Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

lated upon myself, that her Majesty might have the fervice of fo active and able a mind, and I might be with excufe confined to thofe contemplations and ftudies for which I am fitteft: fo commend I you to the preservation of the divine Majefty. From my Chambers at Gray's Inn, this 30 of January, 1597. Your entire loving brother,

FRAN. BACON.

[ocr errors]

4. To ESSAYS,' 1612.

To my loving Brother, Sir John
Conftable, Knt.

My laft 'Effays' I dedicated to my . dear brother, Mr. Anthony Bacon, who is with God. Looking amongst my papers this vacation, I found others of the fame nature; which, if I myself shall not fuffer to be loft, it feemeth the world will not, by the often printing of the former. Miffing my brother, I found you next; in refpect of bond both of new alliance, and of strait friendship and fociety, and particularly of communication in ftudies: wherein I must acknow

H

ledge myself beholden to you. For as my business found reft in my contemplations, my contemplations ever found reft in your loving conference and judgment. So wishing you all good, I remain, your loving brother and friend, FRAN. BACON.

3. To' ESSAYS,' 1612. (Intended dedication prevented by the Prince's death.

To Henry Prince of Wales.

IT MAY PLEASE YOUR HIGHNESS, Having divided my life into the contemplative and active part, I am defirous to give his Majefty and your Highness of the fruits of both, fimple though they be. To write juft treatifes requireth leisure in the writer and leisure in the reader, and therefore are not fo fit, neither in regard of your Highneff's princely affairs, nor in regard of my continual fervice; which is the cause that hath made me choose to write certain brief notes, fet down rather fignificantly than curiously, which I have

called Effays.' The word is late, but the thing is ancient; for Seneca's epiftles to Lucilius, if you mark them well, are but effays-that is, dispersed meditations-though conveyed in the form of epiftles. These labours of mine I know cannot be worthy of your Highnefs; for what can be worthy of you? But my hope is they may be as grains of falt, that will rather give you an appetite than offend you with fatiety; and although they handle thofe things wherein both men's lives and their perfons are most converfant, yet what I have attained I know not; but I have endeavoured to make them not vulgar, but of a nature whereof a man shall find much in experience and little in books, fo as they are neither repetitions nor fancies. But, however, I fhall most humbly defire your Highness to accept them in gracious part, and to conceive that if I cannot reft, but must show my dutiful and devoted affection to your Highness in those things which proceed from myself, I shall be much more ready to do it in performance of any of your princely commandments.

3. TO THE ESSAYS,' 1625.

To the Right Honourable my very good Lord the Duke of Buckingham his Grace, Lord High Admiral of England.

EXCELLENT LORD,

Solomon fays, 'A good name is as a precious ointment'; and I affure myself fuch will your Grace's name be with pofterity. For your fortune and merit both have been eminent, and you have planted things that are like to laft. I do now publish my Effays, which, of all my other works, have been moft current; for that, as it feems, they come home to men's bufinefs and bofoms. I have enlarged them both in number and weight; fo that they are indeed a new work. I thought it therefore agreeable to my affection and obligation to your Grace, to prefix your name before them, both in English and in Latin. For I do conceive that the Latin volume of them (being the univerfal language), may laft as long as books laft. My Inftauration I dedicated to the King; my Hiftory of Henry the

Seventh (which I have now also translated into Latin), and my portions of Natural Hiftory, to the Prince; and thefe I dedicate to your Grace; being of the best fruits that by the good increase which God gives to my pen and labours I could yield. God lead your Grace by the hand.

Your Grace's most obliged and faithful fervant,

FR. ST. ALBAN.

EXERCISE.

The experience is manifeft enough that the motions and faculties of the wit and memory may be not only governed and guided, but also conformed and enlarged by custom and exercise duly applied as if a : exercise fhooting, he fhall not only fhoot near the mark, but also draw a ftronger bow. (Intellectual Powers.)

man

« AnteriorContinuar »