Summary for Ceremonies and Respects by Francis Bacon
Ceremonies and Respects - Francis Bacon. Francis Bacon is a British poet, essayist and a philosopher. He is known as “the Father of English Essays”. His essay Ceremonies and Respects was published in the "Essays of Counsels, Civil and Moral” in 1597. In this essay Bacon talks about the greatness of possessing great virtue. Bacon commences the essay stating "a real man should possess great virtue". He compares greatness with stone which needs polish to glow. Similarly a man should shape himself to become more virtuous. He further quotes, “ light gains make heavy purses” . The small virtues possessed by a man is highly commendable and praiseworthy. But great virtues are occasional as festivals celebrated with ceremonies. The reputation gained for little virtue is like perpetual letters of commendatory to have good forms of behaviour ( Queen Isabella says). To achieve great virtue one must not igno