An Essay for all Blogger MPs

Congrats to all blogger MPs.

Now you all are YBs and the road ahead isn't going to be all fun.

Enjoy your journey and enjoy your work.

I love to recite a passage from Francis Bacon's Essay to all my:

Right Honorable and very good Yang Berhormat, the newly elected MPs of Malaysian Parliament.

Solomon says, 'A good name is as a precious ointment; and I assure myself, such will your grace name be with posterity.' For your fortune and merit both have been eminent. And you have planted things that are to like to last.

Men in great place have thrice servants: servants of the sovereign or state; servants of fame; and servants of business. So as they have no freedom; neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in their rimes.

It is strange desire, to seek power and to lose liberty: or to seek power over others and to lose power over a man's self. The rising unto place is laborious; and by pain men come to greater pains; and it is sometimes base; and by indignities men come to dignities. The standing is slippery, and the regress is either a downfall, or at least an eclipse, which is a melancholy thing.

Cum non sis qui feuris, non esse cur velis vivere [when a man feels that he is no longer what he was, he has no reason to live longer]. Nay, retire men cannot when they would, neither will they when it were reason; but are impatient of privateness, even in age and sickness, which require the shadow; like old townsmen, that will be still sitting at the street door, though thereby they offer are to scorn.

Certainly great persons had need to borrow other men's opinions, to think themselves happy; for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot find it; but if they think with themselves what other men think of them, and that other men would fain be as they are, then they are happy as it were by report; when perhaps they find the contrary within.

For they are the first that find their own griefs, though they be the last that find their own faults.

Certainly men in great fortunes are strangers to themselves.

Illi mors gravis incubat, qui notus nimis omnibus, ignotus moritur sibi [It is sad fate for a man to die well known to everybody else, and still unknown to himself].

For good thoughts are better than good dreams, except they be put in act; and that cannot be without power and place, as the vantage and commanding ground. Merit and good works is the end of man's motion; and conscience of the same is the accomplishment of man's rest.

Et conversus Deus, ut aspiceret opera qua fecerunt manus sua, vidit quod omnia essent bona nimis [And God turned to look upon the works which his hands had made, and saw that all were very good].

In the discharge of thy place set before thee the best examples; for imitation is a globe of precepts. Examine thyself strictly whether thous didst not best at first. Neglect not also the examples of those that have carried themselves ill in the same place; not to set off thyself by taxing their memory, but to direct thyself what to avoid.

Reform therefore, without bravery or scandal of former times and persons; but yet set it down to thyself as well to create good precedents as to follow them. Reduce things to the first institution, and observe wherein and how they have degenerate; but yet ask counsel of both times; of the ancient time, what is best; and of the latter times, what is fittest.

Seek to make thy course regular, that men may have beforehand what they may expect; but be not too positive and peremptory; and express thyself well when thou disgressest from thy rule. Preserve the right of thy place; but stir not questions of jurisdiction; and rather assume they right in silence and de facto from the fact, than voice it with claims and challenges. Preserve likewise the rights of inferior places; and think it more honor to direct in chief than to be busy in all. Embrace and invite helps and advices touching the execution of thy place; and do not drive away such as bring thee information, as meddlers; but accept of them in good part.

Remember that the vices of authority are chiefly four: delays, corruption, roughness and facility (being easily led).

For delays: give easy access; keep times appointed; go though with that which is in hand, and interlace not business but of necessity.

For corruption: do not only bind thine own hands or thy servants' hands from taking, but bind the hands of suitors also from offering. For integrity used doth the one; but integrity professed, and with a manifest detestation of bribery, doth the other. And avoid not only the fault, but the suspicion. Whosoever is found variable, and changeth manifestly without manifest cause, giveth suspicion of corruption. Therefore always when thou changest thine opinion or course, profess it plainly and declare it, together with the reasons that move thee to change; and do not think to steal it. A servant or a favourite if he be inward, and no other apparent cause of esteem, is commonly thought but a by-way to close corruption.

For roughness: it is a needless cause of discontent; severity breedeth fear, but roughness breedeth hate. Even reproofs from authority out to be grave, and not taunting.

As for facility (being easily led): it is worse than bribery. For bribes come but now and then; but if importunity or idle respects lead a man, he shall never be without. As Solomon saith, "To respect persons is not good; for such a man will transgress for a piece of bread." It is most true that was ancient spoken, 'A place showeth the man'. And it showeth some to the better, and some to the worse.

It is an assured sign of worthy and generous spirit, whom honor amends. For honor is, or should be, the place of virtue; and as in nature things move violently to their place and calmly in their place, so virtue in ambition is violent, in authority settled and calm.

All rising to great place is by a winding stair; and if there be factions, it is good to side a man's self whilst he is in the rising, and to balance himself when he is placed. Use the memory of thy predecessor fairly and tenderly; for if thou dost not, it is a debt will sure be paid when thou art gone. If thou have colleagues, respect them, and rather call them when they look not for it, than exclude them when they have reason to look to be called.

Be not too sensitive or too remembering of thy place in conversation and private answers to suitors; but let it rather be said: "When he sits in place he is another man."

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