The Essays of Francis Bacon

Produced by Turgut Dincer and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

BACON’S ESSAYS

AND

WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS

WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE BY A. SPIERS

PREFACE BY B. MONTAGU, AND

NOTES BY DIFFERENT WRITERS

[Illustration]

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