[Francis Bacon ( 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), was an English philosopher and statesman. His essays are known to develop a scientific method and cast their great influence on the scientific revolution.]
HE that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief.
Certainly, the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men; which both in affection and means have married and endowed the public.
Yet it was the great reason that those that have children should have the greatest care of future times; unto which they know they must transmit their dearest pledges.
Some there are, who though they lead a single life, yet their thoughts do end with themselves and account future times impertinences.
Wife And Children
Nay, there are some others that account for wife and children but as bills of charges. Nay more, there are some foolish rich covetous men, that take pride in having no children, because they may be thought so much the richer.
For perhaps they have heard some talk, Such a one is a great rich man, and another except to it, Yea, but he hath a great charge of children; as if it were an abatement to his riches.
But the most ordinary cause of a single life is liberty, especially in certain self-pleasing and humorous minds, which are so sensible of every restraint, as they will go near to think their girdles and garters to be bonds and shackles.
Unmarried men are best friends, best masters, best servants; but not always best subjects; for they are light to run away, and almost all fugitives are of that condition.
A single-life doth well with churchmen; for charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool. It is indifferent to judges and magistrates; for if they are facile and corrupt, you shall have a servant five times worse than a wife. (Francis Bacon)
Generals Commonly
For soldiers, I find the generals commonly in their hortatives put men in mind of their wives and children; and I think the despising of marriage amongst the Turks maketh the vulgar soldier more base.
Certainly, wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity; and single men, though they may be many times more charitable because their means are less exhaust, yet, on the other side, they are more cruel and hardhearted (good to make severe inquisitors), because their tenderness is not so oft called upon.
Grave natures, led by custom, and therefore constant, are commonly loving husbands, as was said of Ulysses, Verulam suam prætulit immortalitati [he preferred his old wife to immortality]. Chaste women are often proud and froward, as presuming upon the merit of their chastity. (Francis Bacon)
Chastity And Obedience
It is one of the best bonds both of chastity and obedience in the wife if she thinks her husband is wise; which she will never do if she finds him jealous.
Wives are young men’s mistresses; companions for middle age; and old men’s nurses. So as a man may have a quarrel to marry when he will. But yet he was reputed one of the wise men, that made answer to the question when a man should marry,—A young man not yet, an elder man not at all.
It is often seen that bad husbands have very good wives; whether it be that it raiseth the price of their husband’s kindness when it comes; or that the wives take a pride in their patience.
But this never fails, if the bad husbands were of their own choosing, against their friends’ consent; for then they will be sure to make good their own folly. (Francis Bacon)
***
