Languages & literature > Bacon's essays, and Goldsmith's essays

112 bacon’s essays.
tainly, the best means to clear the way in this same
wood of suspicion, is frankly to communicate them
with the party that he suspects: for thereby he shall
be sure to know more of the truth of them than he
did before ; and withal shall make that party more
circumspect not to give further cause of suspicion :
but this would not be clone to men of base natures ;
for they, if they find themselves once suspected, will
never be true. The Italian says, 4 Sospetto licentia
fedeas if suspicion did give a passport to faith; but
it ought rather to kindle it to discharge itself.
OF DISCOURSE.
Some in their discourse desire rather commendation
ef wit, in being able to hold all arguments, than of
judgment, in discerning what is true; as if it were
a praise to know what might be said, and not what
should be thought. Some have certain common places
and themes, wherein they are good, and want variety,
which kind of poverty is for the most part tedious,
and, when it is once perceived, ridiculous. The
honourablest part of talk is to give the occasion : and
again to moderate and pass to somewhat else, for
then a man leads the dance. It is good in discourse,
and speech of conversation, to vary and intermingle
speech of the present occasion with arguments, tales
witli reasons, asking of questions with telling of opi¬
nions, and jest with earnest; for it is a dull thing to
tire, and as we say now, to jade any thing too far.
As for jest, there be certain things which ought to be
privileged from it; namely, religion, matters of state^
great persons, any man’s present business of import-