Of Travel – Francis Bacon (Summary)

Of Travel – Francis Bacon  

Francis Bacon is one of the most celebrated prose writers of the sixteenth century from where the modern age begins. This age is particularly noted for its religion, philosophy, science and travel. He represented the age in his works about its patriotism, high aims and lofty ideals. His earliest and chief interest in life was the reformation of scientific method of approach. He is considered ‘the brightest, the wisest and the noblest of the humankind and he is known as the father of English Essay and Modern Prose. 

Bacon’s essays on verities of subjects apparently deal with the ethical qualities of men or with the matters pertaining to the governments of states. All his essays are full of practical wisdom of life. His style is aphoristic, formal, impersonal and informative. They are all full of quotable quotes. 

In this essay, “Of Travel” Bacon expresses advantages and benefits of travels. He says that the travel is a part of education for the younger people and it is an experience to the elderly people. One must learn some knowledge of reading as well as writing of language before he/she undertakes a travel. Either some tutor or grave servant must accompany the young persons, while they undertake a travel. These people with their previous experience will help traveler to follow what exercises or discipline the country may demand while travelling in such a country. 

He advised that the traveler must keep a diary with him and record his observations in it. It will be a strange thing in sea-voyages where there is nothing to be seen except the sky and the sea. However, in land-travel, there is so much to be observed and registered in his diary but most of it will be omitted. The enthusiastic traveler must observe and register in his dairy about the courts of princes especially when they give audience to ambassadors, the courts of justice, while they sit and hear the causes, the churches and monasteries, walls and fortifications of cities and towns, havens and harbours, antiquities and ruins, libraries, colleges, disputations, houses and gardens, great cities, warehouses armories, arsenals, magazines, exchanges, exercises of horsemanship, fencing, training of soldiers besides masks, feasts, weddings, funerals, capital executions and whatsoever is memorable in the places where they go. 

He advised the travelers that they must carry a card or a book that can describe the country where he travels. He said that it is not advisable to stay one place for a long time in one city or a town and let him change his lodging from one part of the town to another and be isolate himself from the company of his fellow citizens. Let him see and visit the eminent persons who have great name and fame in those countries of abroad. Moreover, the travelers must be cautious of quarrels, quarrelsome people who will engage him into their quarrels and of contagious diseases like cholera and others. When a traveler returns home, he should not leave those countries behind but maintain correspondence with those of his acquaintances which of those most important. Finally, he advised that the traveler do not change his country manners for those of foreign parts but only prick some flowers of those that has learned abroad into the customs of his own country. Thus, Bacon reveled all the benefits of travel through his essay ‘Of Travel’. 

 ------