Francis Bacon on the Goal of Life

(Of the Good and its Vicissitudes)

This is the fifth installment in “Essaying Bacon”, a two-year project of examining each of Francis Bacon’s classic Essays, one by one, and accordingly, piecing together a more complete…

Francis Bacon On Adversity

A Philosophical Hymn to Fortitude

How to distinguish worthy praise from flattery, and not to become a fool for flatterers

The Devil’s Affect: Francis Bacon on Envy

This is the second installment of a series of essays I’ll be writing in 2021–22 on…

An early modern take on the default philosophy of narcissism

Bacon Against Egoism, or “Wisdom for a Man’s Self”

This is the third of a series of essays on Bacon’s Essays, since (as far as I know) this classic of English letters…

Don’t keep your wounds green —

On Francis Bacon’s “Of Revenge”

Revenge is nearly as ancient as humanity itself. The Bible tells us of Cain avenging himself on Abel in the first generation after the fall. Between individuals, between nations, the desire to…