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Francis　Bacon　on　Truth

Francis　Bacon

In　this　famous　essay；　first　published　in　1625；　Francis　Bacon　declares　that　truth　in　the　philosophical　and　theological　sense；　as　well　as　honesty　in　the　civil1　business　sense；　are　the　“sovereign2　good　of　human　nature。”

Truth；　which　only　doth　judge　itself；　teacheth　that　the　inquiry　of　truth；　which　is　the　love…making　or　wooing　of　it；　the　knowledge　of　truth；　which　is　the　presence　of　it；　and　the　belief　of　truth；　which　is　the　enjoying　of　it；　is　the　sovereign　good　of　human　nature。　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　sabbath3　work　ever　since　is　the　illumination　of　his　Spirit。　First　he　breathed　light　upon　the　face　of　the　matter　or　chaos；　then　he　breathed　light　into　the　face　of　man；　and　still　he　breatheth　and　inspireth　light　into　the　face　of　his　chosen。　The　poet　that　beautified　the　sect　that　was　otherwise　inferior　to　the　rest　saith　yet　excellently　well：　It　is　a　pleasure　to　stand　upon　the　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　adventures　thereof　below；　but　no　pleasure　is　parable　to　the　standing　upon　the　vantage4　ground　of　truth　（a　hill　not　to　be　manded；　and　where　the　air　is　always　clear　and　serene）；　and　to　see　the　errors　and　wanderings　and　mists　and　tempests　in　the　vale　below；　so　always　that　this　prospect　be　with　pity；　and　no