Either use the Bridge or Swim Across the River..or something like that
A student of mine has a cool hobby of collecting old books, something that I've always wanted to do, but never really set out to accomplish nor was the mind's reward of such a hobby something that I had the opportunity to experience. At the very moment I picked up the book and read the first few pages, I was immediately inspired and had to put the book down to share what I was doing... yes, this very moment.
#365 of 975, year 1924 reprints
The book is titled Essayes. Religious Meditations. Places of perswasion and disswasion. Seen and allowed. by Francis Bacon. Let me first talk about the beauty of the book. Originally written in 1597, a series of 975 reprints were made in 1924. This particular book was #365 of that series! and look at the condition of the book. Classic!
Within the very first chapter (as a matter of fact, page 1!) aptly titled "Of Studies", I ran across the entry that stated the following:
"Reading maketh a full man, conference a readye man, and writing an exacte man. And therefore if a man write little, he had neede haue a great memorie, if he conferre little, he had neede haue a present wit, and if he reade little, he had neede haue much cunning, to seeme to know that he doth not."
What a brilliant way to start off readings by pointing out the obvious. My interpretation? "Either use the bridge or swim across the river." This is a great reminder of the importance of seeking knowledge, the value of shaking hands, and the benefits of capturing your thoughts and (in today's world, digitizing it for as long as the world of computers survive).
Thank you for allowing me to read this book and inspiring me to get out and search for similar treasures.
Let me know your interpretations!
Michael
For more on Francis Bacon, you can find a collection in text here.
#365 of 975, year 1924 reprints
The book is titled Essayes. Religious Meditations. Places of perswasion and disswasion. Seen and allowed. by Francis Bacon. Let me first talk about the beauty of the book. Originally written in 1597, a series of 975 reprints were made in 1924. This particular book was #365 of that series! and look at the condition of the book. Classic!
Within the very first chapter (as a matter of fact, page 1!) aptly titled "Of Studies", I ran across the entry that stated the following:
"Reading maketh a full man, conference a readye man, and writing an exacte man. And therefore if a man write little, he had neede haue a great memorie, if he conferre little, he had neede haue a present wit, and if he reade little, he had neede haue much cunning, to seeme to know that he doth not."
What a brilliant way to start off readings by pointing out the obvious. My interpretation? "Either use the bridge or swim across the river." This is a great reminder of the importance of seeking knowledge, the value of shaking hands, and the benefits of capturing your thoughts and (in today's world, digitizing it for as long as the world of computers survive).
Thank you for allowing me to read this book and inspiring me to get out and search for similar treasures.
Let me know your interpretations!
Michael
For more on Francis Bacon, you can find a collection in text here.
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