Bacon's Essays, and Wisdom of the Ancients

BACON’S ESSAYS AND WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE BY A. SPIERS PREFACE BY B. MONTAGU, AND NOTES BY DIFFERENT WRITERS

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BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY _Copyright, 1884_, BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, MASS., U. S. A. ADVERTISEMENT. In preparing the present volume for the press, use has been freely made of several publications which have recently appeared in England. The Biographical Notice of the author is taken from an edition of the Essays, by A. Spiers, Ph. D. To this has been added the Preface to Pickering’s edition of the Essays and Wisdom of the Ancients, by Basil Montagu, Esq. Parker’s edition, by Thomas Markby, M. A., has furnished the arrangement of the Table prefixed to the Essays, and also “the references to the most important quotations.” The Notes, including the translations of the Latin, are chiefly copied from Bohn’s edition, prepared by Joseph Devey, M. A. We have given the modern translation of the Wisdom of the Ancients contained in Bohn’s edition, in preference to that “done by Sir Arthur Gorges,” although the last mentioned has a claim upon regard, as having been made by a contemporary of Lord Bacon, and published in his lifetime. Its language is in the style of English current in the author’s age, and for this reason may resemble more nearly what the philosopher himself would have used, had he composed the work in his own tongue instead of Latin. CONTENTS. PAGE Preface by B. Montagu, Esq. xi Introductory Notice of the Life and Writings of Bacon, by A. Spiers, Ph. D. 1 ESSAYS; OR, COUNSELS CIVIL AND MORAL. NO. 1. Of Truth 1625; 57 2. Of Death 1612; enlarged 1625 62 3. Of Unity in Religion; Of Religion 1612; rewritten 1625 65 4. Of Revenge 1625; 73 5. Of Adversity 1625; 75 6. Of Simulation and Dissimulation 1625; 78 7. Of Parents and Children 1612; enlarged 1625 82 8. Of Marriage and Single Life 1612; slightly enlarged 1625 84 9. Of Envy 1625; 87 10. Of Love 1612; rewritten 1625 95 11. Of Great Place 1612; slightly enlarged 1625 98 12. Of Boldness 1625; 103 13. Of Goodness, and Goodness of Nature 1612; enlarged 1625 105 14. Of Nobility 1612; rewritten 1625 110 15. Of Seditions and Troubles 1625 113 16. Of Atheism 1612; slightly enlarged 1625 124 17. Of Superstition 1612; ” ” 1625 130 18. Of Travel 1625; 132 19. Of Empire 1612; much enlarged 1625 135 20. Of Counsels 1612; enlarged 1625 143 21. Of Delays 1625; 151 22. Of Cunning 1612; rewritten 1625 153 23. Of Wisdom for a Man’s Self 1612; enlarged 1625 159 24. Of Innovations 1625; 161 25. Of Dispatch 1612; 163 26. Of Seeming Wise 1612; 166 27. Of Friendship 1612; rewritten 1625 168 28. Of Expense 1597; enlarged 1612; and again 1625 179 29. Of the true Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates 1612; enlarged 1625 181 30. Of Regimen of Health 1597; enlarged 1612; again 1625 195 31. Of Suspicion 1625; 197 32. Of Discourse 1597; slightly enlarged 1612; again 1625 199 33. Of Plantations 1625; 202 34. Of Riches 1612; much enlarged 1625 207 35. Of Prophecies 1625; 212 36. Of Ambition 1612; enlarged 1625 217 37. Of Masques and Triumphs 1625; 218 38. Of Nature in Men 1612; enlarged 1625 223 39. Of Custom and Education 1612; ” ” 225 40. Of Fortune 1612; slightly enlarged 1625 228 41. Of Usury 1625; 231 42. Of Youth and Age 1612; slightly enlarged 1625 237 43. Of Beauty 1612; ” ” 1625 240 44. Of Deformity 1612; somewhat altered 1625 241 45. Of Building 1625; 243 46. Of Gardens 1625; 249 47. Of Negotiating 1597; enlarged 1612; very slightly altered 1625 259 48. Of Followers and Friends 1597; slightly enlarged 1625 261 49. Of Suitors 1597; enlarged 1625 264 50. Of Studies 1597; ” 1625 266 51. Of Faction 1597; much enlarged 1625 269 52. Of Ceremonies and Respects 1597; enlarged 1625 271 53. Of Praise 1612; ” 1625 273 54. Of Vainglory 1612; 276 55. Of Honor and Reputation 1597; omitted 1612; republished 1625 279 56. Of Judicature 1612; 282 57. Of Anger 1625; 289 58. Of the Vicissitude of Things 1625; 292 APPENDIX TO ESSAYS. 1. Fragment of an Essay of Fame 301 2. Of a King 303 3. An Essay on Death 307 THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS; A SERIES OF MYTHOLOGICAL FABLES. Preface 317 1. Cassandra, or Divination. Explained of too free and unseasonable Advice 323 2. Typhon, or a Rebel. Explained of Rebellion 324 3. The Cyclops, or the Ministers of Terror. Explained of base Court Officers 327 4. Narcissus, or Self-Love 329 5. The River Styx, or Leagues. Explained of Necessity, in the Oaths or Solemn Leagues of Princes 331 6. Pan, or Nature. Explained of Natural Philosophy 333 7. Perseus, or War. Explained of the Preparation and Conduct necessary to War 343 8. Endymion, or a Favorite. Explained of Court Favorites 348 9. The Sister of the Giants, or Fame. Explained of Public Detraction 350 10. Acteon and Pentheus, or a Curious Man. Explained of Curiosity, or Prying into the Secrets of Princes and Divine Mysteries 351 11. Orpheus, or Philosophy. Explained of Natural and Moral Philosophy 353 12. Cœlum, or Beginnings. Explained of the Creation, or Origin of all Things 357 13. Proteus, or Matter. Explained of Matter and its Changes 360 14. Memnon, or a Youth too forward. Explained of the fatal Precipitancy of Youth 363 15. Tythonus, or Satiety. Explained of Predominant Passions 364 16. Juno’s Suitor, or Baseness. Explained of Submission and Abjection 365 17. Cupid, or an Atom. Explained of the Corpuscular Philosophy 366 18. Diomed, or Zeal. Explained of Persecution, or Zeal for Religion 371 19. Dædalus, or Mechanical Skill. Explained of Arts and Artists in Kingdoms and States 374 20. Ericthonius, or Imposture. Explained of the improper Use of Force in Natural Philosophy 378 21. Deucalion, or Restitution. Explained of a useful Hint in Natural Philosophy 379 22. Nemesis, or the Vicissitude of Things. Explained of the Reverses of Fortune 380 23. Achelous, or Battle. Explained of War by Invasion 383 24. Dionysus, or Bacchus. Explained of the Passions 384 25. Atalanta and Hippomenes, or Gain. Explained of the Contest betwixt Art and Nature 389 26. Prometheus, or the State of Man. Explained of an Overruling Providence, and of Human Nature 391 27. Icarus and Scylla and Charybdis, or the Middle Way. Explained of Mediocrity in Natural and Moral Philosophy 407 28. Sphinx, or Science. Explained of the Sciences 409 29. Proserpine, or Spirit. Explained of the Spirit included in Natural Bodies 413 30. Metis, or Counsel. Explained of Princes and their Council 419 31. The Sirens, or Pleasures. Explained of Men’s Passion for Pleasures 420 PREFACE. In the early part of the year 1597, Lord Bacon’s first publication appeared. It is a small 12mo. volume, entitled “Essayes, Religious Meditations, Places of Perswasion and Disswasion.” It is dedicated “_To M. Anthony Bacon, his deare Brother_. “Louing and beloued Brother, I doe nowe like some that have an Orcharde ill Neighbored, that gather their Fruit before it is ripe, to preuent stealing. These Fragments of my Conceites were going to print, To labour the staie of them had bin troublesome, and subiect to interpretation; to let them passe had beene to aduenture the wrong they mought receiue by vntrue Coppies, or by some Garnishment, which it mought please any that should set them forth to bestow vpon them. Therefore I helde it best as they passed long agoe from my Pen, without any further disgrace,