Anyone interested in writing non-fiction, especially essays and letters, must have envied the skills and wordly ornaments of Francis Bacon – the father of the art of writing essays. Bacon’s style of writing has been very popular and many a person has aspired for that. However, why doesn’t anyone practise that writing today? Is Bacon’s writing style done? The old, archaic and fanciful writing is over, isn’t it? Today, I am focusing on Bacon’s iconic lines which changed the course of essay writing forever. I hope you will be pleased to re-remember those lines that you might have read during graduation or other higher level of your studies.
“Knowledge is power.”
When Bacon wrote this, he must have meant it – and it’s true all the way; knowledge is the truest form of power you might ever have seen. This single, short, sharp and straightforward statement shines splendidly showering sure grace of Bacon’s wisdom dipped in his aphorism and wit. One single line is packed with many hundred philosophical assumptions and countless debates.
“Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.”
This one line might have given birth to many quotes, sayings and proverbs. Bacon’s vision shares the same stage with that of sages and ancient philosophers who have mulled on the power and importance of silence and put it above the noise. A wise man is often silent – he speaks less – he speaks with conviction and wins the arguments.
“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.”
And Bacon did it very successfully even in his non-artistic form of writings – the essays, which are, often called non-fiction (and it truly is, indeed). Often supposed to be the disinteresting and objective form of writing, essays have been glamourised by Bacon! And he is absolutely right about artists in writing that the job of the artists is to deepen and further mystify the already mysterious.
“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”
Just put this statement for a test on the platform of modern employment and employment generation. People hunt for jobs and some people hunt for job-seekers. Jack Ma, Ambanis, Jobs, Tata and so on… these people might have been seeking jobs but they created this opportunities and began seeking the seekers and established their respective empires. And so, a wise man will always create more opportunities than he finds and it’s undoubtedly true.
“Money is a great servant but a bad master.”
Do I need to say more? That’s it, folks! Enough of the old, dead man’s wisdom for today. Let’s start the day with our ordinary lifestyle now.
by Rahul for Literature News
Fantastic collection! I like Bacon’s works generally because he writes without his passion being involved in his words.