Francis Bacon (1561-1626) and lectures, where any are; shipping and navies; houses and

gardens of state and pleasure, near great cities; armories;

Of Travel arsenals; magazines; exchanges; burses; warehouses; exercises
of horsemanship, fencing, training of soldiers, and the like;
TRAVEL, in the younger sort, is a part of education, in the
comedies, such whereunto the better sort of persons do resort;
elder, a part of experience. He that travelleth into a country,
treasuries of jewels and robes; cabinets and rarities; and, to
before he hath some entrance into the language, goeth to
conclude, whatsoever is memorable, in the places where they
school, and not to travel. That young men travel under some
go. After all which, the tutors, or servants, ought to make
tutor, or grave servant, I allow well; so that he be such a one
diligent inquiry. As for triumphs, masks, feasts, weddings,
that hath the language, and hath been in the country before;
funerals, capital executions, and such shows, men need not to
whereby he may be able to tell them what things are worthy to
be put in mind of them; yet are they not to be neglected. If you
be seen, in the country where they go; what acquaintances they
will have a young man to put his travel into a little room, and
are to seek; what exercises, or discipline, the place yieldeth.
in short time to gather much, this you must do. First, as was
For else, young men shall go hooded, and look abroad little. It
said, he must have some entrance into the language before he
is a strange thing, that in sea voyages, where there is nothing to
goeth. Then he must have such a servant, or tutor, as knoweth
be seen, but sky and sea, men should make diaries; but in land-
the country, as was likewise said. Let him carry with him also,
travel, wherein so much is to be observed, for the most part
some card or book, describing the country where he travelleth;
they omit it; as if chance were fitter to be registered, than
which will be a good key to his inquiry. Let him keep also a
observation. Let diaries, therefore, be brought in use. The
diary. Let him not stay long, in one city or town; more or less
things to be seen and observed are: the courts of princes,
as the place deserveth, but not long; nay, when he stayeth in
especially when they give audience to ambassadors; the courts
one city or town, let him change his lodging from one end and
of justice, while they sit and hear causes; and so of consistories
part of the town, to another; which is a great adamant of
ecclesiastic; the churches and monasteries, with the
acquaintance. Let him sequester himself, from the company of
monuments which are therein extant; the walls and
his countrymen, and diet in such places, where there is good
fortifications of cities, and towns, and so the heavens and
company of the nation where he travelleth. Let him, upon his
harbors; antiquities and ruins; libraries; colleges, disputations,
removes from one place to another, procure recommendation to
some person of quality, residing in the place whither he SUMMARY
removeth; that he may use his favor, in those things he desireth
to see or know. Thus he may abridge his travel, with much Bacon begins the essay by arguing that the young soul learns a
lot when he travels around unknown places. He learns a lot
profit. As for the acquaintance, which is to be sought in travel;
from the environment even before he has started going to
that which is most of all profitable, is acquaintance with the school. By traveling, the process of learning is enhanced and
secretaries and employed men of ambassadors: for so in the child acquires awareness very early.
travelling in one country, he shall suck the experience of many.
Let him also see, and visit, eminent persons in all kinds, which However, one must seek some knowledge, particularly learning
are of great name abroad; that he may be able to tell, how the the language of the place where he intended to travel. If he
doesn’t have sufficient knowledge, he must not visit that place.
life agreeth with the fame. For quarrels, they are with care and
Bacon Further adds that it is often desirable for the young ones
discretion to be avoided. They are commonly for mistresses, to travel around the world in the company of a knowledgeable
healths, place, and words. And let a man beware, how he person or tutor, for instance, under the supervision of a person
keepeth company with choleric and quarrelsome persons; for who knows the foreign language and has been there before.
they will engage him into their own quarrels. When a traveller The tutor, by virtue his knowledge and experience, must be
returneth home, let him not leave the countries, where he hath able to guide the young traveler about where to go and what is
travelled, altogether behind him; but maintain a worth seeing. On the other hand, without a knowledgeable
tutor, the young traveler might fail to perceive the worth and
correspondence by letters, with those of his acquaintance,
significant things while traveling to new places.
which are of most worth. And let his travel appear rather in his
discourse, than his apparel or gesture; and in his discourse, let Bacon furthermore says that it is a strange thing that while
him be rather advised in his answers, than forward to tell traveling across the sea, the man observes nothing much but
stories; and let it appear that he doth not change his country the blue water and the never-ending sky, however, when
manners, for those of foreign parts; but only prick in some traveling on the land, there is so much to observe that the
flowers, of that he hath learned abroad, into the customs of his traveler finds it hard to note down each and every detail. He
should maintain a diary to note down the interesting things and
own country. events. Here Bacon suggests the travel about what things they
should mention in their diaries while traveling. These include:
the courts of prince, especially the reception they give to the
ambassadors; the royal courts of justice, the scene of hearing As far as the people whose acquaintance should be sought
plea from accused; the churches and monasteries and their way while traveling include secretaries and ambassadors. These
of living; the walls and fortification; the country’s ancient people can offer help in visiting particular places, in gathering
buildings and ruins; libraries; colleges, the ways lectures are information, and availing resources that one might need. To
delivered; the recreational areas; whatsoever that appeals to Bacon, the traveler should always avoid engaging in any type
one’s sight and memorable. of quarrel with local. Moreover, he should also be careful
about the company of mistresses and quarrelsome people.
As for social events are concerned, like marriages, funeral, These people might grind him in their fights.
feasts, public execution, and celebration of victories, they
should not be neglected and ignored, however, there is no need Bacon, like most of his essays, ends this essay with advice. He
to mention them in a travel diary. says that when the traveler returns to his own country, he
shouldn’t forget the country he traveled to especially the
Bacon continues the essay by guiding the travelers about some people who helped him during his travel. He must establish a
“do’s” and “don’ts” so that they take maximum benefit out of contact with them through letters. Furthermore, he must not
it. First of all, the young travel must have some basic show off his knowledge and awareness he acquired during
knowledge before starting traveling. Second, the young traveler traveling. But, he should act well-mannered and disciplined to
should have a knowledgeable tutor who has profound reflect the new wisdom he acquired during traveling. He
knowledge about the place. Third, the tutor must carry some should not exaggerate the stories and scenes that he encounters
catalog or book along with him that can help them in the during traveling, rather he should be more concise and factual.
foreign country. Fourth, the traveler must have a diary in which Lastly, after traveling the other country, a person should not
he can note down all the worth mentioning things. Fifth, the forget the customs and traditions of his own native land while
traveler should not stay long in one place than necessary. If in acquiring the customs and traditions of the country he visited.
case he stays longer, he must change the place in the town in He should rather adopt some good things from the foreign
order to get maximum exposure. Sixth, the traveler should not country.
choose to halt with the people of his own country, rather he
must choose to stay with people from a different country. Last
but not the least, the traveler must obtain and carry along with
him the letters of introduction from the nobility of his own
place for the one he is visiting to. This is result in ease in
traveling.
LITERARY ANALYSIS At the end of the essay, Bacon once more appears to have
foreseen a question by showing a practical concern regarding
Of Travel, by Francis Bacon is a persuasive essay in which he the manners of the traveler who have returned to his native
uses various persuasive techniques along with figurative town. He seems to show his best intentions for the traveler’s
language at different instances to support his viewpoint. Bacon interests and status in a sensible way.
opens the essay by mentioning two types of audience: the
young travelers and the old traveler, however, he primarily put There is no strong use of figurative language in the essay as the
emphases on the former. subject matter is practical. The focus of the author is more on
“how-to” than on the use of language. However, use of
The tone of the author (Bacon) in the essay is of a proficient metaphor at various instances is seen in the essay. For
expert who has profound knowledge and experience of example, [he] goeth to school, go hooded, little room, an
traveling. He knows what he is talking about. It seems that he “entrance”, adamant, and “Pricking in some flowers”.
has the first-hand experience of traveling as he doesn’t refer to
any experienced authority but advice through his own
experience. He displays the extent of his understanding and
guidance repeatedly by means of the use of the lists. It shows
that he has a lot of knowledge and inclusive in his board.
Furthermore, he criticizes the conventional practice of noting
down each and every detail in a diary and also advice the
traveler to have confidence in own mind.

Bacon, by using persuasive techniques, bids useful advice to an

inexperienced traveler that shows that he has the best interest
of the young travelers. He concentrates on the subject matter,
none the less, his advice appears to come from 1st hand
experience but he doesn’t make his experiences as subject
matter. Bacon efficiently presents his advice. Moving logically
from one point to another, he maintains his orderly and
methodical writing.