122 BACON'S ESSAYS 



XLIX 

 OF SUITORS 



MANY ill matters and projects are undertaken ; and private 

 suits do putrefy the public good. Many good matters are 

 undertaken with bad minds ; I mean not only corrupt 

 minds, but crafty minds, that intend not performance. 

 Some embrace suits, which never mean to deal effectually 

 in them ; but if they see there may be life in the matter by 

 some other mean, they will be content to win a thank, cfr 

 take a second reward, or at least to make use in the mean 

 time of the suitor's hopes. Some take hold of suits only 

 for an occasion to cross some other; or to make an 

 information whereof they could not otherwise have apt 

 pretext ; without care what become of the suit when that 

 turn is served ; or, generally, to make other men's business 

 a kind of entertainment to bring in their own. Nay some 

 undertake suits, with a full purpose to let them fall; to 

 the end to gratify the adverse party or competitor. Surely 

 there is in some sort a right in every suit ; either a right in 

 equity, if it be a suit of controversy ; or a right of desert, 

 if it be a suit of petition. If affection lead a man to favour 

 the wrong side in justice, let him rather use his coun- 

 tenance to compound the matter than to carry it. If 

 affection lead a man to favour the less worthy in desert, 

 let him do it without depraving or disabling the better 

 deserver. 



In suits which a man doth not well understand, it is 

 good to refer them to some friend of trust and judgment, 

 that may report whether he may deal in them with honour : 

 but let him choose well his referendaries, for else he may 

 be led by the nose. Suitors are so distasted with delays 

 and abuses, that plain dealing in denying to deal in suits at 

 first, and reporting the success barely, and in challenging 

 no more thanks than one hath deserved, is grown not only 

 honourable but also gracious. In suits of favour, the first 

 coming ought to take little place: so far forth considera- 

 tion may be had of his trust, that if intelligence of the 



