The Map is my Head: THESIS PAPER ON FRANCIS BACON'S ESSAYS

THESIS PAPER ON FRANCIS BACON'S ESSAYS

Topic

Empiricism and Pragmatism of Francis Bacon's Essays: An Approach to Individual- Intelligence -Enhancement .

Table of Contents

Headlines	Page No.
Letter of Transmittal
Declaration	i
Certification	ii
Acknowledgement	iii
Abstract
Introduction	01
Chapter 1: Methodology of Bacon's Essays	07
Chapter 2: Intellectual Exercise in Bacon's Essays	09
Chapter 3:Bacon's Empirical and Pragmatic Didacticism in various Spheres of Human Life: 3.1. Nuptial vs. Bachelor Life 3.2. Importance of Friendship 3.3.Efficiently Studying 3.4. Goodness in a man 3.5. Impact of Wealth in life 3.6. Ambition of Professional Life 3.7. Preparation for Travel	10
Conclusion	50
Works cited	51

Topic

Empiricism and Pragmatism of Francis Bacon's Essays: An Approach to Individual- Intelligence -Enhancement .

ABSTRACT

This article attempts to excavate the utilitarian role of Francis Bacon's empirical and pragmatic ideas or values on individual-intelligence-enhancement. Bacon's essays of practical axioms convey us instructions for worldly success with social and religious applause. Bacon portrays various individual, social and political ethics in his essays in order to render a wide range of worldly wisdom for any individual to apply in his nuptial, professional, moral and in dealing with different aspects of life. His wide range of subject-related essays give us directions to develop our personal life. Bacon's essays are considered as dispersed meditation for intellectual exercise. His erudite lessons give us indications in different spheres of life and help us to furnish our individual sagacity or wit.

Keywords: Empiricism, Pragmatism, Individual-Intelligence-Enhancement, Utilitarianism, Intellectual Exercise, Dispersed Meditation.

INTRODUCTION

Francis Bacon is a versatile genius. He is a man of the Renaissance age. According to some critics he is called the father of English prose. There are three divisions of Bacon's works: (a) Philosophical (b) Literary and (c) Professional. His essays belong to his literary works. Bacon follows extraordinary terseness and epigrammatic brevity of writing to represent his essays before the readers. Bacon's essays are the sign of his shrewd and intuitive mind. Bacon's writings come from head not from heart. He is cynical to his vision because he believes in worldly success. His writings are full of barren emotions and pragmatic values. He shows that it is possible in English also to express the intricacies of thought in clear, concise, precise and uninvolved sentences. He expresses his ideas in minimum words but they give maximum thoughts. Bacon's essays can be divided into three categories:
(a) Man in relation to the world and society
Example: 'Of Friendship', 'Of Marriage'
(b) Man in relation to himself
Example:' Of Revenge', 'Of Ambition'
and
(c)Man in relation to his maker
Example: 'Of Atheism', 'Of Goodness'
Bacon called his essays are "counsels-civil and moral" and in the "Epistle Dedicatory" says that they have been of all his works, "most current". The essays have won Bacon a place apart and are the source of his fame with the world at large, as Matthiesen remarks. It is indeed true that Bacon's essays have achieved a popularity that his other works have not. He is best known to the world by his essays. There are number of reasons that contribute to this popularity. A glance at the very topics of the essays show the surprising variety and wide field of experience that Bacon has chosen to write upon. He can find profound things to write in connection with almost any theme. Political topics, domestic topics, social relationship, ethical qualities, recreational subjects – each of these are dealt with in his essays. He is equally capable dealing with philosophical and abstract topics such as truth, great place, nobility, seditions, revenge, love, marriage, children, riches, ambition, studies, travel, garden- these absolutely show the wide range of experience of Bacon’s writing.
Bacon’s essays are objective. There is no personal feeling, emotion or subject matter in his essays. All of his essays are for the betterment of human being to get worldly success. He totally restrains himself from the literary subjectivity to write his empirical and pragmatic essays. The tone of his essays are always impersonal, aloof, superior and dignified. We can consider Bacon as a scientific thinker. Bacon made no scientific discovery as Newton and Harvey made. But he laid the solid foundation of Science because he was the first man to point out the importance of experiment in the study of knowledge. He was the first man who laughed at the idea of authority based on scientific observation. Once arbitrary Authority has been replaced by critical Enquiry and Experiment. Science in its true sense had taken birth. Bacon's contribution in this respect remain unique and outstanding.We can also consider Bacon as a philosophical thinker. To the student of literature Bacon will remain a great name and force because of his essays. But the legal, historical and even the moral works do not sum up his most valuable achievement in scholarship. His greatest contribution to the Advancement of Learning was made possible by his philosophical works. As a philosophical thinker he was inspired by two purposes: 1. He wanted to increase the bounds of human knowledge. 2. He wanted to deal with worldly circumstances.
Obviously, Bacon’s essays have great appeals on readers. Every human in this world wants to achieve worldly success. That is why to become successful in this materialistic society there is no other good suggestion like Bacon’s essay. By reading Bacon’s essays a reader can get practical wisdom about how to engage human’s head with various aspects of life in a sophisticated way. Bacon’s wide range of knowledge charms the readers. Bacon’s essays are truly a guideline for real difficulties of human life. They are totally different from the essays of Montaigne and Charles Lamb. Though Bacon has written on a wide variety of topics, they are never trivial or unimportant subjects. He does not write upon "everything or even nothing" as Charles Lamb does. Bacon is concerned in most of his essays with ethical qualities of men and political matters. And, though it is clear that he admires moral and intellectual truth, he is practical and rather opportunistic in the advice he offers. Everything is approached with a view to the advantages it can offer. He does not present or expect his reader to aspire to any high, elevated moral ideal. He gives an easily achievable standard of ethical conduct. It is necessary to remember that these essays have a historical significance in that they were written for a particular group of men-to offer them guidance in getting on in the world and doing good for the public of their country. A new technique and a new morality are presented for men at the helm of public affairs, who must rise in this world and yet work for the good of the state as well. True, that most of what he says in these essays have a permanent relevance to all men aiming to get on in this world. The advice that he gives to men conducting state affairs is informed by a shrewd wisdom. The essays of Bacon do not reveal those flashes of gentle humour of touching pathos that mark the essays of Lamb. In Montaigne and Lamb the subject is often unimportant and he weighs every word scrupulously and gravely. Even when he deals with subjects like Gardens, he is stately dignified and authoritative in his approach. The essays are definitely in the nature of precepts and instructions which a man of superior wisdom, well-read and well experienced, provided by his own sharp sense of observation, has been pleased to impart to his readers. The style is in keeping with Bacon's serious intent but his essays are important from the stylistic point of view. To Bacon must go the credit, not only of introducing a new literary form into England, but also that he developed a style which is marked for its "pith and pregnancy in the communication of thought". It was the first long step taken in the development of an English prose style; it set that style upon its way to travel to the times of Addison and Steele and Swift .He discovered the value of brief, crisp and firmly-knit sentences of a type hitherto unfamiliar in English. He also rejected the elaborate euphuistic style overcrowded with imagery and conceits, although he himself knew how to add pungency and flashes of imaginative charm to his thoughts by using figurative language.
According to Hugh Walker, “Bacon gets the credit of being the “first of English essayists as he remains, for sheer mass and weight of genius, the greatest”. Bacon’s essays are the fruits of his observation of life. The words which Bacon use to deliver his thoughts are pointed, effective and loaded with meaning. The sentence often become capsules of common wisdom, impossible to ignore. Most of the lines cling to the readers’ memory and heart-they are so “quotable”. Illustrated and reinforced as the ideas are with appropriate similes, metaphors and quotations, they appeal even more to a reader’s imagination and hence the popularity of Bacon’s essays. Bacon's essays then are proof of his strength of mind and intellect. They are deeper and more discriminating than any earlier work in the English language. Full of profound observation, carefully sorted, selected and mature, they exhibit a remarkable sagacity and insight.

Methodology of Bacon's Essays

Bacon follows following methods to write his essays which are accompanied by a sense of individualism and worldliness.
1. Exploration Adventures and Political Conquest: The importance of 'great enterprise' is mentioned often in the essays of Bacon. A country should make efforts at becoming great and powerful and to this end should be ready to make war and become a military state. He gives practical advice to king and rulers on how to keep the subjects under control and how to anticipate and avoid the dangers forced by the rulers. His attitude towards war and peace is typical of the age in which there was tendency towards expansion of territory and power of a nation.
2.Classical Learning: there are innumerable quotations from the ancient writer that he employs to support his arguments. Latin writers like Tacitus, Seneca, Lucian, Lucretius, Virgil are often referred to and quoted. There is hardly an essay that is free from these quotations or allusions. Classical mythology is often used to re-inforce his arguments.
3. Sensuousness: In Bacon's essay we get the Renaissance feature sensuousness.
4.Wealth of Metaphor and Analogy: Bacon uses metaphors and similes in his essay taken from different spheres of knowledge and experience.
5.Curiosity and Love of Travel: The sense of curiosity and the love of increasing one's knowledge is what prompts Bacon in his recommending travel for both the young and the old. He exhibits in his essay the tendency to know more and more about everything and every place.

Intellectual Exercise in Bacon's Essays

Impressive Collection of Worldly Wisdom: The essays are undoubtedly impressive, wisdom of ripe experience and guideline for human conduct. There are innumerable comments and advice in his essays that reveal sharpness of observation, keen intellect and range of worldly sense. They express an intellect elevation and a deep knowledge of human nature.
More Principles: Pragmatism is the governing principle of most of his advice and often expediency takes a superior place to any ideal morality.
Rational rather than emotional: Bacon's purpose in writing the essays was utilitarian and in his approach to all subjects, including morality , he is rational and realistic. His morality is as high as is easily practicable in this world.
Finally, Bacon's essay is full of barren emotions and it comes from nerve not from heart. We can say that he is cynical and without the touch of humanly emotion in representation of his essays.
Bacon's Empirical and Pragmatic Didacticism in various Spheres of Human Life:
Bacon's essays are a handbook of practical wisdom. His philosophy is pragmatic. Though his essays are short composition, they reflect astute, vivacious and straightforward thoughts. In most of his essays Bacon follows aphoristic style which attracts the readers stunningly. His craftsmanship in his essays makes the mind sharp and acts like proverb or maxims. We get clear cut idea about life from his essays which develop our judgments ability and help to take right decision towards our day to day activities of life.

2.1. In Nuptial vs. Bachelor Life

According to holy scriptures God creates Eve for the companion of Adam. Since then man and woman are engaged in holy social bondage and this bondage makes the unit of society what we call family.
Marriage is a formal social or legal bond constituting a union of life, and particularly an exclusive sexual union, established by free consent, between one man and one woman, for life, oriented essentially toward the procreation and education of children and a life of faithful mutual support.
From the Bacon's essay 'Of Marriage and Single Life' we get the idea of human experience about marriage specially advantage and disadvantage of married and single life. To Bacon the man who is unmarried always ready to accept adventurous life because he does not have to think about his family which is man's soft corner in his heart or sweet drawback. He also stated in his essay 'Of Marriage and Single Life', "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"(3-6).Here Bacon informs the readers that man's best work for public comes from single life due to good work efficiency with psychological benefit than a married man. On the other hand, Bacon writes in his aforementioned essay that a married man shows mercy on charity work and his mind is softer than single man. Bacon stated in 'Of Marriage and Single Life'," 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 the conditions"(22-25). These lines are a paragon of Bacon's pragmatic vision about marriage. Moreover, we also get sharp, aphoristic and prudence thought about married life from these lines of 'Of Marriage and Single Life',"Wives are young men's mistress; companions for middle age; and old men's nurses"(46-48). Basically from the mentioned essay we get over all idea of married life and single life.
To get the right advice of marriage we have to compare bacon's suggestion with different religious view of marriage. Islam has always maintained that marriage is beneficial for us in many ways: makes healthy; physically and mentally. Islam also regards marriage as a way to spiritual perfection. The Prophet (s.a.) said, “One who marries, has already guarded half of his religion, therefore he should fear Allah for the other half.”( At-Tirmidhi Hadith 3096 narrated by Anas ibn Malik ) How true! A person who fulfills his sexual urges lawfully would rarely be distracted in spiritual pursuits. Marriage brings about a sense of responsibility and commitment to another person; consequently it causes to personal development and social responsibility. This amount of impact cannot be seen in any other individual and social behavior. A man can be personally mature and make his social figure only with marry (MakaremShirazi,1997: P 340). The first stage of coming out of oneself and developing one’s personality, is the marriage (Motahari, 1983). If there exist another way to achieve this desire, Islam presented that, for sure. This kind of maturity cannot be achieve unless with marriage and making family.
In Christianity, marriage is a sign of God's love to human, and by performing this, a man and a woman form a holy and non-detachable connection. In fact, in Christian, marriage is contract between two people who love each other, and conclude to make a common life with trustee and collaboration (Motahari, 1983). Christians, when they marry, commit that consider these love, as a sign of the God’s love to human, and the Christ’s love to his trainees. But although marriage is considered a holy phenomenon in Christian and it is called “The Great Mystery”; celibacy and avoiding marry is more desirable. A single person worships the Lord with all of his ability and with ignoring his world life affairs; makes himself similar to Jesus and the holy persons. (Petros,1882: p 345).In my opinion Bacon utters single life most probably by inspiring from the last two lines of this paragraph.
To justify (which provides self consciousness and outlook about married life) the subject matter of marriage of Bacon's essay we also have to consider what modern science thinks about the usefulness of marriage:
Heart health: Consistent research has shown that being married is actually good for heart. In one recent study of New York University's Lagone Medical Center , researchers found that married men and women had a five percent lower chance of cardiovascular disease compared to single people. “Married people seem healthier because marriage may promote health,” said Hui Liu, a Michigan State University sociologist who is an author of the study.
Mental health: According to Robin Simon, a professor of sociology at Wake Forest University, marriage has for a long time been associated with better mental health. "At this point, hundreds of studies document a robust relationship between marriage and improved mental health: Married people report significantly fewer symptoms of depression and are significantly less likely to abuse substances than their non-married counterparts," Simon writes in Psychiatry Weekly.
Obesity: It seems that so far, marriage has most of the benefits. Perhaps except for this one: Married people are more likely to gain weight than their single counterparts.
Longevity: Getting married is a good way to live longer — at least that's what research says. Having a family and living with a spouse gives individuals something to live for, compared to their single counterparts who may have been used to living a self-centered life.
According to given discussion we get shrewd and striking idea that married life is better than single life. Bacon's essay 'Of Marriage and Single Life' opens our eyes. It shows us the problem we face in the married life. If we diminish or minimize these problems we can pro-actively ensure a happy married life. By reading previous mentioned essay a young reader easily experiences ripen wisdom and the pros and cons of married life and single life. This essay gives foresight and predictable things about marriage.
Though Bacon gives precise knowledge about marriage in his essay but he ignores one thing that is marriage meet up the demand of sexual desire. Even in Islamic point of view sexual desire is one of the important things of this formal relationship. Despite marriage is a personal matter whether anybody will marry or not but before marry one has to evaluate some factors about marriage. Money is one of them. Although western people do not have any financial crisis , many of them are devoid of marriage due to empirical and pragmatic wits like Bacon. They are conscious about the cause and effect of the unavoidable circumstances of marriage in their life what Bacon writes in his essay. Bacon's concept about disadvantage of marriage can overcome if anyone judges those demerits whole heartedly and wisely in order to live heavenly life because marriage humanizes man. However, in case of developing country like Bangladesh to marry any girl for a adult person is really a daunting task due to poor economic condition, high population density as well as huge shortage of land area for living comfortably. Now question is what will do a man of poor country to fulfill his demand of sexual desire. In this case my point of view is he has to keep patience and not to look for any illicit relationship which is strictly prohibited in holy scriptures of religions.
Actually Bacon's essay is unique because he elucidates about married life and single with his close observation and subtle scrutiny. His essay shows the guidance to achieve worldly success in a reasonable way. Bacon writes conventional subject matter of life in a lucid way which gives the right pathway to the man and drives us how to think perfectly about various difficulties of life. In this way his essay help us to develop human's enhancement of individual intelligence. It is noted that women's perspective or feminism has come superficially in the essay 'Of Marriage and Single Life'.

2.2 Importance of Friendship:

Definition of friendship :according to Oxford Dictionary: The emotions or conduct of friends; the state of being friends.
In other words, Friendship is a relationship between two or more persons. Friendship is one of the most common relationships that most people have in life. Friendship is given at different stages of life and different degrees of importance and significance. The friendship is born when people find common concerns. There are friendships that are born within minutes of relationship and others that take years to do so. True friendships lasts a lifetime. Aristotle mentions three types of friendship: for interest, pleasure and good, but only that it deserves the name comes from the friendship. For Cicero and Seneca, friendship implies harmony, goodwill and affection, "want and reject the same". Cicero says:" only danger is known to true friend".
The main component in friendship is trust. They also emphasize empathy and loyalty. In all friendship is:
* Trust and Honesty: It facilitates talk and act like real people think and is minimizing the social prejudices usually have."A friend is a person you can think aloud". Ralph W. Emerson
* Understanding and Empathy: Acceptance of the characteristics of friends, their values, ideas, fears, success, mistakes and ultimately their way of being. "A friend is one who knows everything about you and yet you want". Elbert Hubbard
Fidelity: A faithful friend is a powerful shield and it is , finds a treasure.
Respect: Mutual respect is one of the factors in friendship.
*Reciprocity: Support each other in good times and bad times."Do not let the grass grow in the way of friendship". Plato
Friendship in Literature: The friendly relations have been widely portrayed in the world literature. Example: Sherlock Holmes and Watson, Hamlet and Horatio.
According to survey the average person is estimated to have 2-5 close friends in which they can confide in, as well as up to 50 people which one can know fairly well and interact with on a semi- regular basis.
Bacon's essay 'Of Friendship' encompasses us to the utilitarian treatment of subject matter. Bacon tells us the principal uses of friendship. The principle use of friendship is that it enables a man to give an outlet to his feelings and emotions. If a man has a friend, he can communicate to him all his sorrows, joys, fears, hopes etc. and thus obtain relief. Bacon uses numerous historical example to represent advantage of friendship in his essay. This essay is full of allusions. Bacon's fondness of quotations is also seen in this essay. Allusions and quotations seem to be at his fingers' tips. His habit of introducing Latin quotations is also illustrated in this essay.Here are some quotations which give pragmatic insight regarding friendship from the essay' Of Friendship':
(1)"For a crowd is not company: and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love"(16-18).
(2)"For there is no man that imparteth his joys to his friend, but he joyeth the more: and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, but he grieveth the less"(121-123).
(3)"For there is no such flatterer as is a man's self; and there is no such remedy against flattery of a man's self as the liberty of a friend"(169-171).
'Of Friendship' is thoroughly realistic way which is true to human nature. In addition friendship enables us to give an outlet to our suppressed feelings. Friendship is an emotional necessity and life without friendship is incomplete. A discussion with a friend often clarifies one's understanding. The advice given by a friend is much more reliable than a man's own judgement . There are many things which a man cannot himself say or do but which can easily be said or done by a friend. Persons who have no friends will not know to whom they should confide their secrets. Those who have no friends will eat into their own heart because the man who kept their secrets to themselves and who, as a consequence suffered great mental agony. He who has friends will multiply his joy and diminish his grief. A man's joy is greatly increased when he speaks about it to his friend; and likewise his grief is halved when he imparts it to a friend. All these are sound observation on the subject of friendship. Although this essay is much longer than many of his other essays on popular subjects, it yet offers clear example of Bacon's condensed style of writing.
It may, however, be pointed out that Bacon examines friendship purely from the point of view of utility. He does not emphasize either the emotional or moral aspect of friendship. He completely ignores the fact that friendship satisfies a natural urge in a human being and even if a friend were not useful in the worldly sense, he would still be a great consolation in life and a great source of inspiration. Bacon's approach even to friendship is purely worldly and utilitarian. Our intelligence will be enriched when we will compare role of friendship with different perspective like religious and science.
Religious View of Friendship: The Prophet Muhammad often spoke to his companions about the value of good companionship. He emphasized the need to surround ourselves with good people. People who hold the same values and beliefs that we do, make the best friends and companions. Differences of opinion, different lifestyles and interests may make our friendships interesting and sometimes challenging but if the core value system is not the same the friendship itself probably has no solid foundation. For the believer, the solid foundation must always be Islam; the irrefutable truth that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger. Every believer, past, present and future is linked by this fundamental truth. Prophet Muhammad spoke about this bond on many occasions.
The example of the believers, in their mutual love and mercy for one another is like the example of one body, if one part feels pain, then all of the body suffers in sleeplessness and fever.”[ Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim]
The believer to the believer is like a solid building, one part supporting the other.[ Ibid]
Friendship and companionship are important in Islam. A good friend is one who accepts your shortcomings, but at the same time guides and supports you. A good friend is one who accommodates your faults but corrects them where possible. A good friend is one who will love and forgive you for the sake of God.
It is important to choose your friends carefully. Prophet Muhammad warned the believers about this too. He said that a person would be influenced by his friends, and he warned that everyone should look carefully at those they consider to be their friends.[ At Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Abu Dawood]What we can understand from this is that it is easy to be influenced by the people around us. It is easy to take on their mannerisms and qualities without even being aware of it. If these are good qualities then it is a good thing but what if the people you consider friends have pushed you away from the remembrance of God? This could be a disaster, and God warns about it in the Quran.
“And (remember) the Day when the wrong-doer (oppressor, polytheist etc.) will bite on his hand, he will say: ‘Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger. Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so-and-so as a friend! He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (the Quran) after it had come to me.’” (Quran 25:27)
Prophet Muhammad also reiterated this point when he told the story of the blacksmith and the perfume seller.
The example of a good companion (friend) in comparison with a bad one is like that of one who sells musk and the blacksmith. From the first, you would either buy musk or enjoy its good smell, while from the blacksmith you would either get burned or smell a bad scent.[ Saheeh Al-Bukhari]
Once we have found good friends it is important to keep and maintain the friendship. Believers are connected by their love of God and His messenger and this entails certain responsibilities. A person must be prepared to overlook some of the faults of his brother or sister in Islam; he must be prepared to give them excuses for any incorrect or bad behaviour they see in them.
This does not mean however you should turn a blind eye to sin. No, rather it means that you must maintain the ties of friendship while seeking to understand and help those who have gone astray. Believers must never embarrass or publicly harass one another. They must never expose each other’s faults. Kindness and mercy must be evident in all dealings.
Whoever conceals (the fault of) a Muslim, God will conceal his fault on the Day of Judgment.”[ Abu Dawood.]
Islamic scholar, Ibn Mazin said, “The Believer seeks excuses for his brothers, whilst the hypocrite seeks out their faults.” And Hamdun al-Qassar said, “If one of your brothers’ commits an error, then seek ninety excuses for him, and if not, then you are the blameworthy one.”
Believers should never be envious of one another, they should always be happy when the blessings of God fall upon their friends and companions. The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:
None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.[ Saheeh Al-Bukhari]
A believer loves all other believers for the sake of God. He desires for them what he desires for himself. A believer is tolerant of others mistakes or shortcomings and is forgiving. There is no anger, envy, hatred or malice between believers. Believers are kind, loyal and generous to one another and they pray for each other.
Scientific view of Friendship: The Importance of Friendship (As Explained by Science)
Here are four reasons why developing friendships is so important for health and happiness.
1. Having friends, especially in the workplace, will make you feel more engaged: Believe it or not, those who say they do not have friends at work have only a one in 12 chance of feeling engaged in their job.
And, since most of us spend more time at work than we do with our partners, families, or friends outside of the workplace, this statistic is very important. If you have a best friend in the workplace, you are seven times more likely to feel engaged in your job.
2. Having great friends might actually make you live longer: Having a great group of friends, or even a close best friend, can extend your life. According to a 2010 study, the impact of social ties can have a greater impact on your health than exercise. In this study with more than 300,000 participants involved, it was found that the measures of social relationships, from the number of friends to their involvement in the community, were all linked to decreased mortality. Researchers believe that friendships lead to decreased stress and the lessening of stress in your life creates a healthier body.
3. Friendships help keep your mind sharp: A 2012 study found that those 65 and older have increased signs of dementia if they experience feelings of loneliness.The study followed over 2000 participants, and while none of them had dementia in the beginning of the study, 13.4% of the participants who expressed feelings of loneliness as the study began eventually developed dementia. While it could not determine whether being alone was the sole cause of dementia, it was found in association.
4. Friends help you through the tough times – whether you like it or not: In 2011, a study conducted with fourth graders found that having friends helps children cope with the stress of rejection and bullying. These researchers found that cortisol, which is a stress hormone, was released by children if their peers excluded them. The cortisol increase that came with being excluded or picked on was less pronounced in children who had more friendships or closer friendships, compared with those who had less.
From the above discussions we come to the point that friendship has enormous advantages in worldly life. Bacon's 'Of Friendship' essay teaches any individual that how much important is friendship. People from the marginal level to the highest level of society need friend. To Bacon life without friend is hellish. There is a proverb: "A friend in need is a friend indeed". This proverb is pregnant with Bacon's view on friendship. Bacon shows his practical and keen observation in the essay 'Of Friendship' by giving precise explanation about the advantage of friendship with enlarged form and proves transparent idea before the readers. One thing is needed to mention clearly that Bacon deliberately focuses only the positive side of friendship. He totally denies the dark side of friendship. Bacon gorgeously engages reader to apply friendship as a tool of individual's mundane success.

2.3 How to study efficiently

What Is Reading?
In the early 1900's Edmund Huey wrote: "To completely analyze what we do when we read would almost be the acme of a psychologist’s achievement, for it would be to describe very many of the most intricate workings of the human mind" (p. 6). For the past twenty-five years cognitive psychologists, looking at how children learn, have observed this same complexity. Any discussion of the reading process must take into consideration not only the relation of reading to the other language arts but also the findings of cognitive and developmental psychologists. These findings emphasize that reading should be viewed as a communication process, a developmental process, and a strategic process.
'Of Studies' is one of Bacon's most popular essays. This essay deals with some of the advantages of study and offers some sound ideas relating to this theme. From this essay we get following ideas about study:
(a) The advantages of reading
(b) Abuses of study
(c) Studies and practical experience complement to each other
(d)The right attitude towards reading
(e)Modes of study and their uses
(f)Different values of different subjects
(g)Curative power of studies
The uses of studies are classified by Bacon under three heads-the use of studies for delight; the use of studies for ornament; and the use of studies for ability. Bacon also gives us some excellent advice as to why and how one should read. Furthermore, he tells us that different studies have different effects on the human mind. Various mental defects or shortcomings, says Bacon can be remedied by various kinds of studies. The need of experience to supplement and perfect studies has duly been emphasized in the essay. Bacon would not be satisfied with more bookish knowledge. The wisdom won by experience is as necessary as the wisdom gained from books.
But it is not the ideas that are so important in this essay. This essay is a wonderful illustration of that condensed style of which Bacon was a master. We find Bacon displaying his talent for using the maximum economy of words in order to express his ideas. This essay is a masterpiece of brevity and terseness. Some of the sentences read like proverbs. Here are a few examples of epigrammatic and aphoristic style of Bacon's essay 'Of Studies':
(a)"Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability"(1).
(b)"Crafty men condemn studies; simple men admire them; and wise men use them"(14-15).
(c)"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested"(20-21).
We could say, without any exaggeration, that it is one of the finest essays in English prose. It gives us a number of sound maxims and a number of sentences that we can use as quotations when occasion demands.
Religious viewpoints of Studying:
Books are one of the best tools for training and upbringing. A good book always has a salutary effect on the mind of a reader. It will elevate spirit and thoughts. It will augment his store of knowledge. Books help in correcting moral ineptitude.
Particularly in these days of mechanical existence, when people have hardly any time to attend meetings and symposia, the best source of acquiring religious and general knowledge are books that can be browsed whenever a person finds some time to spare. It is possible that the reading of book might have a deeper impact on the minds of the readers than the other sources of acquiring knowledge.
Sometimes, reading brings about a revolutionary change in the outlook of a person. The habit of reading is the best pastime. It can keep a person busy when he has nothing else to do. The persons who are in the habit of reading, not only make the best use of their spare time but they will keep their minds away from the worries that might chase them if they sit brooding, doing nothing. A good book, for a reader, is better than visiting the best of gardens and scenic places.
‘Ali, The Commander of the Faithful, says:"A person who keeps himself occupied with books, will never lose his peace of mind." (Gharar al hukm, p. 636)
“Obtaining fresh knowledge remove the tiredness and cloudiness of your hearts; because the hearts, like the bodies, too experience exhaustion." (Usul al-Kafi, v 1, p. 48)
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body and so there are countless benefits we receive the more we read. Here are the top ten benefits of reading according to science:
1.Stimulates the mind – Studies have shown that if you are constantly stimulating your mind, you slow the progress of mental diseases can even prevent them. Keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing its power by sharpening its logical ability. The brain, though an organ, operates very much like a muscle – you have to exercise it to keep it healthy and strong.
2.Acquire knowledge – Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are and the more able you become to tackle challenges. Even if you ever were to lose everything you physically possess, your brain has an unlimited capacity for storing and using knowledge you’ve acquired all your life. Use it!
3.Expands your vocabulary – The more you read, the more words you are exposed to. These words will inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary and being articulate and well-spoken is bonus point in many professions. Knowing that you communicate to your employers and your peer with confidence can be an enormous boost to your self-esteem and can aid you as you advance the career ladder. Studies have shown that those who are well-read, well-spoken and knowledgeable on a variety of topics tend to get promotions more quickly and more often than those with smaller vocabularies and lack of awareness of literature, scientific breakthroughs and global events.
4.Sharpens writing skills – This goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of your vocabulary: exposure to published, well-written work has a positive effect on one’s own writing. Observing the various styles of other authors, journalists, poets and writers will eventually be reflected in your own writing style. This is the same way for many artists – as musicians influence one another and painters use techniques established by previous masters, so do writers learn how to craft prose, poetry and news by reading the works of others.
5.Hones critical and analytical skills – Have you ever read an amazing mystery novel and solved the mystery yourself before finishing the book? If so, you were able to put your critical thinking skills to work by taking note of all the details provided and sorting them out to determine “whodunnit”. That same ability to analyze details comes in handy when it comes to critiquing the plot, determining whether it was a well-written piece, if the characters were properly developed, if the storyline ran smoothly, etc. Should you ever have an opportunity to discuss the book with others, you’ll be able to state your opinions clearly, as you’ve taken the time to really consider all the aspects involved. Even in real life, critical thinking skills are essential. Being able to solve problems given certain elements are a part of daily life – from finishing a project for work to figuring out how to navigate difficult relationships, possessing critical thinking skills are necessary in all walks of life.
6.Improves memory – When you read a book, you have to remember an assortment of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, histories, and nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through every story. Amazingly enough, every new memory you create forges new synapses (brain pathways) and strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-term memory recall.
7.Boosts concentration – In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions at once as we attempt to juggle several tasks at once. Studies have shown that in a single 5-minute span, the average person will divide their time between working on a task, checking email, chatting with a couple of people (via online chat and/or in person), keeping an eye on social media and monitoring their smartphone. This type of behavior in which we are constantly distracted causes stress levels to rise and lowers our productivity. While reading a book, however, all of your attention is focused on the story—causing the rest of the world to fall away as you immerse yourself in every fine detail seen from the point of view of another. Try reading for 15-20 minutes before work and you’ll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office.
8.A fun source of entertainment – There’s a reading genre for every literate person on the planet, and whether your tastes lie in classical literature, poetry, fashion magazines, biographies, religious texts, young adult books, self-help guides, street lit or romance novels, there’s something out there to capture your curiosity and imagination. Whether you choose to nourish your inner escapist or feed your brain with new knowledge, step away from the computer for a little while, crack open a book and feel free to replenish your soul for a little while.
9.Feeds your imagination – The story of a book will absorb your mind so let your imagination fly. While you are reading, you are building images, faces, places, colors, settings and stimulating your creative juices. You connect all these creations and making changes while you keep reading as your worldview expands. Allowing your mind to explore a new literary world opens the door of new ideas, subjects and situations that can get you thinking on trying new experiences.
10.Reduces stress – No matter how much stress you are going through at work, in your personal life or anywhere else, reading a good story can help you take your mind off these difficult situations. A nice novel can help distract you, while an interesting article can slip your mind out of your problems of that present moment. All allow you to relax and release any tension, especially if you’re reading a subject you are personally interested in.
It is transparent like water that study has unlimited advantages. From the above discussion we get indications that we have to study any book with practical wisdom because act like a book worm is not a wise sign.

2.4 Goodness in a man:

Goodness is virtue and holiness in action. It results in a life characterized by deeds motivated by righteousness and a desire to be a blessing. It's a moral characteristic of a Spirit-filled person. The Greek word translated “goodness,” agathosune, is defined as "uprightness of heart and life." Agathosune is goodness for the benefit of others, not goodness simply for the sake of being virtuous.
In the essay 'Of Good and Goodness of Nature' Bacon appears as a moralist. To Bacon Goodness aims at the welfare of men. 'Goodness' consists in performing charitable action, while 'Goodness of Nature' means the inclination or desire to perform such action. Goodness or charity is the highest of all human virtue. It is one of the characteristics of God Himself. Mentioned essay is the work of preacher. It reads like a sermon. However, it is a noble and uplifting sermon. Bacon teaches the reader to exercise goodness or charity without limit though he would not like the charitable man to be indiscriminate. Bacon mentions several signs or marks of goodness. These are kindness and courtesy to strangers, a cosmopolitan outlook, sympathy towards the suffering of others, the spirit of forgiveness and a desire for the salvation of others.
Bacon shows a thorough understanding of human nature. The inclination to do good he says, is inherent in man. If a man is not good to his fellow human beings he will, like the Turks, show kindness to animals. However there are persons who are by nature malicious or spiteful. Such persons enjoy the sufferings of others. The essay has a popular appeal. There is nothing impossible or unpractical about the lessons that Bacon seeks to teach us. However, there is a certain triteness or staleness about the ruths that have been enunciated here. We are already too familiar with the ethical formulas, that from the subject matter of this essay. Besides, this essay appeals to the mind of the reader, not to his heart. Bacon tries to reason the reader into goodness and to argue him into charity. He speaks like a logician. However, the reasoning is sound and almost flawless. Here some quotes of Bacon's essay 'Of Goodness and Goodness of Nature':
(a)"Goodness answers to the theological virtue, charity and admits no excess, but error"(9-10) .
(b)"Seek the good of other men, but be not in bondage to their faces or fancies"(30-32).
These kinds of quotes enhance our intelligence within a few seconds and drive us to act with wit.
Religious view of Goodness:
Here are some goodness of a man which should belong to a real practicing Muslim.
Truthfulness: what is said according to Holy Quran:
"O you who believe! keep your duty to Allah and speak straight, true words." (Holy Quran 33:70)
"O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah, and be with the truthful people." (9:119)
Sincerity:
"Serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience." (39:2)
"It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say things which you do not do." (61:3)
Unselfishness:
"You cannot attain to righteousness unless you spend (in charity) out of those things which you love." (3:91)
"Do no favour seeking gain." (74:6)
Humility:
"Do not turn your face away from people in contempt, nor go about in the land exultingly." (31:18)
"Do not ascribe purity to yourselves. Allah knows best who is righteous." (53:32)
Patience:
"Allah loves those who are patient." (3:145)
"Give good news to the patient, who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: We are Allah's and to Him do we return." (2:155-156)
Forgiveness:
"Pardon (people) and overlook (their faults). Don't you love that Allah should forgive you." (24:22)
"(The dutiful are) . . . those who restrain their anger and pardon people. Allah loves those who do good to others." (3:134)
"Whenever they (true believers) are angry they forgive." (42:37)
Purity and cleanliness:
"He indeed is successful who purifies himself (in mind and body), and remembers the name of his Lord, then prays." (87:14-15)
"Purify your garments and shun uncleanness." (74:4-5)
Honesty:
"Don't go near the property of an orphan, except in a goodly way, till he attains maturity. And fulfill the promise (you make) . . .. Give full measure when you measure out, and weigh with a true balance." (17:34-35)
"Do not swallow up your property among yourselves by false means, nor offer it as a bribe to the officials so that you may swallow up other people's property unlawfully while you know." (2:188)
* kindness to others:
"Allah commands you to uphold justice and to do good to others and to give to the relatives." (16:90)
Courage:
Speaking of a small number of Muslims facing a big and powerful enemy, the Quran relates:
"Those to whom men said: people have gathered against you, so fear them; but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and He is an excellent Guardian." (3:173)
Moderation:
"Eat and drink, but do not be immoderate." (7:31)
"Do not chain your hand to your neck (so that you are mean in spending), nor stretch it out to the utmost limit (so that you waste everything)." (17:29)
*Cheerfulness:
"Be of good cheer." (Holy Prophet in Bukhari.)
"It is an act of charity to meet your fellow with a cheerful face." (Holy Prophet in Mishkat.)
Finally, we give a verse of the Holy Quran mentioning a number of qualities a Muslim, man or woman, should try to acquire:
according to the Bible, badness comes naturally (Romans 8:7). Goodness does not. But God has a wondrous plan to radically transform our character!
Though our natural inclination is to defy God in sin, He has determined to help us overcome that nature to live a life of righteousness and goodness. This is possible only through a relationship with Him. As the apostle John explained, “He who does good [as a way of life] is of God, but he who does evil [as a way of life] has not seen God [i.e., has not come to really know Him]” (3 John 1:11).
In the Bible, the “goodness” of God often refers to His gracious generosity in providing abundantly for mankind’s needs and benefits (Psalms 23:6; Psalms 65:11). It can also refer to God’s generous mercy and patience that allow more time for sinners to repent (Romans 2:4).But God’s goodness is much more than those things. It is the very essence of God’s nature— His righteousness and holiness. In Ephesians 5:9, we see that His goodness is closely associated with righteousness and truth.
To the extent that we have God’s goodness, we have godliness or God-likeness. The Bible gives us God’s complete “instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). We should cherish it and read it far more than any other book or resource! Only through it can we learn to be like God. God summarizes His standards of goodness in the Ten Commandments.
Scientific Facts About the Benefit of Doing Good:
1. DOING GOOD DECREASES STRESS:
According to a 2013 study examining the relationship between volunteering and hypertension, giving back can have a significant impact on blood pressure. Researchers found that adults over 50 who volunteered about four hours a week were 40 percent less likely than non-volunteers to have developed hypertension four years later.
Additionally, being generous can have the same effect, according to a 2010 study, which found that the less money people gave away, the higher their cortisol levels.
2. DOING GOOD INCREASES LIFE-EXPECTANCY:
Researchers from the University of Buffalo found a link between giving, unselfishness and a lower risk of early death. The findings show that subjects who provided tangible assistance to friends or family members (running errands, helping with child care, etc.), reported less stressful events and, consequently, had reduced mortality. In other words, “helping others reduced mortality specifically by buffering the association between stress and mortality.”
3. DOING GOOD MAKES US FEEL BETTER:
Feeling a sort of rush after performing a good deed is called ‘helper’s high’ and is produced when your brain releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals of the brain. When you do something good for someone else, your brain’s pleasure centers light up, releasing endorphin and producing this high. Not to mention, doing good has also been known to generate feelings of satisfaction and gratitude.
4. DOING GOOD MAKES US HAPPIER AT WORK
According to a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, altruists in the office are more likely to be committed to their work and less likely to quit their jobs. The researchers also found that individuals in their mid-30s who rated helping others in their work as important, reported they were happier with their life when surveyed 30 years later.
Overall, the study came to an important conclusion about office altruism: those who help others are happier at work than those who don’t prioritize helping others.
5. DOING GOOD PROMOTES MENTAL HEALTH
After an extensive review of 40 studies on the effect of volunteering on general health and happiness, the BMC Public Health journal has concluded that volunteering is also good for mental health. The review found that - along with improved well-being and life satisfaction – volunteering is also linked to decreased depression.
6. DOING GOOD LEADS TO HAPPINESS
"People who engage in kind acts become happier over time.” It’s that simple, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. Lyubomirsky, who has studied happiness for over 20 years, found that performing positive acts once a week led to the most happiness.
In addition, Researcher Stephen Post of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine found that when we give of ourselves, everything from life satisfaction to self-realization and physical health is significantly improved.
7. DOING GOOD WILL MOTIVATE YOU TO DO GOOD AGAIN
A 2012 study published in Psychological Science found that thinking about times you’ve helped others will make you want to help others again. The research found that reflecting on your past good deeds makes you feel selfless and want to help more, as compared to reflecting on the times others have helped you. In other words, thinking about what you’ve given others – and not only what you’ve received - will motivate you to do good again and again.
In the end, we can say that doing good is exclusively a better thing for healthy body and mind. No one can deny its validity to become a successful human being because it enriches our soul and gives us positive feedback in our mind.
2.5 Impact of Wealth in life:
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or valuable material possessions. This includes the core meaning as held in the originating old English word weal, which is from an Indo-European word stem. An individual, community, region or country that possesses an abundance of such possessions or resources to the benefit of the common good is known as wealthy.
The modern concept of wealth is of significance in all areas of economics, and clearly so for growth economics and development economics yet the meaning of wealth is context-dependent. At the most general level, economists may define wealth as "anything of value" that captures both the subjective nature of the idea and the idea that it is not a fixed or static concept. Various definitions and concepts of wealth have been asserted by various individuals and in different contexts. Defining wealth can be a normative process with various ethical implications, since often wealth maximization is seen as a goal or is thought to be a normative principle of its own.
The United Nations definition of inclusive wealth is a monetary measure which includes the sum of natural, human, and physical assets. Natural capital includes land, forests, Energy resources, and minerals. Human capital is the population's education and skills. Physical (or "manufactured") capital includes such things as machinery, buildings, and infrastructure. Qatar is the wealthiest country in the world per capita.
According to Bacon's essay 'Of Riches' riches are a hindrance to a virtuous life. Besides, if a man has great wealth, much of it will be superfluous. He needs only a certain amount of riches for the satisfaction of his desires, but beyond that whatever he has got will give him only an imaginary pleasure. A man should not try to gather riches too quickly. Solomon said that he who makes haste to become rich will most probably employ unfair methods. If a man follows the right method and works honestly, it will take him a very long time to become rich. Most of the methods of becoming rich are dishonest. Ordinary trades and professions are a source of honest money. Income from these sources can be increased by hard work and by fair dealings. To Bacon usury is the surest means of making money. Bacon said in his essay that if a man does not wish to take any risks in financial ventures, he cannot attain to great riches; and he, who risks everything that he has got in the hope of multiplying his wealth, may lose everything and become bankrupt. The best course, therefore, is partly to play safe and partly to take risks. In previous sentence Bacon shows his worldly wisdom and his sound knowledge of the business world. In the essay 'Of Riches' Bacon added, "The ways to enrich are many, and most of them foul. Parsimony is one of the best and yet is not innocent; for it with holdeth men from works of liberality and charity"(40-42).This line acts like aphorism or proverb in readers mind which is one of the quality of Bacon's essay. Bacon's attitude towards the subject of riches is sound and healthy. He gives us a shrewd analysis of the business world. We clearly see Bacon as a moralist in this essay.
Religious view of wealth in human life:
Humans naturally love wealth and possessions, but Muslims believe that all wealth is created and given to us by Allah and so it belongs to him. Humans can only work hard but any wealth that is given to them is from Allah. Because of this, Muslims believe wealth should be spent on family and also on those who are in need.
What is poverty in Islam?
Muslims believe life is a test from Allah, and we can either choose to follow him or follow the path of Shaytan (Satan). Muslims believe nothing can happen to them that is outside the plans of Allah. Suffering and pain are part of his plans to test the faith of people.Muslims believe life is a test of obedience to Allah; therefore poverty is a test of patience from Allah. They belief that they are in a wining position because if they don’t have wealth, they are being rewarded for their patience. Non believers do bad things yet they live luxuriously, but Muslims do good and still are poor. This is because they believe that the aim in life is to obey Allah, and their patience will be rewarded, where as non believers, believe that the aim in life is to get as much wealth as possible, which takes them away from the path of Allah, as it says in the Qur’an verse “To Allah we belong and to Him is our return” (2:156).
What is Wealth in Islam and how does Islam deal with it?
The Muslim ummah is very important in Islam, as we should treat every Muslim as our brothers and sisters so everyone is responsible for one and other, helping the neighbors and being kind to each other.
“O mankind! We made you from a single (pair) of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that you may despise each other) Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)” (49:13)
Life is a test for the rich and he poor. The rich will usually have nice lives as Allah has blessed them, but they must not let greed take over their soul.
“Riches are sweet and a source of blessing to those who acquire them in a way: but those who seek them out of greed are like people who eat but are never full…” (The Prophet S.A.W hadith).They must use their wealth in the right way and Allah is testing them. The wealthy should give charity and zakah and earn Halal money.
How Wealth Can Change People and Affect Their Behavior:
1. Social and Business Value
A 2004 study proved that money alters how you value your time and effort. Researchers James Heyman and Dan Ariely created an experiment by which they could measure how motivated a person was to complete a task based upon money. Subjects were asked to drag circles across a computer screen. One group was asked to do this as a “favor.” Another group was asked to do it for $0.50, and the last group was offered $5. After timing the subjects, it was actually the group asked to perform the task as a favor that did it the fastest. Next was the $5 group, and last was the $0.50 group.
Heyman and Ariely surmised that there are two motivations for completing a given task. The first is social. By recognizing a task’s social value, we see it as a worthy investment of time and a part of our social duty, and we are usually happy to help out. When money is offered as the motivation, however, we then start thinking less of the social aspect and more about the business value. Therefore, we measure our time against the monetary reward, which may be why the $0.50 group was the slowest – they simply thought their time and effort were worth more money
2. Self-Sufficiency and Service:
Those who are conscious of money typically strive to be more self-sufficient than those for whom money isn’t a priority – at least that’s what a 2009 Yale School of Management study found.
3. Self-View:
The amount you earn could have an effect on how you view both yourself and others. A study published in an August 2013 issue of the “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology” asked individuals to rate things such as class, genetics, and even I.Q. When the results were analyzed, they were defined as an individual’s sense of “class essentialism” – the idea that differences between classes are based upon identity and genetics, rather than circumstance.
The wealthiest respondents were those with the deepest sense of class essentialism. Poor people tended to believe that class was not related to genes – that essentially, anyone can be rich and anyone can be poor. Rich people, on the other hand, were more likely to believe that wealth was part of genes and identity – that they were entitled to wealth based upon their personal circumstances and actions. Wealthy respondents also believed that, more or less, life is fair and people mostly get what they deserve.
4. Ethics:
When doing your taxes, do you report them perfectly, or do you think it’s acceptable to fudge the numbers a bit? A 2012 study published in an issue of “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America” asked if wealth and perception of a higher class could increase an individual’s involvement in unethical behavior.
5. Addiction:
Earning money can be very addictive for some individuals. That high of a big check or a well-padded savings account can become the sole purpose of a wealth-searcher’s life, as warned by Dr. Tian Dayton, a clinical psychologist. She warns that the positive feeling that follows obtaining money can cause a chemical reaction in the brain that feels good. In turn, it can result in a severe preoccupation with money and put a strain on relationships outside of those that relate to earning more.
While there’s an abundance of evidence that money does in fact change people, your mileage may vary. There are a number of socioeconomic factors that could skew study results, including age, race, education level, location, and personal attitudes toward money. It’s true that being considered “wealthy” may change the way you think, but it can’t change your genetics, identity, propensity for hard work, or family history. In the end, your ideals and values likely determine more about you than the size of your paycheck.

2.6 Ambition of Professional Life:

any ambitioA man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions. —Marcus Aurelius

Ambition derives from the Latin ambitio, ‘a going around (to solicit votes)’, and, by extension, ‘a striving for honour, recognition, and preferment’.
Ambition can be defined as ‘a striving for some kind of achievement or distinction’. It involves, first, the desire for attainment, and, second, the motivation and determination to strive for its accomplishment even in the face of failure and adversity.Some people achieve for the sake of achievement alone, or for the sake of developing skills and competencies, but ambitious people qua ambitious people achieve first and foremost for the sake of the rewards of achievement, such as money, honour, power, or fame, which elevate them above other people.
In the Politics, Aristotle advances that men’s ambition and their greed are among the most frequent causes of deliberate acts of injustice. In the Novum Organum (1620), Francis Bacon refines this thought: as long as ambitious men find the way open for their rising, they are busy rather than dangerous; but if they are checked, they ‘become secretly discontent, and look upon men and matters with an evil eye’. Bacon advises princes to exert restraint in employing ambitious people, and to handle them ‘so as they be still progressive and not retrograde’.
Bacon's 'Of Ambition' is another short essay on a popular subject. It deals with how to handle professional life's ambition. To Bacon ambition makes a man active, energetic and prompt in the performance of his duties. But if an effort is made to put some restraint on an ambitious men , he is likely to become spiteful and dangerous. If ambitious men go on getting opportunities for rising higher and higher, they are busy rather than dangerous. But, if they are prevented from their desire to grow stronger and stronger, they become secretly discontented and feel happy when things go wrong with the ruler or with the people in general. This kind of discontentment in a public servant can prove very harmful. However , it is often necessary to make use of ambitious men. For instance, the services of a good commander must be utilised in war no matter how ambitious he is. The usefulness of such a commander will make up for any other defects in him. Besides, if a soldier has no ambition to rise higher in his profession, he will have no incentive to take risks.

It is to be noted that Bacon does not show much regard for what we consider to be ideal morality. He does not show any scruple in the kind of advice that he offers to king and governments. He aims at expediency rather than nobility as regards the course of action that he suggests. He would like a king to resort any kind of manipulation in order to maintain his authority and to prevent us person from becoming too powerful. This is one of those essays in which Bacon's worldliness appears most markedly.

2.7Etiquette of Travel:

Travel means to make a journey. It simply refers to an individual’s movement from point A to point B. Traveling usually refers to a long journey. For example, if you are going to the market to buy some vegetables, you don’t call it traveling. But, if you are going on a two-week business conference to Hong Kong, you can say that you are traveling. An individual can travel to places for different purposes. As mentioned above, a person can travel to another country or city for work related purpose. There are also some people who would travel to visit their friends and relatives. Facilities like education, healthcare are some other reasons that prompt people to travel to another location. We sometimes travel to places for none of the above-discussed reasons.
Bacon's 'Of Travel' essay still provides necessary hints about travel though it was written in middle age. This essay gives information about ins and out of travel. Travel benefits every ages of men. In the essay 'Of Travel' Bacon stated, "Travel in the younger sort, is a part of education, in the elder, a part of experience"(1-2). From this line we can understand the value of travel from the younger to the elder. Like his other essays, 'Of Travel' has a lot of practical value. In this essay Bacon elucidates how to derive benefits from the travel. To Bacon before setting out on a journey to another country it is essential to learn the language of that country. According to Bacon a traveler should visit such places as royal courts, law courts when they are in session, religious assemblies, churches, monasteries, monuments and ruins, colleges, libraries, store-houses of weapons and ammunitions, ships and ports and other such things of historical importance and of remarkable nature. Besides, Bacon showed directions about does and don'ts for the travelers. He also added how the benefits of travel can be kept up. For an example: A young traveler should not adopt foreign manners indiscriminately and discard the customs of his own country. He should choose the best out of the culture and the customs of the foreign countries and introduce them into the native manners.
Religious view of Travelling:
Travelling in Arabic is called سَفَر "safar". Its root is "s-f-r". This root in general means: showing, uncovering, revealing. A person who keeps smiling is called "Musfir", because he is showing his teeth. A woman showing her face is called "Safirah". It is thought that "safar" (travelling) was called so because it reveals the true nature of the person whom you are travelling with.
Omar bin Khattab the second Caliph saw a man praising another man, then he asked him , "Did you travel with him?" The guy said no, then Omar said, "Did you have a dealing with him?",The guy said no, then Omar said, "you don't know him".
By travelling we can visit religious holy space and wondering and reflecting about the signs of Allah. Travelling makes what good things that others have and remove the feeling of "my race is the ultimate, etc.
" O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted [Quran 49:13].
Finally, Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) said "Traveling is a portion of the torment". until today this is very true. People face difficulties and hardship when travelling, so just imagine when they used to travel using camels and horses for months. Add to that there was no communication tools.
Scientific effects of travelling on mind, body and soul:
Traveling — the best way to escape life’s problems and recharge emotional batteries.
1. Extended travel can actually affect personality:
It’s no surprise that traveling takes outside of comfort zone. In fact, this is perhaps why people crave traveling to the extent they do. In, there is this concept of the “Big Five,” which refers to the five dominant characteristics that describe a person’s personality. These traits include neuroticism, openness, extraversion, conscientiousness and agreeableness. The more travelers interact with new people and immerse themselves in a new culture, the more their goals are aligned with the openness personality trait.
2. It gives you a new perspective on life.
3. It increases your emotional stability:
Since traveling helps put life into perspective, it also has the beneficial byproduct of making less anxious when it comes to changes in day-to-day life. Instead of coming at these changes with unease and angst, travelers are more open and willing to accept things that deviate from their standard routine.
4. Your brain gets stronger and faster when you’re speaking another language.
5. You become more aware of everything: When you are traveling, you really have no choice but to be hyper-aware of your surroundings. Your adventures are new, fun and exciting, causing you to take notice of absolutely everything around you.
By comparing different view of travelling we may conclude that Bacon has truly practical wisdom about different aspects of life and his fruitful observation regarding travel really astonishes us even at present time.

CONCLUSION

Bacon's essays are a collection of suggestion and guidelines for the man of action who wants to advance in life. Bacon offers good and sagacious advice for achieving success in this life. Moreover, he brings all his knowledge of human nature to bear upon the practical problems of life and in evolving suitable solutions. Although there is no humor in his essays, there is a plenty of wit and this lends a brightness to his essays. Bacon is a master of the skillful use of words. He could manipulate words cleverly to delight the reader. The essays of Bacon are undeniably utilitarian in purpose and the attitude they present but it does not mean that his essays are devoid of ethics or morality. To sum up, we may conclude that Bacon's essays have great appeal on reader's mind because they cover various aspects of life and shows the direction to solve the problems with practical wisdom. In my previous detail discussion I have picturized view of Bacon's essays depending on different arena of life as compared to religious and scientific viewpoints. At the end, it proves that Bacon essays play a vital role in case of individual-intelligence-enhancement. So, Bacon is really a torchbearer of empirical and pragmatic values even in these modern days which indicates his strong prudential observation power.

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