66 "best Edition) were (what he saith also* of his Essays) "but as the Recreations of his other Studies. They "were dictated one morning, out of his memory; "and if they seem to any, a birth too inconsiderable "for the brain of so great a man; they may think "with themselves how little a time he went with it, "and from thence make some allowance. Besides, "his Lordship hath receiv'd much injury by late editions, of which some have much enlarged, but "not at all enriched the collection; stuffing it with "tales and sayings, too infacetious for a plough"man's chimney-corner. And particularly, in the "collection not long since published, and call'd The Apothegms of King James, King Charles, the Marquess of Worcester, the Lord Bacon, and Sir "Thomas Moor; his Lordship is dealt with very rudely. For besides the addition of insipid tales, "there are some put in which are beastly and im"moral:§ such as were fitter to have been joyned to 66 66 66 Aretine, or Aloysia, than to have polluted the "chaste labours of the Baron of Verulam." And Stephens, in the preface to the Memoirs, edition is "Apophthegmes, New and Old, collated by the Right "Honorable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount St. Alban.-London printed for Hanna Barret and Richard Whittaker, and are to "be sold at the King's Head in Paul's Church, 1625.” * See his Epistle to Bishop Andrews. + Even by that added (but not by Dr. Rawley) to the Resuscitatio.-Baconiana. In Octavo. Lon. 1669. § Ex. gr. Apotheg. 183-84. published in 1734, when speaking of Blackburn's edition of Bacon, says, 66 66 "Would any one, that had consulted the repu"tation of the Lord Bacon, or indeed his own, 'have published several Apophthegmes under his Lordship's Name, which he himself, as well as Dr. Tenison, allowed to be scandalous and spurious? "Those which his Lordship compiled as an amusement, during his indisposition in the year 1625, 66 66 66 were printed in the same year, amounting to the "number of two hundred and eighty: And were not "reprinted by Doctor Rawley in the first edition of "the Resuscitatio in 1657: but, upon the re-publish 66 ing that work, with a dedication to King Charles "the second, the Bookseller contrived to insert them "with some alteration and additions; which, instead " of increasing, diminished the value of the whole.* This volume contains a copy of the first edition of 1625,† with an Appendix containing the Apophthegmes, published by Archbishop Tenison in his Baconiana. I have, to use Bacon's own words, fanned the collection published under his name, and * But note that this edition was published in 1661, during Rawley's life, who died in 1667. † Amongst the Apophthegmes inserted in the note, the following, which, from its internal evidence, I can scarcely think spurious, would have admirably illustrated Bacon's favourite opinion, that all men should be engaged in active life; that in this theatre of man's life it is reserved only for God and angels to be lookers on.-(See page 225 of vol. ii.) "When his Lordship was newly advanced to the Great Seal, rejected the spurious additions. They are inserted in a note.* The use which Lord Bacon made of these "Mucrones Verborum," may be seen by comparing Apophthegmes 251, page 403, with the same anecdote as incorporated in the Advancement of Learning, Vol. II. page 224. $ 10. THE ORNAMENTA RATIONALIA, &c. Are inserted from the Baconiana. The short notes, of which there is a MS. in the British Museum, are taken from the Remains published in 1645.-The Essay of Death, of which there is a of "Gondomar came to visit him: My Lord said, 'That he was to "thank God and the King for that honour; but yet, so he might "be rid of the burthen, he could very willingly forbear the "honour. And that he formerly had a desire, and the same "continued with him still, to lead a private life.' Gondomar answered, that he would tell him a tale, Of an old rat that "would needs leave the world: and acquainted the young "rats, that he would retire into his hole, and spend his days. solitarily; and would enjoy no more comfort: and commended "them upon his high displeasure, not to offer to come in unto "him. They forbore two or three days; at last, one that was "more hardy than the rest, incited some of his fellows to go in "with him, and he would venture to see how his father did; for " he might be dead. They went in, and found the old rat sitting "in the midst of a rich Parmesan cheese.' So he applied the "fable after his witty manner." + Lansdowne Collection, No. 205, fo. 217. Manuscript in the British Museum,* is inserted from the Remains. I know not by what authority this fragment is ascribed to Lord Bacon. It appears not to be in his style; and, excepting the following passages, I do not find any similarity in this Essay with his general sentiments upon death; 66 PAGE 437 OF THIS VOLUME. "There is nothing more awakens our resolve "and readiness to die, than the quieted conscience, strengthened with opinion that we shall be well spoken of upon earth by those that are just and of "the family of virtue; the opposite whereof is a fury "to man, and makes even life unsweet. 66 Therefore, what is more heavy than evil fame "deserved? Or, likewise, who can see worse days. "than he that yet living doth follow at the funerals "of his own reputation." PAGE 7 OF THIS VOLUME. "A mind fixed and bent upon somewhat that is "good, doth avert the dolours of death; but, above all, believe it, the sweetest canticle is, Nunc "dimittis,' when a man hath obtained worthy ends "and expectations." * Harleian, vol. ii. p. 196. |