mine is quenched. In the Queen's, my excellent mistress's, time, the quorum was small; her service was a kind of freehold, and it was a more solemn time. All these points agreed with my nature and judgment. My ambition now I shall only put upon my pen, whereby I shall be able to maintain memory and merit of the times succeeding. Lastly, for this divulged and almost prostituted title of knighthood, I could, without charge, by your Honor's mean, be content to have it, both because of this late disgrace" [something he had suffered, it is presumed, at the hands of a creditor], "and because I have three new knights in my mess in Gray's Inn's commons; and because I have found out an alderman's daughter, an handsome maiden to my liking."

Another letter to Sir Robert Cecil, touching money matters, closes his correspondence of this period as far as we are informed. In public affairs immediately succeeding the accession of James, he took no part, although his pen contributed a valuable paper to the religious controversies which were revived with renewed ardor by the accident of a new reign and a new sovereign. "Certain Considerations Touching the Better Pacification and Edification of the Church of England" should be catalogued with his "Church Controversies," as a philosophical contribution to a discussion which commenced with Cain and Abel in the Garden of Eden, and which will continue until theology yields to Christianity, or an infallible church absorbs all races under its government, or every individual rejects all intermediaries between himself and a personal God.

Charles I., writing to Wentworth, then in Ireland, concludes his letter by saying, "I will end with a rule that may serve for a statesman, a courtier or a lover: Never make a defense or apology before you be accused." This rule of action is one which most thoughtful

men observe, one which all innocent men instinctively obey. But as Bacon, about this time, wrote his famous "Apology in Certain Imputations Concerning the late Earl of Essex," the inference is that he had been accused of conduct inconsistent with the commonlyaccepted notions of right. The title of the "Apology," and the introductory paragraph, prove that the tongues which the death of Elizabeth had loosened revived the tales which had been more quietly circulated to Bacon's detriment. Instead of suffering an old story to be buried beneath the accumulation of new events, he wrote, published and circulated this history of his connection with the prosecution of his friend and benefactor. It was addressed to the public through the Earl of Devonshire. Two editions were printed and distributed by Bacon, one in the year 1604, the other in the year following. Yet Bacon proclaims his independence of popular censure, and that his desire to stand well with a few persons is what alone inspired his "Apology."

"It may please your good Lordship," he says, "I cannot be ignorant, and ought to be sensible of the wrong which I sustain in common speech, as if I had been false or unthankful to that noble but unfortunate Earl, the Earl of Essex. And for satisfying the vulgar sort, I do not so much regard it; though I love a good name, but yet, as an handmaid and attendant of honesty and virtue. . . But, on the other side, there is no worldly thing that concerneth myself which I hold more dear than the good opinion of certain persons, among which there is none I would more willingly give satisfaction unto than to your Lordship. First, because you loved the Lord of Essex, and therefore will not be partial towards me, which is part of that I desire; next, because it has ever pleased you to show yourself to me an honorable friend."

Then follows statement of fact and argument. Like most personal explanations to the public, it is probable that this one was not altogether satisfactory. Yet little or nothing is known of its effect, and the opinions of writers differ in respect to it, as they differ in respect to the original transaction which inspired it.

The most interesting incident of the beginning of the new sovereign's reign was the trial of Sir Walter Raleigh for participation in the Arabella Stuart fiasco, whom the reader will recall as the most unfortunate victim of the conspiracy to dethrone James and enthrone one to whom the Tower of London became both a prison and an insane asylum.

Sir Edward Coke and Bacon were the prosecutors of this great Englishman, and fortunately for the unfavored King's counsel, he was not called on or permitted to take an active part in the disgraceful scene. But the Attorney-General surpassed himself in zeal and brutality. He assailed one of the brightest ornaments of the age with the vile vocabulary of a Scroggs or Jeffries, and rendered himself immortally infamous by a coarseness and cruelty unparalleled and never imitated.

Bacon's next appearance in public was as a member of the House of Commons in James' first parliament, which convened March 19th, 1604. The King's address commended the consideration of the subject nearest to his heart,—the union of the two kingdoms; also the settlement of religious controversies, and the amendment of the laws.

Bacon divided his attention between the King's pet project and the popular cry for reform of laws, whose improvement would insure redress of grievances. With extraordinary industry, characteristic ability and great

proof of his sincerity, Salisbury suffered his cousin to have the door shut again in his face when he stood on the threshold of the coveted Solicitor-Generalship. On the 29th of June, 1606, Coke was made Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. The custom under Queen Elizabeth was to promote the Solicitor-General to the office of Attorney-General; and this had been done on three occasions. But as this order of succession was not a rule, and the matter depended on the King's pleasure, the indifference or treachery of Salisbury, supplemented, probably, by the ill-will of Coke, resulted in the selection of Sir Henry Hobart for the Attorney-Generalship, and the retention of the SolicitorGeneral in his place. But as Bacon made every exertion for the position, believing that a vacancy was inevitable, addressing petitioning letters to the King, Lord Chancellor and Salisbury, he is again presented in the familiar rôle of a disappointed yet persistent placehunter. The king and those around him probably realized, after their adverse action, that they were guilty of impolitic and unjust conduct towards Bacon; and when the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, hur in an accommodating spirit, died and opened a path to he long-sought place, promotions made way for Bacon, ind on the 25th of June, 1607, he obtained the place office pon which he had fixed his eye in the year 1593, and pon which he had kept it fastened ever since.

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and, on failing to accomplish this, his device to consummate the King's wish by the decision of the courts; his brilliant argument before the judges in what is known as the case of the Post-nati; and his untiring zeal and superior ability in advancing the King's wishes, all gave assurance to James that he had not made a mistake in the choice of this servant, whatever doubts he may have had of others whom he had hastened to recognize and promote.

These years of political and professional activity in the life of this extraordinary man were also years of profound philosophical thought, and enthusiastic philosophical labor.

The hours stolen from sleep, the breathing spaces between sessions of parliament, the holidays, few in number, of his busy career, were dedicated to the development and elaboration of those theories and methods which were afterwards to be known as Baconian philosophy.

Here and there he would pause in his busy pursuit of power, or its busy employment when obtained, to devote his pen to historical, philosophical or legal subjects; and, as was said of Goldsmith, he touched nothing which he did not adorn. His praise of Elizabeth's name, and defense of her memory, a Latin treatise, circulated in manuscript, his "Cogita et Visa," and "Wisdom of the Ancients," were written during the early years of James' reign. His mind, as a philosopher, dwelling all the time upon what he called his "Great Instauration," under which title he comprehended whatever he should accomplish in revolutionizing English methods of scientific thought and investigation, in supplying proper classification of human