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Unit 4 : Francis Bacon–Of Truth: Detailed Study

(ii) ............... criticized poetry as “the wine of error Notes
(a) St. Augustine (b) Hironymous
(c) Bacon (d) None of these
(iii) Who condemned poetry as “the food of demons”?
(a) Hazlit (b) Charles Lamb
(c) Jesting Pilate (d) Hironymous
(iv) According to Bacon, the first creature of God was the
(a) Truth (b) Coin of Gold
(c) Light of reason (d) None of these

4.2 Summary

• “Of Truth” raises the interesting problem of our difficulty in defining lies, especially when
we consider theology as a view with a higher and more profound standard of truth than
mere mortal philosophy. More dangerously, he speculates “A mixture of a lie doth ever add
pleasure” (1259). When moving into ordinary language of “civil business” (see the preface
regarding his career!), he turns openly censorious of lies, even though such a world is obviously
full of them.
• He agrees with St Augustine who criticized poetry as “the wine of error”, and with
Hironymous, who condemned poetry as “the food of demons”.
• According to him, God created the light of the senses first so that men could see the world
around them.

4.3 Key-Words

1. Sepantia : Search for knowledge
2. Eloquentia : the art of rhetoric
4.4 Review Questions

1. Discuss the Essay ‘of Truth’
2. Bacon raises the interesting problems of our difficulty through ‘Of Truth’. Discuss
3. Discuss Bacon as a pragmatic thinker.
Answers: Self-Assessment

1. (i)(a) (ii)(a) (iii)(d) (iv)(c)
4.5 Further Readings

1. Rai Vikramadity: Bacon Essays, Doaba House.

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