Hide & Seek

For he [Solomon] sayeth expressly, the Glory of God is to conceal a thing, but the Glory of a King is to find it out [Proverbs xxv, 2]: as if according to that innocent and affectionate play of Children, the Divine Majesty took delight to hide his works, to the end to have them found out; and as if Kings could not obtain greater Honour, than to be God's play-fellows in that game; specially considering the great command they have of wits and means, whereby the investigation of all things may be perfected.

Francis Bacon, Advancement of Learning (1605), Bk I.

For it was not that pure and immaculate Natural knowledge, by the light whereof Adam gave names unto the creatures, according to the propriety of their natures, which gave the first motion and occasion to the Fall; but it was that proud and imperative appetite of Moral knowledge, defining the laws and limits of Good and Evil, with an intent in man to revolt from God and to give laws unto himself, which was indeed the project of the primitive temptation. For, of the knowledges which contemplate the works of Nature, the holy philosopher hath said expressly, that the glory of God is to conceal a thing, but the glory of the king is to find it out [Proverbs xxv, 2]: as if the Divine Nature, according to the innocent and sweet play of children, which hide themselves to the end they may be found, took delight to hide his works to the end they might be found out, and of his indulgence and goodness to mankind had chosen the soul of man to be his play-fellow in this game.

In sum, I would advise all in general, that they would take into serious consideration the true and genuine ends of knowledge; that they seek it not either for pleasure, or contention, or contempt of others, or for profit, or fame, or for honour and promotion, or such like adulterate or inferior ends; but for the merit and emolument of life; and that they regulate and perfect the same in charity. For the desire of power was the fall of angels, the desire of knowledge the fall of man; but in charity there is no excess, neither man nor angels ever incurred danger by it.

Francis Bacon, Advancement of Learning, The Preface (1640)

For the same difference the Ancients specially observed, in publishing books, the same we will transfer to the manner itself of Delivery. So the Acroamatic method was in use with the writers of former ages, and wisely and with judgment applied, but that Acroamatical and Enigmatical kind of expression is disgraced in these later times by many, who have made it as a dubious and false light for the vent of their counterfeit merchandise. But the pretence thereof seemeth to be this, that by the intricate enveloping of Delivery the profane Vulgar may be removed from the secrets of the sciences, and they only admitted which had either acquired the interpretation of parables by tradition from their teachers or, by the sharpness and subtlety of their own wit, could pierce the veil.

Francis Bacon, Advancement of Learning (1640), Book VI, pp. 273-274.

There is another method of Delivery, similar in its objects to the one already described, but in reality almost the reverse. Both methods agree in aiming to separate the dull among the auditors from the select; but they vary in this,—that one makes use of a way of delivery more open, the other a way of delivery more secret. Let one be distinguished as the Exoteric method, the other (of which I am going to speak) as the Acroamatic,—a distinction observed by the ancients chiefly in the publication of books, but which I transfer to the method of delivery itself. The ancients used it with judgment and discretion; but in later times it has been disgraced by many who have made it as a false and deceitful light, in which to put forward their counterfeit merchandise. The intention, however, seems to be by obscurity of delivery to exclude the vulgar (that is, the profane vulgar) from the secrets of knowledge, and to admit those persons only who have received the interpretation of the enigmas through the hands of teachers, or have wits of such sharpness and discernment that they can of themselves pierce the veil.

Francis Bacon, De Augmentis Scientiarum (1623), Bk VI (transl.)

Another diversity of method there is,…used in some cases by the discretion of the ancients, but disgraced since by the impostures of many vain persons, who have made it as a false light for their counterfeit merchandises; and that is, enigmatical and disclosed. The pretence whereof is to remove the vulgar capacities from being admitted to the secrets of knowledges, and to reserve them to selected auditors, or wits of such sharpness as can pierce the veil.

Francis Bacon, Advancement of Learning (1605).

That the discretion anciently observed, though by the precedent of many vain persons and deceivers disgraced, of publishing part, and reserving part to a private succession, and of publishing in a manner whereby it shall not be to the capacity nor taste of all, but shall as it were single and adopt his reader, is not to be laid aside, both for the avoiding of abuse in the excluded, and the strengthening of affection in the admitted.

Francis Bacon, Valerius Terminus.

So too our plan is that our teaching should quietly enter into souls fit and capable of it.

Francis Bacon, Novum Organum (1620), Bk I, Aph 35.

I will teach by my own example. Silence sometimes says more than speech.

Francis Bacon, De Augmentis Scientiarum (1623).

In which sort of things it is the manner of men, first to wonder that such a thing should be possible, and after it is found out, to wonder again how the world should miss it so long.

Francis Bacon, Valerius Terminus