O R, COUNSELS, CIVIL AND MORA L. BY FRANCIS BACON, Baron of VERULAM, Viscount St. ALBAN, bv unt AND Lord High Chancellor of E NGLAND. GLASGO w: Printed by R. URIE, MDCCLII. то Mr. ANTONY BACON HIS DEAR BROTHER. LOVING and beloved brother, I do now like fome that have an orchard ill neighboured, that gather their fruit before it is ripe, to prevent ftealing. Thefe fragments of my conceits were going to print: to labour the ftay of them had been troublefome, and fubject to interpretation; to let them pass had been to adventure the wrong they might receive by untrue copies, or by some garnishment which it might please any that should fet them forth to beftow upon them. Therefore I held it best difcretion to publish them myself, as they paffed long ago from my pen, without any further difgrace than the weakness of the author. And as I did ever hold, there might be as great a vanity in retiring and withdrawing mens conceits (except they be of fome nature) from the world, as in obtruding them; |