Question- "Bacon remains the first of English essayists and for the sheer mass and weight of genuis the greatest." Elucidate.

Or
Discuss Bacon as an essayist.
Or
Evaluate Bacon as the father of the English essays.
Or
Bacon is regarded as the father of English essay who had no son. Discuss.

Answer -

The word 'essay' as far as we know was first used by the French man Montaigue from whom Bacon borrowed it but the matter and the manner is his own. Bacon is the first man to write essays in England and can fairly be called the Father of English Essay. Bacon not only imported the Essay from France but enriched it with his contribution. Bacon may be indebted to Montaigue for the general conception of the term essay whose 'Essais' were 'subjective, intimate personal and light hearted. But Bacon was a man of intellect and reason. He kept himself aloof from the essay emotionally. His essays are shrewed observations, comments and practical advice on typics of interest and utility for princes and aristocrates. His essays are objective, serious, detached and full of worldly wisdom and knowledge.

Bacon was not altogether serious while writing essays and if we compare them with his more serious studies they were sort of recreation. He himself calls them "disperessed meditations". In order to evaluate the excellence of Bacon's essays we will have to examine them in the light of definition given by eminent literary critics and also other essays written over a period of time. Oxford English dictionary defines essay as "A composition of moderate length on any particular subject or branch of subject originally implying want of finish, an irregular, integrated piece, but now said of a composition more or less elaborate in style, though limited in range". In short the essays should be short literary compositions which could be read in one sitting. Bacon's essays mostly fulfil this condition as far as their length is concerned.

Bacon was definitely conscious of the reputation and popularity of his essays as he writes. "I am not ignorant that these kinds of writings would with embracement (perhaps) yield more lustre and reputation to my name, than those other which I have in hand." The popularity of his essays can be imagined by the fact that during his own life time they were translated into French, Latin and Italian.

The essays of Bacon were published in three successive editions. Bacon's essays can be divided broadly into two parts (1) Earlier essays, (2) Later essays. His earlier essays are nothing but an attempt at a subject but they are remarkable for extraordinary condensation of thought. Every phrase of them has the capacity of expansion at least into a paragraph. But his later essays, which were written between 1612 and 1625 are less compressed in form of expression. They are more flowing and gracious in manner. They have a poetical quality.

"Virtues are like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed or crushed."

His later essays are the rich product of his genuis. Bacon himself writes about them "Of all my works my essays have been current, for that as it seems they come to men's business and bosoms."

To quote Mattheison, "The Essays have won him (Bacon) a place apart and is the source of his fame with the world at large. They introduce a new form of composition into English literature, which was destined to have a varied and fruitful development. They are also, in a sense, a record of Bacon's outlook on the world throught the years of his active life."

The kind of aesthetic delight and satisfaction a reader enjoys in Bacon's essays is because of their entirety. An essay does not look as an article but a well compact literary composition.

It is believed that an essay should be light in treatment but how can we expect such treatment from a literary artist of Bacon's stature and calibre. Bacon like a preacher stands at a level much higher than that of his reader. He presents himself as a moralist, a statesman and the man of the world. While reading his essays it looks as if we sitting in an auditorium and a learned adviser walks in and gives advice to those who would use his advice. His essays are specimens of that wisdom which arises out of universal insight into the affairs of the world." They are fruits of his observation of life. They are the fullest and finest expression of practical wisdom which he has acquired from study, experience and meditation. Profound wisdom and practical shrewdness amounting almost to cunning are mingled in them with satire and rich meditative eloqnence."

Bacon's moral essays do not embody high principles of morality. There is a strong mixture of idealism and morality in them. On the one hand he admires morality and noblity and on the other recommends for which is advantageous and utilitrarian. His maxims are prudential and not purely ethical. He condemns cunning as a thing unwise not as a thing hateful. His pure utilitariasm can be seen in following.

An habit of secrecy is both politic and moral and a power to feign, if there be no remedy.

Occasionally he lays down the rules for moral conduct without a word of disapproval.

"For these winding and crooked courses are the doings of the serpent which goeth basely upon the belly and not upon feel." -     Of Truth

"It is the glory of a man to pass by an offence." (of revenge) As regards religion, his belief was largely prudential as Hugh Walker says, " Though he could upon occasion compose grand prayers religion seems to have played very little part in his life."

In Bacon's domestic essays we find the same coldness as we notice in moral and religious essays. He regards wife and children as "hostages to fortune", impediments to great enterprises". He goes to say "Unmarried men are the best subjects." His essays, Of Friendship, Of Parents and children Of Marriage and Single Life deal with subject of domestic and social relations.

Bacon's political essays are the best of the lot and his weightiest essays are those which treat of political questions. His wisdom show to better advantages in these essays.

To conclude we may safely say that there are few names that shine with greater brilliance than France's Bacon's in the literary and scientific world to this day, nearly three hundred years after his death. Hugh Walker rightly remarked that Bacon "is the first of English essayists, as he remains of sheer mass and weight of genuis, the greatest."

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