A place showeth the man This line is taken from Francis Bacon s Of Great Place In this line Bacon says that when a man gets a high post his true nature becomes clear A powerful position does not change a man It reveals him It shows what he really is inside Bacon explains that when a man lives an ordinary life his faults may stay hidden People may not notice his pride his weakness or his anger But when he rises to a high office everything becomes visible In the London court and in Whitehall officers stood before many eyes Their decisions words and actions were always watched A high place acted like a bright light It showed their real character Bacon also saw this truth in the lives of great rulers and ministers When men gained power under Queen Elizabeth or King James some became better They became