A Letter of the Lord Bacon's, in French, to the Marquis Fiat, relating to

his Essays.

Monsieur l'Ambassadeur mon File,-Voyant que vostre excellence faict et traite mariages, non seulement entre les princes d'Angleterre et de France, mais aussi entre les langues (puis que faictes traduire non liure de l'Advancement des Sciences en Francois) i'ai bien voulu vous envoyer mon liure dernierement imprimé que i' avois pourveu pour vous, mais i' estois en doubte, de le vous envoyer, pour ce qu'il estoit escrit en Anglois. Mais a' cest' heure pour la raison susdicte ie le vous envoye. C'est un recompilement de mes Essays Morales et Civiles; mais tellement enlargiés et enrichiés, tant de nombre que de poix, que c'est de fait un oeuvre nouveau. Ie vous baise les mains, et reste, vostre tres affectionée ami, ex tres humble serviteur.

The same in English, by the Publisher.

My Lord Ambassador, my Son,-Seeing that your excellency makes and treats of marriages, not only betwixt the princes of France and England, but also betwixt their languages (for you have caused my book of the Advancement of Learning to be translated into French), I was much inclined to make you a present of the last book which I published, and which I had in readiness for you. I was sometimes in doubt whether I ought to have sent it to you, because it was written in the English tongue. But now, for that very reason, I send it to you. It is a recompilement of my Essays, Moral and Čivil; but in such manner enlarged and enriched both in number and weight, that it is in effect a new work. I kiss your hands, and remain your most affectionate friend and møst humble servant, &c.

The following tables will shew the variations in the titles of the Essays in the different editions:

In 1629, three years after the death of Lord Bacon, an edition was published by Haviland, by whom the edition of 1625 was published. It is the same as the edition of 1625, except that the table of contents in 1629 is arranged alphabetically; and the Colours of Good and Evil are annexed. Another edition was published in 1632 by Haviland, and another in 1639 by Beale. Since that time the press has abounded with editions.

Fragment of an Essay on Fame. The authenticity of this tract is indisputable. In the year 1657 Dr. Rawley published, in the first edition of the Resuscitatio, "A Fragment of an Essay of Fame," it is noticed in the Baconiana by Archbishop Tennison, in the account of Lord Bacon's works. He says, To this book of Essays may be annexed that fragment of an Essay of Fame, which is extant already in the Resuscitatio, p. 281.

Essay of a King. Of the authenticity of this essay, the reader will form his own judgment from the following facts:

1. In the various editions of the Essays published during the life of Lord Bacon, there is not any allusion direct or indirect to this essay.

2. There is not any allusion direct or indirect to this essay by any person

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who had access to the papers of Lord Bacon. Dr. Rawley does not mention it, and he expressly says, in his address to the reader in the Resuscitatio, in 1657: " Having been employed as an amanuensis, or daily instrument, to this honourable author, and acquainted with his lordship's conceits, in the composing of his works, for many years together, especially in his writing time, I conceived that no man could pretend a better interest or claim to the ordering of them after his death than myself. For which cause, I have compiled in one whatsoever bears the true stamp of his lordship's excellent genius, and hath hitherto slept and been suppressed in this present volume, not leaving any thing to a future hand, which I found to be of moment, and communicable to the public; save only some few Latin works, which, by God's favour and sufferance, shall soon after follow."

Dr. Rawley's son was chaplain to Archbishop Tennison, who, in his Baconiana, published in 1679, says, "It is my purpose to give a true and plain account of the designs and labours of a very great philosopher amongst us; and to offer to the world, in some tolerable method, those remains of his which to that end were put into my hands. Something of this hath been done already by his lordship himself, and something further hath been added by the Reverend Dr. Rawley; but their remarks lay scattered in divers places, and here they are put under one view, and have received very ample enlargements." But the Essay of a King is not mentioned by the Archbishop, although, when commenting upon the essays, he notices the "Fragment of an Essay on Fame." 3. In the century after the death of Lord Bacon, which was in April 1626, various spurious works were ascribed to Lord Bacon. Dr. Rawley, in his address to the reader in the Resuscitatio, in 1657, says, It is true that, for some of the pieces herein contained, his lordship did not aim at the publication of them, but at the preservation only, and prohibiting them from perishing: so as to have been reposed in some private shrine or library; but now for that, through the loose keeping of his lordship's papers, divers surreptitious copies have been taken, which have since employed the press with sundiy corrupt and mangled editions; whereby nothing hath been more difficult than to find the Lord Saint Alban in the Lord Saint Alban, and which have presented (some of them) rather a fardle of nonsense than any true expressions of his lordship's happy vein; I thought myself, in a sort, tied to vindicate these injuries and wrongs done to the monuments of his lordship's pen, and at once, by setting forth the true and genuine writings themselves, to prevent the like invasions for the time to come. And the rather, in regard of the distance of the time since his lordship's days, whereby I shall not tread too near upon the heels of truth, or of the passages and persons then concerned, I was induced hereunto, which, considering the lubricity of life, and for that I account myself to be not now in vergentibus, but in præcipitantibus annis, I was desirous to hasten. Again, he says in the same address: Lastly, if it be objected that some few of the pieces whereof this whole consisteth had visited the public light before, it is true that they had been obtruded to the world by unknown hands, but with such scars and blemishes upon their faces, that they could pass but for a spurious and adulterine brood, and not for his lordship's legitimate issue; and the publishers and printers of them, deserve to have an action of defamation brought against them by the state of learning, for disgracing and personating his lordship's works."

4. In the year 1642, the political disturbances in England raged in great fury. "The Commons" (says Hume, speaking of the early part of 1642) were sensible that monarchical government, which during so many ages had been established in England, would soon regain some degree of its former dignity, after the present tempest was over blown; nor would all their new invented limitations be able totally to suppress an authority to which the nation had ever been accustomed. The sword alone, to which all human ordinances must submit, could guard their acquired power, and fully ensure to them personal safety against the rising indignation of their sovereign: this point, therefore became the chief object of their aims. Hume, vol. vi. p. 420.

5. In 1642, a tract was published, of which there is a copy in the

British Museum, and of which the following is the title: An Essay of a King, with an explanation what manner of persons those should be that are to execute the power or ordinance of the King's Prerogative. Written by the Right Honorable Francis, Lord Verulam Viscount Saint Alban. Decemb. 2. London, Printed for Richard Best, 1642.

Immediately following this essay is the tract entitled, An Explanation what manner of persons those should be that are to execute the power or ordinance of the King's Prerogative, written by the said Francis Bacon, late Lord Chancellor, and Lord of St. Albans. This explanation thus concludes: "And to conclude, custom cannot confirm that which is any ways unreasonable of itself. Wisdom will not allow that which is many ways dangerous, and no ways profitable. Justice will not approve that government where it cannot be but wrong must be commited. Neither can there be any rule by which to try it, nor means of reformation of it. Therefore, whosoever desireth government must seek such as he is capable of, not such as seemeth to him most easy to execute; for it is apparent that it is easie to him that knoweth not law nor justice to rule as he listeth, his will never wanting a power to itself; but it is safe and blamelesse both for the judge and people, and honour to the king, that judges be appointed who know the law, and that they be limited to governe according to the law." Who can suppose that this was the work of Lord Bacon, or doubt the purpose for which, in those tumultuous times, it was composed and ascribed to him?

6. In 1648, this tract was incorporated in a small 4to. volume, of which the title page is as follows: The Remaines of the Right Honorable Francis Lord Verulan, Viscount of St. Albanes, sometimes Lord Chancellour of England. Being Essayes and severall Letters to severall great Personages, and other pieces of various and high concernment not heretofore published. A Table whereof for the Readers more ease is adjoyned. London: Printed by B. Alsop, for Lawrence Chapman, and are to be sold at his Shop neer the Savoy in the Strand. 1648. The Table of Contents consists of forty-nine subjects, of which the four first

are:

1. An Essay of a King.

2. An explanation of what manner of persons they should be, that are to execute the power or ordinance of the King's Prerogative.

3. Short notes of Civil Conversation.

4. An Essay on Death.

The first article, "An Essay of a King," with its Appendix, "An Explanation, &c." is a copy of this tract published in 1642: who the author was does not appear, nor is there any preface or address, or explanation of the sources from whence the different subjects were selected, or the authority upon which they were ascribed to Lord Bacon. That some of them (for instance, the opinion respecting the Charter House) were his lordship's is clear: and, but for these authentic documents, it is probable that the other publications would have fallen stillboru from the press; but they may have been supported, as Machiavel intimates that error is often supported by its alliance to truth, when he says, in a passage cited by Lord Bacon," the kingdom of the clergy had been long before at an end, if the reputation and reverence towards the poverty of friars had not borne out the scandal of the superfluities and excesses of bishops and prelates." Let it not, therefore, be hastily inferred that the essay is genuine, because it appears in some good company in some, not all, for the Essay of Death, which has not found any advocate, is in the same volume. 7. In 1656, a tract was published, of which the following is the title page: The Mirrour of State and Eloquence. Represented in the Incomparable Letters of the Famous Sir Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, St. Albans, to Queene Elizabeth, King James, and other Personages of the highest trust, and honour in the three Nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Concerning the better and more sure Establishment of those Nations in the affaires of Peace and Warre. With an ample and admirable accompt of his Faith, written by the express Command of King Iames: Together with the Character of a true Christian, and