Sir Francis Bacon Lord Verulam. thms 4th of Aug. bot His Autograph from the original Letters in the Poffeffion of John Thane. 757 FRANCIS BACON. BACON, FRANCIS (BARON VERULAM and VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN), an English jurist and philosopher, born in London, January 22, 1561; died there on Easter Day (April 9), 1626. He was the youngest son of Sir Nicholas Bacon, who was Lord Keeper of the Seals during the first twenty years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. After a residence of three years at Cambridge, he went to France in the suite of Sir Amyas Paulet, the English Ambassador. Bacon early rose high in the favor of the Earl of Essex, and when the Parliament of 1593 was summoned he sat as a member for the county of Middlesex, and at once took a prominent part in that body. In 1607 he became Solicitor-General; in 1613, AttorneyGeneral; in 1616, Privy Councillor; in 1617, Keeper of the Great Seal; in 1618, Lord Chancellor, with the title of Baron Verulam. He celebrated his sixtieth birthday with great pomp at York House in the Strand, having been recently created Viscount St. Albans. On January 22, 1621, Bacon had reached the summit of his fortunes. He had attained the highest position in the state that was attainable by a subject. A few months later charges of corruption were brought against him. He was sentenced by the Peers to pay a fine of £40,000; to be imprisoned in the Tower during the King's pleasure; to be forever incapable of holding any office in the commonwealth; never sit in Parliament, or come within the verge of the Court. No part of this severe sentence was ever executed. Bacon lived only five years after his downfall from his high position in the state: but during that interval he produced some of his noblest works. His immortal "Essays" were published in 1597, and in the same book appeared "Of the Colors of Good and Evil." The two books of "The Advancement of Learning " appeared in 1605; and in 1620 the "Novum Organum," written, like very many of Bacon's works, in Latin. The "Novum Organum " is "an essay toward the science of a better use of reason in the investigation of things." His histories of "Henry VII.," of "Henry VIII.," and of "Elizabeth," are of unequal value and authority: the first is eminently faithful and trustworthy; the other two are probably biased by the author's desire to stand well at Court. His "New Atlantis " is one of the world's great Utopian speculations. ESSAYS OF LORD BACON. ENVY. THERE be none of the affections which have been noted to fascinate or bewitch, but love and envy: they both have vehement wishes; they frame themselves readily into imaginations and suggestions, and they come easily into the eye, especially upon the presence of the objects which are the points that conduce to fascination, if any such thing there be. We see, likewise, the Scripture calleth envy an evil eye; and the astrologers call the evil influences of the stars evil aspects; so that still there seemeth to be acknowledged, in the act of envy, an ejacu lation, or irradiation of the eye; nay, some have been so curious as to note that the times when the stroke or percussion of an envious eye doth most hurt are when the party envied is beheld in glory or triumph; for that sets an edge upon envy: and besides, at such times, the spirits of the person envied do come forth most into the outward parts, and so meet the blow. But leaving these curiosities (though not unworthy to be thought on in fit place), we will handle what persons are apt to envy others, what persons are most subject to be envied themselves, and what is the difference between public and private envy. A man that hath no virtue in himself ever envieth virtue in others; for men's minds will either feed upon their own good, or upon others' evil; and who wanteth the one will prey upon the other; and whoso is out of hope to attain to another's virtue, will seek to come at even hand, by depressing another's fortune. A man that is busy and inquisitive is commonly envious; for to know much of other men's matters cannot be, because all that ado may concern his own estate; therefore it must needs be that he taketh a kind of play pleasure in looking upon the fortunes of others: neither can he that mindeth but his own business find much matter for envy; for envy is a gadding passion, and walketh the street, and does not keep home: "There is no person a busybody but what he is ill-natured too. Men of noble birth are noted to be envious towards new men when they rise; for the distance is altered: and it is like a deceit of the eye, that when others come on they think themselves go back. Deformed persons and eunuchs, and the old men and bastards, are envious; for he that cannot possibly mend his own. case, will do what he can to impair another's; except these defects light upon a very brave and heroic nature, which thinketh to make his natural wants part of his honor; in that it should be said, "That a eunuch, or a lame man, did such great matters," affecting the honor of a miracle: As it was in Narses the eunuch, and Agesilaus and Tamerlane, that were lame men. The same is the case of men that rise after calamities and misfortunes; for they are as men fallen out with the times, and think other men's harms a redemption of their own sufferings. They that desire to excel in too many matters, out of levity and vainglory, are ever envious, for they cannot want work: it being impossible, but many, in some of those things, should surpass them; which was the character of Adrian the emperor, that mortally envied poets and painters, and artificers in works, wherein he had a vein to excel. Lastly, near kinsfolk and fellows in office, and those that have been bred together, are more apt to envy their equals when they are raised; for it doth upbraid unto them their own fortunes, and pointeth at them, and cometh often into their remembrance, and incurreth likewise more into the note of others; and envy ever redoubleth from speech and fame. Cain's envy was the more vile and malignant towards his brother Abel, because when his sacrifice was better accepted, there was nobody to look on. Thus much for those that are apt to envy. Concerning those that are more or less subject to envy: First, persons of eminent virtue, when they are advanced, are less envied, for their fortune seemeth but due unto them; and no man envieth the payment of a debt, but rewards and liberality rather. Again, envy is ever joined with the comparing of a man's self; and where there is no comparison, no envy; and therefore kings are not envied but by kings. Nevertheless, it is to be noted that unworthy persons are most envied at their first coming in, and afterwards overcome it better; whereas, contrariwise, persons of worth and merit are most envied when their fortune continueth long; for by that time, though their virtue be the same, yet it hath not the same lustre; for fresh men grow up that darken it. Persons of noble blood are less envied in their rising; for it seemeth but right done to their birth; besides, there seemeth |