Bacon's Essays, and Wisdom of the Ancients
of species, or particular bodies. The description given us of him
transfers the allegory to morality, though he still retains some
resemblance with the ancient Cupid; for as Venus universally excites
the affection of association, and the desire of procreation, her
son Cupid applies the affection to individuals; so that the general
disposition proceeds from Venus, but the more close sympathy from
Cupid. The former depends upon a near approximation of causes, but the
latter upon deeper, more necessitating and uncontrollable principles,
as if they proceeded from the ancient Cupid, on whom all exquisite
sympathies depend.
XVIII.—DIOMED, OR ZEAL.
EXPLAINED OF PERSECUTION, OR ZEAL FOR RELIGION.
Diomed acquired great glory and honor at the Trojan war, and was highly
favored by Pallas, who encouraged and excited him by no means to spare
Venus, if he should casually meet her in fight. He followed the advice
with too much eagerness and intrepidity, and accordingly wounded that
goddess in her hand. This presumptuous action remained unpunished
for a time, and when the war was ended he returned with great glory
and renown to his own country, where, finding himself embroiled with
domestic affairs, he retired into Italy. Here also at first he was
well received and nobly entertained by King Daunus, who, besides other
gifts and honors, erected statues for him over all his dominions.
But upon the first calamity that afflicted the people after the
stranger’s arrival, Daunus immediately reflected that he entertained
a devoted person in his palace, an enemy to the gods, and one who had
sacrilegiously wounded a goddess with his sword, whom it was impious
but to touch. To expiate, therefore, his country’s guilt, he, without
regard to the laws of hospitality, which were less regarded by him
than the laws of religion, directly slew his guest, and commanded his
statues and all his honors to be razed and abolished. Nor was it safe
for others to commiserate or bewail so cruel a destiny; but even his
companions in arms, whilst they lamented the death of their leader,
and filled all places with their complaints, were turned into a kind
of swans, which are said, at the approach of their own death, to chant
sweet melancholy dirges.
EXPLANATION.—This fable intimates an extraordinary and almost singular
thing, for no hero besides Diomed is recorded to have wounded any of
the gods. Doubtless we have here described the nature and fate of a man
who professedly makes any divine worship or sect of religion, though,
in itself vain and light, the only scope of his actions, and resolves
to propagate it by fire and sword. For although the bloody dissensions
and differences about religion were unknown to the ancients, yet so
copious and diffusive was their knowledge, that what they knew not by
experience they comprehended in thought and representation. Those,
therefore, who endeavor to reform or establish any sect of religion,
though vain, corrupt, and infamous (which is here denoted under the
person of Venus), not by the force of reason, learning, sanctity of
manners, the weight of arguments, and examples, but would spread or
extirpate it by persecution, pains, penalties, tortures, fire, and
sword, may, perhaps, be instigated hereto by Pallas, that is, by a
certain rigid, prudential consideration, and a severity of judgment,
by the vigor and efficacy whereof they see thoroughly into the
fallacies and fictions of the delusions of this kind; and through
aversion to depravity and a well-meant zeal, these men usually for
a time acquire great fame and glory, and are by the vulgar, to whom
no moderate measures can be acceptable, extolled and almost adored,
as the only patrons and protectors of truth and religion, men of any
other disposition seeming, in comparison with these, to be lukewarm,
mean-spirited, and cowardly. This fame and felicity, however, seldom
endures to the end; but all violence, unless it escapes the reverses
and changes of things by untimely death, is commonly unprosperous
in the issue; and if a change of affairs happens, and that sect
of religion which was persecuted and oppressed gains strength and
rises again, then the zeal and warm endeavors of this sort of men
are condemned, their very name becomes odious, and all their honors
terminate in disgrace.
As to the point that Diomed should be slain by his hospitable
entertainer, this denotes that religious dissensions may cause
treachery, bloody animosities, and deceit, even between the nearest
friends.
That complaining or bewailing should not, in so enormous a case, be
permitted to friends affected by the catastrophe without punishment,
includes this prudent admonition, that almost in all kinds of
wickedness and depravity men have still room left for commiseration,
so that they who hate the crime may yet pity the person and bewail his
calamity, from a principle of humanity and good-nature; and to forbid
the overflowings and intercourses of pity upon such occasions were
the extremest of evils; yet in the cause of religion and impiety the
very commiserations of men are noted and suspected. On the other hand,
the lamentations and complainings of the followers and attendants of
Diomed, that is, of men of the same sect or persuasion, are usually
very sweet, agreeable, and moving, like the dying notes of swans, or
the birds of Diomed. This also is a noble and remarkable part of the
allegory, denoting that the last words of those who suffer for the sake
of religion strongly affect and sway men’s minds, and leave a lasting
impression upon the sense and memory.
XIX.—DÆDALUS, OR MECHANICAL SKILL.
EXPLAINED OF ARTS AND ARTISTS IN KINGDOMS AND STATES.
The ancients have left us a description of mechanical skill, industry,
and curious arts converted to ill uses, in the person of Dædalus, a
most ingenious but execrable artist. This Dædalus was banished for the
murder of his brother artist and rival, yet found a kind reception in
his banishment from the kings and states where he came. He raised many
incomparable edifices to the honor of the gods, and invented many new
contrivances for the beautifying and ennobling of cities and public
places, but still he was most famous for wicked inventions. Among the
rest, by his abominable industry and destructive genius, he assisted
in the fatal and infamous production of the monster Minotaur, that
devourer of promising youths. And then, to cover one mischief with
another, and provide for the security of this monster, he invented
and built a labyrinth; a work infamous for its end and design, but
admirable and prodigious for art and workmanship. After this, that
he might not only be celebrated for wicked inventions, but be sought
after, as well for prevention, as for instruments of mischief, he
formed that ingenious device of his clue, which led directly through
all the windings of the labyrinth. This Dædalus was persecuted by Minos
with the utmost severity, diligence, and inquiry; but he always found
refuge and means of escaping. Lastly, endeavoring to teach his son
Icarus the art of flying, the novice, trusting too much to his wings,
fell from his towering flight, and was drowned in the sea.
EXPLANATION.—The sense of the fable runs thus. It first denotes envy,
which is continually upon the watch, and strangely prevails among
excellent artificers; for no kind of people are observed to be more
implacably and destructively envious to one another than these.
In the next place, it observes an impolitic and improvident kind of
punishment inflicted upon Dædalus—that of banishment; for good workmen
are gladly received everywhere, so that banishment to an excellent
artificer is scarce any punishment at all; whereas other conditions of
life cannot easily flourish from home. For the admiration of artists
is propagated and increased among foreigners and strangers; it being
a principle in the minds of men to slight and despise the mechanical
operators of their own nation.
The succeeding part of the fable is plain, concerning the use of
mechanic arts, whereto human life stands greatly indebted, as receiving
from this treasury numerous particulars for the service of religion,
the ornament of civil society, and the whole provision and apparatus of
life; but then the same magazine supplies instruments of lust, cruelty,
and death. For, not to mention the arts of luxury and debauchery, we
plainly see how far the business of exquisite poisons, guns, engines of
war, and such kind of destructive inventions, exceeds the cruelty and
barbarity of the Minotaur himself.
The addition of the labyrinth contains a beautiful allegory,
representing the nature of mechanic arts in general; for all ingenious
and accurate mechanical inventions may be conceived as a labyrinth,
which, by reason of their subtilty, intricacy, crossing, and
interfering with one another, and the apparent resemblances they have
among themselves, scarce any power of the judgment can unravel and
distinguish; so that they are only to be understood and traced by the
clue of experience.
It is no less prudently added, that he who invented the windings of the
labyrinth, should also show the use and management of the clue; for
mechanical arts have an ambiguous or double use, and serve as well to
produce as to prevent mischief and destruction; so that their virtue
almost destroys or unwinds itself.
Unlawful arts and indeed frequently arts themselves, are persecuted by
Minos, that is, by laws, which prohibit and forbid their use among the
people; but notwithstanding this, they are hid, concealed, retained,
and everywhere find reception and skulking-places; a thing well
observed by Tacitus of the astrologers and fortune-tellers of his time.
“These,” says he, “are a kind of men that will always be prohibited,
and yet will always be retained in our city.”
But lastly, all unlawful and vain arts, of what kind soever, lose
their reputation in tract of time; grow contemptible and perish,
through their overconfidence, like Icarus; being commonly unable to
perform what they boasted. And to say the truth, such arts are better
suppressed by their own vain pretensions, than checked or restrained by
the bridle of laws.[632]
XX.—ERICTHONIUS, OR IMPOSTURE.
EXPLAINED OF THE IMPROPER USE OF FORCE IN NATURAL PHILOSOPHY.
The poets feign that Vulcan attempted the chastity of Minerva, and
impatient of refusal, had recourse to force; the consequence of which
was the birth of Ericthonius, whose body from the middle upwards was
comely and well-proportioned, but his thighs and legs small, shrunk,
and deformed, like an eel. Conscious of this defect, he became the
inventor of chariots, so as to show the graceful, but conceal the
deformed part of his body.
EXPLANATION.—This strange fable seems to carry this meaning. Art is
here represented under the person of Vulcan, by reason of the various
uses it makes of fire; and nature, under the person of Minerva, by
reason of the industry employed in her works. Art, therefore, whenever
it offers violence to nature, in order to conquer, subdue, and bend
her to its purpose, by tortures and force of all kinds, seldom obtains
the end proposed; yet upon great struggle and application, there
proceed certain imperfect births, or lame abortive works, specious in
appearance, but weak and unstable in use; which are, nevertheless,
with great pomp and deceitful appearances, triumphantly carried about,
and shown by impostors. A procedure very familiar, and remarkable in
chemical productions, and new mechanical inventions; especially when
the inventors rather hug their errors than improve upon them, and go on
struggling with nature, not courting her.
XXI.—DEUCALION, OR RESTITUTION.
EXPLAINED OF A USEFUL HINT IN NATURAL PHILOSOPHY.