Confederates, nor by blocking of Trade, nor by any the like meanes, haue it in their power, to hurt or annoy the States they serue; And whensoeuer any such Cause did but appeare, straight-wayes to buy it out with a Warre, and neuer to take vp Peace at credit, and vpon Interest. It is so memorable, as it is yet as fresh, as if it were done yesterday, how that Triumuirate of Kings (Henry the eight of England, Francis the first of France, and Charles the fifth, Emperour, and King of Spaine,) were in their times so prouident, as scarce a Palme of Ground could bee gotten by either of the Three, but that the other Two would be sure to doe their best, to set the Ballance of Europe vpright againe. And the like diligence was vsed in the Age before, by that League, (wherewith Guicciardine beginneth his Story, and maketh it (as it were) the Kalender of the good dayes of Italy,) which was contracted betweene Ferdinando King of Naples, Lorenzo of Medici Potentate of Florence, and Ludouico Zforza Duke of Milan, designed chiefly against the growing Power of the Venetians; But yet so, as the Confederates had a perpetuall eye, one vpon another, that none of them should ouertop. To conclude therefore, howsoeuer some Schoolemen, (otherwise Reuerend Men, yet fitter to guide Penkniues, than Swords,) seeme precisely to stand vpon it; That euery Offensiue Warre must be Vltio; A Reuenge, that presupposeth a precedent Assault or Iniurie; yet neither doe they descend to this Point, (which we now handle,) of a iust Feare; Neither are they of authority to iudge this Question against all the Presidents of time." Pp. 19, 20, ed. 1629. [33] Lat. Carolo quinto Hispano. p. 78 [3, 4] either.. Warre: omitted in the Latin. [5] take up: Lat. redimere. [6] Guicciardini, Hist. 1. 1. The League was renewed in 1480 for 25 years. [12] Bacon probably refers to S. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologiæ, 22, quæst. XL). "Secundo requiritur causa justa; ut scilicet illi qui impugnantur, propter aliquam culpam impugnationem mereantur: unde Aug. dicit in lib. quæstionum (super Josue quæst. 10) Justa bella solent diffiniri quæ ulciscuntur injurias, si gens vel civitas plectenda est, quæ vel vindicare neglexerit quod a suis improbe factum est, vel reddere quod per injuriam ablatum est." [14] The first proposition of Bacon's argument for a War with Spain was, "that a iust Feare is a iust Cause of a War; And that a Preuentiue Warre is a true Defensiue" (p. 23). [15] lawfull; Lat. competens et legitima. [18] Livia: Dio Cass. LVI. 30. ob veneficium Augusti. Lat. p. 79 [25] Lat. quorum baculi pastorales cum regis gladio concertarunt. [30] from that State: i. e. the Clergy; Lat. a prælatis. [31] Lat. nisi ubi clerus ab auctoritate aut jurisdictione principatus externi pendet. [32] come in, and: omitted in the Latin. Lat. a populo, non autem a rege vel patronis ecclesiarum. p. 80 [1] Lat. sunt illi certe cohibendi et tanquam in justâ distantiâ a solio regali continendi. [5] Hist. of Hen. 7, p. 241, ed. 1622; "Hee kept a strait hand on his Nobilitie, and chose rather to aduance Clergie-men and Lawyers, which were more Obsequious to him, but had lesse Interest in the People; which made for his Absolutenesse, but not for his Safetie. In so much as (I am perswaded) it was one of the Causes of his troublesome Raigne; for that his Nobles, though they were Loyall and Obedient, yet did not Co-operate with him, but let euery man goe his owne Way." [16] Lat. quinimo fovendi sunt, tanquam qui potentiam nobilitatis superioris optime temperent, ne immodice excrescat. [21] Vena porta: “That vena porta is a vein coming from the concave of the liver, and receiving those mesaraical veins, by whom he takes the chylus from the stomach and guts, and conveys it to the liver." Burton, Anat. of Mel. pt. 1. sect. 1, mem. 2, subs. 3. See Ess. XLI. In another passage (Hist. of Hen. 7, p. 161) Bacon calls it 'the Gate-Vaine': "But that that mooued him most, was, that beeing a King that loued Wealth and Treasure, hee could not endure to haue Trade sicke, nor any Obstruction to continue in the Gate-vaine, which disperseth that bloud." [24] and nourish little: Lat. et habitum corporis macrum. [26-29] Lat. quod in partibus lucretur, in summâ deperdit, commercii quanto diminuto. their Customes: Lat. vel in gravaminibus tributorum. vel in aliis quæ victum eorum decurtant. [33] Or [34] Lat. p. 81 [2] Lat. si in corpus unum cogantur, vel exercitus vel præsidiorum. [3] Lat. clarissima exempla. [5] of Rome: omitted in the Latin. [9] Antith. vIII; Reges non [7] of Defence: Lat. utiles et salubres. hominum instar sed astrorum sunt; nam et in singulos et in tempora ipsa magnum habent influxum. 'the heauenly bodies' (1612). [10] Antith. VIII; Qui in imperiis sunt, similes sunt corporibus cælestibus, quæ magnam venerationem habent, requiem nullam. The original of this is a passage of Seneca, Consol. ad Polyb. c. 26 (Dial. XI. 7); ex quo se Cesar orbi terrarum dedicavit, sibi eripuit. Et siderum modo, quæ inrequieta semper cursus suos explicant, nunquam illi licet nec subsistere nec quicquam suum facere. [11-14] In the MS. of the edition of 1612 this passage, with the exception of the words 'or Vice Dei,' is inserted in the margin in Bacon's own hand. [15] bridleth: 'to bridle' (1612). ESSAY 20 Altered and slightly enlarged from ed. of 1612. p. 82 [1] and Man: omitted in the printed ed. of 1612, but added in the MS. [4] Child: Lat. liberos. Some copies have 'children,' and in the Italian it is i loro figliuoli, but 'child' is the reading in the edition of 1612. [7] obliged: Lat. astringuntur. selectorum utantur. [13] Is. ix. 6. inconstantiæ et mutationum. endæ. [20] 1 Kings xii. 8. p. 83 [10] See de Sap. Vet. c. 30. [11] Lat. si consilio virorum [14] Prov. xx. 18. [18] Lat. [19] Lat. modo texendæ, modo retex [12] Whereby they intend that: 'so as' (1612). [14] Lat. quod hujusmodi commentum est. [19] himselfe: added in 1625. [20] Hes. Theog. 886. 'counsell' (1612). [24] unto: 'to' (1612). efformata. [28] Councell: 'counsel' (1612). p. 84 [5, 6] Let us..Remedies: added in 1625. [22] Councell: [25] Lat. elaboratæ et [31] 'hand' (1612). [11] Lat. ac si minus [15] Lat. ex re penderent. [14] Lat. quam principis ipsius. doctrina quorundam ex Italis. [16] in some Kings times: added in 1625. [17] Lat. consilia interiora quæ vulgo vocantur cabinetti. [18] The MS. adds, "which hath tourned Metis the wife to Metis the mistresse, that is Councells of State to which Princes are [solemnly] marryed, to Councells of gracious persons recommended chiefly by [flattery and] affection." Mr Spedding in his note (Bacon's Works, VI. p. 555) remarks, "The word 'solemly' has a line drawn through it, and the words 'flattery and' are inserted between the lines in Bacon's hand." [19] As to: 'But for' (1612). Lat. occultationem consili[21] Lat. sed tam personas quam negotia cum delectu excerpere possunt. [25] comes: 'come' (1612). (1612). Counsels: counsell' (1612). orum. [28] Lat. arcana nosse et retegere. added in 1625. [26] Motto: 'Mot' [27] Ter. Eun. I. 2, 25. [30-85 9] It is true-Fox: p. 85 [3] able to Grinde with a Hand-Mill: Lat. proprio Marte validus. [6] Hist. of Hen. 7, pp. 15, 16; "About this time, the King called vnto his Priuie-Councell, Iohn Morton, and Richard Foxe, the one Bishop of Elie, the other Bishop of Excester, vigilant men, and secret, and such as kept watch with him almost vpon al men else." [11-13] Nay ..Counsell: added in 1625. and holpen added in 1625. domini. [21] Luke xviii. 8. [28] Counsellour: added in 1625. 1625. [17, 18] which are Things soone found, [20] Lat. suæ rei prospecturos non [27] Counsellours: 'counsels' (1612). [29-31] So that.. Eare: added in [34] Mart. Epig. vIII. 15. p. 86 [1] on: 'of' (1612). [2] Speculative: Lat. rimatores. [4] their: so in the original and in ed. of 1612. [10] Reverend: 'reuerent' (1612). Lat. gravior. [15] to preserve Freedome : omitted in MS. [16] to preserve Respect: omitted in MS. Lat. ut modestius sententiam ferant. [24-28] 'what kind of person should be; but in indiuiduo: For the greatest errors, and the greatest iudgement are shewed in the choice of Indiuiduals' (1612). In the MS. the Essay ends here. [28] A saying of Alphonso of Aragon. Optimos consiliarios esse mortuos dicebat, libros, videlicet, designans, a quibus sine metu, sine gratiâ, quæ nosse cuperet fideliter audiret. Alphonsi regis dict. et fact. lib. 3, c. 1, auct. Ant. Panormita. See also Apoph. 105; "Alonso of Aragon was wont to say of himself, That he was a great necromancer, for that he used to ask counsel of the dead: meaning books." The origin of the saying is to be sought at a still more remote period. Zeno, the Stoic, enquired of the oracle by what course of conduct he should live the best life. συγχρωτίζοιτο τοῖς νεκροῖς (Diog. Laert. VII. 1, § consiliarii forte in adulationem lapsuri sint. gubernacula rerum traclarunt. Placebo: added in 1625. [34-88 The god replied, ei 3). [29] Lat. cum [32] Lat. qui et ipsi 8] The Counsels.. [6] ἐν νυκτὶ βουλή, p. 87 [1] Lat. congressus et colloquia familiaria. Gaisford, Par. Gr. B. 359. [10] Lat. petitiones privatas. [13] Hoc agere. The phrase is explained in Plutarch's Coriol. p. 249 (North's trans.); "But hereby appeareth plainely, how king Numa did wisely ordaine all other ceremonies concerning deuotion to the goddes, and specially this custome which he stablished, to bring the people to religion. For when the magistrates, bishoppes, priestes, or other religious ministers goe about any deuine seruice, or matter of religion, an herauld euer goeth before them, crying out aloud, Hoc age: as to say, doe this, or mind this." [15] Indifferent persons: Lat. qui æqui sunt et in neutram partem propendeant. [18] Lat. delegationes non tantum temporaneas aut e re natâ sed etiam continuatas et perpetuas. The Latin adds quæ curent separatim. [19] Suits: Lat. gratias, gravamina. [20] Lat. consilia subordinata diversa. [26] The Latin adds, mercatoribus, artificibus. parietes camera consilii. [32] Lat. ad [8] a Song of Placebo: p. 88 [6] Lat. se ad nutum ejus applicabunt. the Vesper hymn for the dead. "Pope Sixtus's Breviary says, 'ad vesperas, absolutè incipitur ab Antiphonâ placebo Domino in regione vivorum." (Nares' Glossary, s. v.) Chaucer (Persones Tale) has, "Flaterers ben the develes chapeleyns, that singen ay placebo." Bacon followed the advice which he himself gave. At the conclusion of his speech for the Naturalization of the Scottish Nation, he said; "Mr Speaker, I haue (I take it) gone through the parts which I propounded to my selfe, wherein if any man shall think I have sung a placebo, for mine owne particular; I would have him know that I am not so unseene in the world, but that I discerne, it were much alike for my priuate fortune a tacebo, as to sing a placebo in this businesse; but I haue spoken out of the fountain of my heart." I. 19. ESSAY 21 p. 89 [3] Antith. XLI; Occasio, instar Sibyllæ, minuit oblatum, pretium auget. [4] Sybilla: the story is told by Aulus Gellius, Noct. Att. [6] Lat. integrum tamen pretium postulat. Adagia, p. 687, ed. Grynæus: Fronte capillata est, post hæc occasio calva. See also Phædrus, v. 8, and Posidippi Epigr. 13 in Brunck's Anthologia [9] Antith. XLI; Occasio primum ansam vasis porrigit, II. 49. deinde ventrem. si leve videatur. p. 90 [2] ibid. Docet fingit remedio. Hom. Il. 1. 403. 845. See de Sap. [14] Antith. XLIII; Non jam leve est periculum, [15] ibid. Plura pericula fallunt, quam vincunt. periculum progredi qui accingitur, et periculum [8] Argos: Esch. Prom. 567, &c. Briareus: Antith. XLI. The Helmet of Pluto: Hom. Il. v. Vet. c. vII. Perseus in the fable wore the helmet of Pluto when he slew the Gorgon Medusa. See the same fable enlarged in the De Augmentis, II. 13. A note in the Promus, fol. 15 b, is: "Plutoes Helmett-Secresy Invisibility." ESSAY 22 Greatly enlarged from the ed. of 1612. p. 9r [8] In the Promus of Formularies and Elegancies (Works vii. 197 ed. Spedding) occurs this note, descriptive of the characters of some men; "Cunning in the humours of persons, and not in the conditions of actions." [9] Lat. personarum naturas et mores. [11] Lat. in personarum aditibus et temporibus. [13] Lat. constitutio ipsissima. [13] of one: Lat. hominum. [16] I suppose the figure is taken from the game of bowls. Under the head of "Bowl-Alley, or Bowling-Alley," Nares (Glossary) gives "a covered space for the game of bowls, instead of a bowling-green." He quotes, "whether it be in open wide places, or in close allies,-the chusing of the bowle is the greatest cunning." Country Contentm. G. Markham, p. 58. The Latin translator seems to have missed the point. He renders, et non aliter fere usum sui præbent quam in viis quas sæpe contriverunt, understanding alley in its ordinary sense, and applied metaphorically to a narrow walk of life. [19] A saying of Aristippus; Diog. Laert. ΙΙ. 73, εἰς ἁγνῶτας τοὺς δύο γυμνοὺς ἀπόστειλον καὶ εἴσῃ. It is quoted again, Apoph. 255. [20]-95 [14] And because..looked backe: added in 1625. p. 92 [1] Adv. of L. 11. 9, § 2. “And therefore a number of subtile persons, whose eyes doe dwell vpon the faces and fashions of men; doe well know the aduantage of this obseruation; as being most part of their abilitie; neither can it bee denied, but that it is a great discouerie of dissimulations, and a great direction in Businesse." [5] Sometimes: Lat. per vices. [8] Lat. ut cum aliquid propere et facile obtinere et expedire cupias. [12] Lat. ad objectiones et scrupulos. [16] Lat. de rebus status gravioribus sermones. [21] he doubts: omitted in the Latin. [26] Lat. quasi se ipsum deprehenderet et contineret. [32] Lat. insolitum induere vultum. P. 93 [1] Lat. quid sibi velit ista oris mutatio. [2] Neh. ii. 1. [12] Lat. non inutile est. [17] Lat. ut [30] Lat. astutia species satis vafra est. [33] Mr Spedding [10] Tac. Ann. XI. 30. rem fere prætermissam. [32] Lat. ut inde alterum irretiat et subruat. has suggested to me that probably the two competitors for the office of Secretary, here alluded to, were Sir Robert Cecil and Sir Thomas Bodley. p. 94 [1] Lat. qui tamen se invicem amice tractabant. Damon smatters as well as he can of craftie phylosophie, Damon and Pith. O. Pl. 1. 193. |