Of Great Place

Essay | Francis Bacon

What practical advice does Bacon give to the man in a high post?

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A man in a high post holds power but he also carries a heavy burden Francis Bacon - knew this from real events in London Whitehall and the royal court of Queen Elizabeth and King James His advice is simple wise and practical in Of Great Place Must Control Himself Bacon tells a man in a high post to stay calm and humble He must not be proud Bacon writes nbsp A place showeth the man nbsp When a man becomes powerful his real nature becomes clear We can see this truth in Bacon s own life in the London court As Lord Chancellor he had great power Many people watched him Every word he spoke mattered Bacon advises such a man to be patient gentle and wise He must avoid anger He must avoid harsh words He must think before he acts Whitehall was full of officers who lost

respect because they could not control themselves Bacon warns against this Must Work Honestly Bacon gives strong advice against corruption He writes about the four vices nbsp Delays corruption roughness and facility nbsp These destroy a leader A man in power must not take bribes He must not change his opinion for money Bacon himself fell from office for corruption charges in King James s time He knew the danger He tells officers to stay honest and clean He must finish work on time He must be fair to all The people of London court respected those who kept their hands clean Must Serve Others For Bacon the true purpose of power is service He writes nbsp Power to do good is the true and lawful end of aspiring nbsp A great man must help people He must use his authority for justice In Queen Elizabeth s court many men wanted fame Bacon warns them A leader should improve others lives not his own pride He must give clear decisions protect the weak and act with kindness Bacon s advice is simple A great man must control himself stay honest and serve others This for Bacon is true greatness

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