Bacon's own account of the object of the Essays is, that he" endeavored to make them not vulgar, but of a nature whereof much should be found in experience and little in books; so that they should be neither repetitions nor fancies;" and he desires that they should "come home to men's business and bosoms." Three editions of the Essays were published in Bacon's life-time; the first in 1597, the second in 1612, and the third in 1625. The first edition contained only ten essays, but by the third edition the number had been increased to fifty-eight. We are apt to undervalue these essays on the first reading, and it is only through long familiarity that their wisdom and depth really reveal themselves. The essay here given is one of those which exhibit the high purposes of Bacon in strange and melancholy contrast to his actual performance. Yet we should not conclude that he was deliberately insincere, for his whole life was one tragic contradiction. In thinking of his shortcomings we should remember, also, the nobility of his ideals. "If ever a man," says Dean Church, "had a great object in life and pursued it through good and evil report, through ardent hope, and keen disappointment to the end, with unwearied patience and unshaken faith, it was Bacon, when he sought for the improvement of human knowledge, for the glory of God, and the relief of man's estate." SELECTION FROM BACON'S ESSAYS. OF GREAT PLACE. Men in great place are thrice servants-servants of the sovereign or state, servants of fame, and servants of business; so as they have no freedom, neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in their times. It is a strange desire to seek power and to lose liberty, or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man's self. The *Church's "Life of Bacon." rising unto place is laborious, and by pains men come to greater pains and it is sometimes base and by indignities men come to dignities. The standing is slippery, and the regress is either a downfall, or at least an eclipse, which is a melancholy thing: "Cum non sis qui fueris non esse cur velis vivere." Nay, men cannot retire when they would, neither will they when it were reason, but are impatient of privateness, even in age and sickness, which require the shadow; like old townsmen, that will be still sitting at their street door though thereby they offer age to scorn. Certainly great persons had need to borrow other men's opinions to think themselves happy, for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot find it; but if they think with themselves what other men think of them, and that other men would fain be as they are, then they are happy as it were by report, when, perhaps, they find the contrary within; for they are the first that find their own griefs, though they be the last that find their own faults. Certainly, men in great fortunes are strangers to themselves, and while they are in the puzzle of business, they have no time to tend their health, either of body or mind; "Illi mors gravis incubat, qui notus nimis omnibus, ignotus moritur sibi." In place there is licence to do good and evil, whereof the latter is a curse: for in evil, the best condition is not to will, the second not to can. But power to do good is the true and lawful end of aspiring; for good thoughts, though God accept them, yet towards men are little better than good dreams, except they be put in act, and that cannot be without power and place, as the vantage and commanding ground. Merit and good works is the end of man's motion, and conscience of the same in the accomplishment of man's rest; for if a man can be partaker of God's theatre, he shall likewise be partaker of God's rest: 'Et conversus Deus, ut aspiceret opera, quæ fecerunt manus suæ, vidit quod omnia essent bona nimis," and then the Sabbath. In the discharge of thy place set before thee the best examples, for imitation is a globe of precepts; and after a time set before thee thine own example, and examine thyself strictly whether thou didst not best at first. Neglect not also the examples of those that have carried themselves ill in the. same place; not to set off thyself by taxing their memory, but to direct thyself what to avoid. Reform, therefore, without bravery or scandal of former times and persons; but yet set it down to thyself, as well to create good precedents as to follow them. Reduce things to the first institution, and observe wherein and how they have degenerated, but yet ask counsel of both times-of the ancient time what is best, and of the later time what is fittest. Seek to make thy course regular, that men may know beforehand what they may expect: but be not too positive and peremptory, and express thyself well when thou digressest from thy rules. Preserve the right of thy place, but stir not questions of jurisdiction; and rather assume thy right in silence, and de facto, than voice it with claims and challenges. Preserve likewise the rights of inferior places, and think it more honour to direct in chief than to be busy in all. Embrace and invite helps and advices touching the execution of thy place; and do not drive away such as bring thee information, as meddlers, but accept of them in good part. The vices of authority are chiefly four: delays, corruption, roughness, and facility. For delays, give easy access; keep times appointed go through with that which is in hand, and interlace not business but of necessity. For corruption, do not only bind thine own hands or thy servants' hands from taking, but bind the hands of suitors also from offering; for integrity used doth the one, but integrity professed, and with a manifest detestation of bribery, doth the other; and avoid not only the fault but the suspicion. Whosoever is found variable, and changeth manifestly without manifest cause, giveth suspicion of corruption; therefore, always, when thou changest thine opinion or course, profess it plainly, and declare it, together with the reasons that move thee to change, and do not think to steal it. A servant or a favourite, if he be inward, and no other apparent cause of esteem, is commonly thought but a by-way to close corruption. For roughness, it is a needless cause of discontent : severity breedeth fear, but roughness breedeth hate. Even reproofs from authority ought to be grave, and not taunting. As for facility, it is worse than bribery, for bribes come but now and then; but if importunity or idle respects lead a man, he shall never be without; as Solomon saith, "To respect persons it is not good, for such a man will transgress for a piece of bread." It is most true what was anciently spoken-“ A place showeth the man; and it showeth some to the better, and some to the worse." "Omnium consensu, capax imperii, nisi imperasset," saith Tacitus of Galba; but of Vespasian he saith, "Solus imperantium, Vespasianus mutatus in melius "-though the one was meant of sufficiency, the other of manners and affection. It is an assured sign of a worthy and generous spirit, whom honour amends-for honour is, or should be, the place of virtue-and as in nature things move violently to their place, and calmly in their place, so virtue in ambition is violent, in authority settled and calm. All rising to great place is by a winding stair; and if there be factions, it is good to side a man's self while he is in the rising, and to balance himself when he is placed. Use the memory of thy predecessor fairly and tenderly; for if thou dost not, it is a debt will surely be paid when thou art gone. If thou have colleagues, respect them; and rather call them when they look not for it, than exclude them when they have reason to look to be called. Be not too sensible or too remembering of thy place in conversation and private answers to suitors; but let it rather be said, "When he sits in place, he is another man.” ELIZABETHAN SONGS. Songs had been popular in England from an indefinitely early period. The genuine poetry of the people— the ballads-was sung in early times to the accompaniment of the dance. But the song was greatly developed in the Elizabethan times, and was given a more permanent and honorable place in literature. The plays of Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Beaumont, and Fletcher, and other Elizabethan dramatists, contain some of the loveliest of English songs, and, apart from this, many poetical miscellanies, or popular collections of songs and sonnets, were published in the later sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The following selections will give some hint of the freshness and musical beauty of the Elizabethan lyrics; but the student will find it worth his while to become more fully acquainted with them through such books as Palgrave's Golden Treasury, or some of the more recent collections from the Elizabethan song books. THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD TO HIS LOVE. Come live with me, and be my love; And we will all the pleasures prove |