Study Edition · Essay 4
Of Innovations
Source: The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral (3rd ed., 1625). Text from Project Gutenberg #575. Archaic verb forms modernized; vocabulary kept and glossed.
One dense paragraph on change. Bacon sees both sides: new things are awkward and unwelcome, but refusing to change is just as dangerous, because time itself never stops changing things. His advice is to innovate the way time does, gradually and quietly, and only when there is a real need.
11 sentences: 1 simple, 2 moderate, 8 complex. Hover a number for its paraphrase; click it for the full note.
Key Vocabulary
- ill-shapenbadly formed; misshapen
- innovationa new thing or change (often suspicious in Bacon's day)
- notwithstandingnevertheless; in spite of that
- precedentan earlier example that sets a pattern
- pervertedturned away from what is right; corrupted
- customestablished habit or tradition
- confederatejoined together as allies
- utilityusefulness
- inconformityfailure to fit in with what is around it
- contrariwiseon the contrary
- frowardstubborn; hard to deal with
- turbulentdisorderly; causing upheaval
- reverenceto treat with deep respect
- holpenold past participle of “help”: helped
- imputeto blame on; attribute to
- reformationimprovement; correcting what is wrong
- noveltya new thing
- suspect(noun) something under suspicion
The Essay
As the births of living creatures, at first are ill-shapen, so are all innovations, which are the births of time.1 Yet notwithstanding, as those that first bring honor into their family, are commonly more worthy than most that succeed, so the first precedent (if it is good) is seldom attained by imitation.2 For ill, to man's nature, as it stands perverted, has a natural motion, strongest in continuance; but good, as a forced motion, strongest at first.3 Surely every medicine is an innovation; and he that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator; and if time of course alters things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end?4 It is true, that what is settled by custom, though it is not good, yet at least it is fit; and those things which have long gone together, are, as it were, confederate within themselves; whereas new things do not piece so well; but though they help by their utility, yet they trouble by their inconformity.5 Besides, they are like strangers; more admired, and less favored.6 All this is true, if time stood still; which contrariwise moves so round, that a froward retention of custom, is as turbulent a thing as an innovation; and they that reverence too much old times, are but a scorn to the new.7 It would be good, therefore, that men in their innovations would follow the example of time itself; which indeed innovates greatly, but quietly, by degrees scarce to be perceived.8 For otherwise, whatsoever is new is unlooked for; and ever it mends some, and pairs others; and he that is helped, takes it for a fortune, and thanks the time; and he that is hurt, for a wrong, and imputes it to the author.9 It is good also, not to try experiments in states, unless the necessity is urgent, or the utility evident; and well to beware, that it is the reformation, that draws on the change, and not the desire of change, that pretends the reformation.10 And lastly, that the novelty, though it is not rejected, yet be held for a suspect; and, as the Scripture says, that we make a stand upon the ancient way, and then look about us, and discover what is the straight and right way, and so to walk in it.11
Sentence Notes
In plain English: Just as newborn creatures are oddly formed at first, so are all new inventions and changes, which are what time gives birth to.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: A fine metaphor: time is a parent and new ideas are its babies, awkward at birth but growing into themselves.
In plain English: Still, just as the person who first wins honour for a family is usually worthier than the descendants who follow, so a good first example is rarely matched by those who copy it.
Reference & context: Structure tip: another “as … so …” comparison. Read the “as” half as the picture and the “so” half as the point.
Modernized: if it be → if it is
In plain English: Because human nature is corrupted, evil moves naturally, like a falling stone, and gains strength the longer it goes on; good is like a thrown stone, an unnatural motion that is strongest at the start and then fades.
Reference & context: Science of the time: Aristotle's physics distinguished “natural motion” (a stone falling, which speeds up) from “forced” or “violent motion” (a stone thrown, which slows). Theology: “perverted” nature refers to the Fall of Man.
Modernized: hath → has
In plain English: Every medicine is a kind of innovation. Whoever refuses new cures must expect new illnesses, because time is the greatest changer of all. If time naturally makes things worse, and wisdom and planning do not make them better, how will it all end?
Why this phrase is worth keeping: The essay's central argument: standing still is not an option, because time is always changing things anyway.
Modernized: alter → alters
In plain English: Admittedly, a traditional arrangement, even if it isn't good, at least fits; things that have long existed together have become allies. New things don't slot in so neatly: they help by being useful, but they cause trouble by not fitting in.
Modernized: be → is; piece not → do not piece
In plain English: Besides, new things are like strangers: people admire them more but trust them less.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: A short, exact observation about how people treat new ideas: curiosity without trust.
In plain English: All this would be true if time stood still; but in fact it moves so fast that stubbornly clinging to tradition causes as much upheaval as innovation does. And people who worship the past too much are simply mocked by the present.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: A paradox: refusing change can be just as disruptive as change itself, because the world moves on without you.
Modernized: moveth → moves
In plain English: So it would be wise for people who make changes to imitate time itself, which changes things enormously, but quietly, in steps so small they are barely noticed.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: The essay's practical advice in a single phrase: big change, small steps.
Modernized: were → would be; innovateth → innovates
In plain English: Otherwise, anything new comes as a surprise, and it always helps some people and harms others. The people helped think it's just good luck and thank the times; the people harmed think they've been wronged and blame whoever made the change.
Reference & context: “Pairs” is short for “impairs” (damages). The point is still made about reformers today: winners credit luck, losers blame the reformer.
Modernized: holpen → helped; imputeth → imputes
In plain English: It's also wise not to experiment with governments unless there is an urgent need or an obvious benefit; and to make sure that it is genuine improvement driving the change, not a love of change pretending to be improvement.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: A mirror-image sentence (a chiasmus) that separates honest reform from change for its own sake.
Modernized: except the necessity be → unless the necessity is; be → is; draweth → draws; pretendeth → pretends
In plain English: Finally, a new thing should not be rejected, but it should be treated with suspicion. As the Bible says, we should stand on the old road, look around, work out which is the straight and right path, and then follow it.
Reference & context: Biblical: Jeremiah 6:16, “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.”
Modernized: be → is; saith → says
Fun Fact
In Bacon's England, “innovation” was usually an insult. Royal proclamations condemned people who “innovate” in church ceremonies, and calling a man an innovator was close to calling him a troublemaker or heretic. Bacon's calm, two-sided essay was unusual for its time. He was himself one of history's great innovators: his Novum Organum (“New Instrument,” 1620) helped lay the foundations of the modern scientific method, the most powerful machine for innovation ever built.