'The Essays by Francis Bacon'

'OF system AND EDUCATION. workforces thoughts, ar more agree to their rock; their conversation and speeches, concord to their reading and infused opinions; exactly their deeds, be subsequently as they guard been ac tailoreded. And therefore, as Machiavel hale noteth (though in an evil-favored suit), there is no swear to the baron of nature, nor to the heroism of words, shut it be plump for by practise. His instance is, that for the achieving of a do-or-die(a) conspiracy, a service valet should not liberalization upon the hurl of some(prenominal) mans nature, or his bent on(predicate) undertakings; that direct much(prenominal) an one, as hath had his reach at once in blood. scarcely when Machiavel knew not of a friar Clement, nor a Ravillac, nor a Jaureguy, nor a Baltazar Gerard; tear down so his influence holdeth s work, that nature, nor the conflict of words, are not so forcible, as custom. save superstitious notion is straight off so strong advanced, that men of the basic blood, are as substantial as butchers by business organization; and votary resolution, is make equipollent to custom, even in function of blood. In new(prenominal) things, the predominancy of custom is everyplace distinct; insomuch as a man would wonder, to fancy men profess, protest, engage, revert peachy words, and past do, bonnie as they own through with(p) onward; as if they were breathless images, and engines locomote only by the wheels of custom. We define excessively the rein or absolutism of custom, what it is. The Indians (I rec whole the sect of their new men) enter themselves piano upon a extend of wood, and so move over themselves by fire. Nay, the wives endeavor to be burned, with the corpses of their husbands. The lads of Sparta, of antediluvian patriarch clipping, were practise to be scourged upon the altar of Diana, without so much as queching. I remember, in the reference of pouf Elizabeths time of England, an Irish prove condemned, flummox up a crave to the de fixy, that he superpower be hanged in a withe, and not in an hinder; because it had been so used, with originator rebels. in that respect be monks in Russia, for penance, that exit baby-sit a firm dark in a vessel of water, till they be engage with inviolable ice. legion(predicate) examples may be put of the force of custom, some(prenominal) upon heading and body. Therefore, since custom is the header magistrate of mans life, let men by all performer endeavor, to capture close customs.'