viii good:-but these expectations may be the illusions of a lover; and it is not given to man to love and to be wise.--There are, however, pleasures of which nothing can bereave me; the consciousness that I have endeavoured to render some assistance to science and to the profession, the noble, intellectual profession of which I am a member. How deeply, how gratefully do I feel; with what a lofty spirit and sweet content do I think of the constant kindness of my many, many friends! And now, for the last time, I use the words of Lord Bacon: "Being at some pause, looking back into that I have passed through, this writing seemeth to me, 'si nunquam fallit imago,' as far as a man can judge of his own work, not much better than the noise or sound which musicians make while they are tuning their instruments, which is nothing pleasant to hear, but yet is a cause why the music is sweeter afterwards: so have I been content to tune the instruments of the muses, that they may play that have better hands." To posterity and distant ages Bacon bequeathed his good name, and posterity and distant ages will do him ample justice. Wisdom herself has suffered in his disgrace, but year after year brings to light proof of the arts that worked Bacon's downfall, and covered his character with obloquy. He will find some future historian who, assisted by the patient labours of the present editor, with all his zeal and tenfold his ability; with power equal to the work, and leisure to pursue it, will dig the statue from the rubbish which may yet deface it; and, obliterating one by one the paltry libels scrawled upon its base, will place it, to the honour of true science, in a temple worthy of his greatness. November 17, 1834. B. MONTAGU. CONTENTS OF VOL. I. From his Entrance into Active Life till the his first speech recommends improvement of the law. Justitia Universalis. Speech as to the subsidies, which offends the Queen. His dignified conduct. Ben Jonson's description of him as a speaker. Exertions to be Soli- citor General. Applies to the Lord Keeper, Lord Burleigh, Sir Robert Cecil. Essex's exertions. Fleming appointed. Essex gives him an estate at Twickenham. Returns to Twickenham. Invents barometer and other instruments. Resumes his professional la- bours. Employed by the Queen. Effort to secure a vacancy. M. A. of Cambridge. Work on Elements of the Law. Essex ap- pointed to command in Spain. The Essays. Sacred Meditations. Colours of Good and Evil. Proposal of marriage to Lady Hat- ton. Reading on Statute of Uses. Essex solicits command in Ireland. Interruption con dissuades Essex from accepting the command. Essex appointed Lord Lieu- His exe- From the Accession of James till the Publica- tion of the Wisdom of the Ancients. Bacon's prospects. Approach of the King. Parliament. Visit to Eton. Letter to Sa- ville. Education. Greatness of Britain. Extent of Territory. Compactness. Mai tial valour. Riches. His parliamentary exertions. Advancement of Learning. De- cision. Dedication. Objections from Di- vines. Politicians, Errors of learned men. Study of words. Government. Posthu- mous fame. Analysis of Science of Man. Exertions in active life. Ireland. Scotland, Church reform. Church controversies. Edi- lxxv From the publication of the Wisdom of the An- cients to the publication of the Novum Or- Marshalsea. Charter House. Death of the From the publication of the Novum Organum to his retirement from active life. Resolution to publish Novum Organum. Liter- ate experience. Division of Instauratio Magna. Division of the Sciences. Novum senses. Division of Idols. Idols of the Tribe of the Market: of the Den: of the Theatre. Destruction of Idols. Our mo- tives for acquiring knowledge. Obstacles to acquiring knowledge. Want of time. Want of means. Right road. Formation of opi- stances, solitary, travelling, journeying, con- stituent, patent, maxima, frontier, singular, divorced, deviating, crucial. Differences. Parliamentary proceedings. Charge of bri- bery. Decision against donors. advised by counsel. Custom of receiving presents. Error of judging of past by pre- sent times. Presents made by men of emi- customary. No influence on judgment. Particular charges. Fears of the king and Buckingham. Advice of Williams. Inter- view with the king. Meeting of Parliament. King's speech. Letter to the Lords. Let- ter to the king. Sentence. His silence. Liberation. Re- lease of fine. History of Henry VII. Great- ness of states. Familiar illustrations. His piety. Eton College. De Augmentis. His- tory of Life and Death. Importance of knowledge of the body. Consumption. Vital spirit. All bodies have a spirit. Flight. Death. Importance of science of animal spirit. Bacon's works after his retirement. Gondomar. D'Effiat. Sir Julius Cæsar. Selden. Ben Jonson. Meautys. Bacon's pardon. Death of James. Decline of Ba- con's health. Apophthegms. Psalms. Con- fession of faith. Prayers. Student's prayer. Author's prayer. Chancellor's prayer. Pray- ers in the Instauration-in the De Aug- mentis-in the Novum Organum-in the Instauratio, third part-in the minor pub- lications. Paradoxes. Letters. Skepti- cism, nature of. Rawley's statement. Ba- con's will. Cause of Bacon's death. Ba- con's last letter. Opening of Bacon's will. Funeral. Monument. Meautys. Bacon's temperament. Bacon's person. His mind. Extent of views. Senses. Imagination. Understanding. Temporary inability to ac- quire knowledge. Particular. Studies. Me- mory. Composition. Causes of Bacon's entering active life. Bacon's entrance into |