xx. Of Counfel.' HE greatest Truft between Man and mit the parts of life, their Lands, their Goods, their Children, their Credit, fome particular Affair, but to fuch as they make their Counfellors they commit the whole: by how much the more, they are obliged to all Faith and Integrity. The wifeft Princes need not think it any Diminution to their Greatnefs, or Derogation to their Sufficiency to rely upon Counsel. God himself is not without; but hath made it one of the great Names, of his bleffed Son, The Counsellor. Solomon hath pronounced that In Counfel is Stability. Things will have their firft or fecond Agitation; if they be not toffed upon the Arguments of Counfel, they will be toffed upon the Waves of Fortune; and be full of Inconftancy, doing and undoing, like the Reeling of a drunken Man. Solomon's Son1 found the Force of Counsel, as his Father faw the Neceffity of it: for the beloved Kingdom of God was first rent and broken by ill Counsel; upon which Counsel there are fet for our Inftruction the two Marks whereby Bad Counfel is for ever beft difcerned: that it was young Counsel for the Perfons; and violent Counsel for the Matter. 1 See Antitheta, No. 44. • Proverbs xx. 18. 2 Ifaiah ix. 6. Rehoboam; v. I Kings xiv. The ancient Times do fet forth in Figure both the Incorporation and infeparable Conjunction of Counsel with Kings, and the wife and politic use of Counsel by Kings: the one, in that they say Jupiter did marry Metis, which fignifieth Counsel; whereby they intend that Sovereignty is married to Counfel: the other, in that which followeth, which was thus: They say, after Jupiter was married to Metis, fhe conceived by him and was with Child; but Jupiter fuffered her not to stay till she brought forth, but eat her up; whereby he became himself with Child, and was delivered of Pallas Armed, out of his Head.5 Which monftrous Fable containeth a Secret of Empire; how Kings are to make use of their Counsel of State: that firft, they ought to refer Matters unto them, which is the firft Begetting or Impregnation; but when they are elaborate, moulded and fhaped in the Womb of their Council, and grow ripe and ready to be brought forth, that then they fuffer not their Council to go through with the Refolution and Direction, as if it depended on them; but take the Matter back into their own Hands, and make it appear to the World, that the Decrees and final Directions (which, because they come forth with Prudence and Power, are refembled to Pallas Armed) proceeded from themselves, and not only from their Authority, but (the more to add Reputation to themfelves) from their Head and Device. Let us now speak of the Inconveniences of Counfel, and of the Remedies. The Inconveniences, that 5 Hefiod. Theog. 886. See De Sap. Vet. xxx. have been noted in calling and ufing Counsel are three. First, the Revealing of Affairs, whereby they become less Secret. Secondly, the Weakening of the Authority of Princes, as if they were less of themselves. Thirdly, the Danger of being unfaithfully counselled, and more for the good of them. that counsel than of him that is counfelled: for which Inconveniences, the Doctrine of Italy, and Practice of France in fome Kings' times, hath introduced Cabinet Councils; a Remedy worse than the Disease. As to Secrecy; Princes are not bound to communicate all Matters with all Counsellors, but may extract and felect: neither is it neceffary that he that confulteth what he should do, fhould declare what he will do: but let Princes beware that the unfecreting of their Affairs comes not from themselves. And as for Cabinet Councils, it may be their Motto, Plenus rimarum fum : one futile person that maketh it his glory to tell will do more Hurt than many that know it their Duty to conceal. It is true, there be fome Affairs which require extreme Secrecy, which will hardly go beyond one or two Persons befides the King: neither are those Counfels unprofperous; for befides the Secrecy, they commonly go on conftantly in one Spirit of Direction without Distraction: but then it must be a prudent King, fuch as is able to grind with a Hand-Mill; and those inward Counsellors 6 By "Cabinet Councils" Bacon means private meetings of selected advisers in the privy chamber of the king. 7 Terent. Eun. 1. ii. 25. • That is, without a complicated machinery of government. had need also be Wife Men, and especially true and trufty to the King's Ends; as it was with King Henry the Seventh of England, who in his greatest Business imparted himself to none, except it were to Morton, and Fox. For Weakening of Authority; the Fable sheweth the Remedy. Nay the Majefty of Kings is rather exalted than diminished when they are in the Chair of Council: neither was there ever Prince bereaved of his Dependencies by his Council, except where there hath been either an Overgreatness in one Counsellor, or an Overstrict Combination in divers; which are Things foon found and holpen. For the laft Inconvenience, that Men will Counfel with an Eye to themselves; certainly, Non inveniet Fidem fuper terram,10 is meant of the Nature of Times, and not of all particular Perfons. There be that are in Nature faithful and fincere, and plain and direct; not crafty and involved: let Princes, above all, draw to themselves fuch Natures. Befides, Counsellors are not commonly fo united, but that one Counsellor keepeth Sentinel over another; fo that if any do Counsel out of Faction or private Ends, it commonly comes to the King's Ear. But the best Remedy is, if Princes know their Counsellors, as well as their Counsellors know Them: Principis eft Virtus maxima noffe fuos.11 And on the other fide, Counsellors fhould not be too 9 i. e. the fable of Jupiter and Metis. 10 Luke xviii. 8. 11 Martial, viii. 15. speculative into their Sovereign's Perfon. The true Compofition of a Counsellor is rather to be skilful in their Master's Bufinefs, than in his Nature; for then he is like to advise him, and not to feed his Humour. It is of fingular use to Princes if they take the Opinions of their Council both separately and together; for private Opinion is more free, but Opinion before others is more reverend. In private, Men are more bold in their own Humours; and in confort, Men are more obnoxious to 1o others' Humours; therefore it is good to take both: and of the inferior Sort rather in private, to preferve Freedom; of the greater, rather in confort, to preserve Respect. It is in vain for Princes to take Counsel concerning Matters, if they take no Counfel likewise concerning Persons; for all Matters are as dead Images; and the Life of the Execution of Affairs refteth in the good Choice of Perfons. Neither is it enough to confult concerning Perfons, fecundum Genera, as in an Idea or Mathematical Defcription, what the Kind and Character of the Perfon fhould be; for the greatest Errors are committed, and the most Judgement is shown, in the choice of Individuals. It was truly faid, Optimi Confiliarii mortui ; 13 Books will speak plain, when Counsellors blanch; 14 therefore it is good to be converfant in them; specially the Books of fuch as themselves have been Actors upon the Stage. 12 Obnoxious to, i. e. liable to oppofition from. 13 Alonzo of Arragon was wont to say of himself, that he was a great necromancer; for that he used to ask counsel of the dead, meaning books. Apophthegms, No. 105. 14 To blanch or blench is to fhy or fhrink from anything. |