for pliant behavior extenuates great offences w 



This aphorism shows how a person ought to behave, when 

 he has incurred the displeasure of his prince. The precept hath 

 two parts i. that the person quit not his post ; and 2. that he, 

 with diligence and caution, apply to the cure, as of a dangerous 

 disease. For when men see their prince incensed against them, 

 what through impatience of disgrace, fear of renewing their 

 wounds by sight, and partly to let their prince behold their con- 



