Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 02.djvu/363

 Bacon fifty-eight essays, was published in 1625, the year before Bacon's death. This greatly enlarged edition, which is entitled 'The Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall, of Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount St. Alban, newly enlarged,' may be reganled as a storehouse of the practical wisdom gathered during its author's lifetime, a life singularly rich in opportunities for such accumulations. A Latin translation published by Rawley in 1638 as 'Sermones Fideles sive Interiora Rerum,' was executed or superintended by Bacon.

The title of 'Essays' is probably taken from the 'Essais' of Montaigne (who is quoted by name in the first essay), which first appeared at Bordeaux in 1580. Hallam says of these that they are the first writings in the French language 'which a gentleman is ashamed not to have read.' A similar remark, if we confine ourselves to prose works, might be made of Bacon's 'Essays.' To attempt to describe the characteristics of a book so familiar to the reader, would, in a work like this, be to occupy space unnecessarily. But it may not be superfluous to remark that the 'Essays' are the most original of all Bacon's works, those which, in detail, he seems to have thought out most completely for himself, apart from books and collections of commonplaces. The last edition teems indeed with quotations and illustrations, but they are suggested by his own matter and do not suggest it. Though the 'Essays' have the same title as the larger collection of Montaigne, the two works have little in common, except their rare power of exciting interest and the unmistakable mark of genius which is impressed on them both.

The literary production which, during Bacon's lifetime and for many years afterwards, ranked next in popularity and was regarded as next in importance to the 'Essays,' was undoubtedly the 'De Sapientia Veterum,' the treatise on the wisdom of the ancients. This work was first published, in a small duodecimo volume, in 1609. A second edition appeared in London in 1617; a third at Leyden in 1633; and a fourth at London in 1034. A translation by Sir A. Gorges, Knight, was published in 1619. Its plan is to recite certain classical fables, or, as we should now call them, myths, disclosing, as it proceeds, the moral and physical lessons which are supposed to lie latent in them. The hypothesis on which the interpretations rest, of a primeval wisdom expressing itself in allegorical symbols, fell in with the usual mode of thinking in the seventeenth century, and then, and even later, doubtless found many adherents amongst the most learned and judicious men of the time.

Appended to the first edition of the 'Essays' was a fragment entitled 'Of the Colours of Good and Evil.' Like the ' Essays' and the 'De Sapientia Veterum,' it is full of shrewd remarks suggested by Bacon's knowledge of life and observations of human nature. These 'Colours of Good and Evil,' with additions, were afterwards embodied in the sixth book of the 'De Augmentis.' Bacon there states that, when a young man, he had collected many other 'colours' or 'popular signs' of good and evil, but, as he had not yet found time to illustrate or examine them, he refrained from setting them out. These are contained in a manuscript in the British Museum, published in 1882 by Mrs. Henry Pott under the title of 'Promus of Formularies and Elegancies;' a few specimens of them are given by Mr. Spedding (Bacon's Works, vii. 67, 68).

The 'Apophthegms New and Old' were first published in December 1624, but the volume containing them is dated 1625. The subsequent history of the various collections which went under the name of 'Bacon's Apophthegms' will be found in Mr. Spedding's preface to the 'Apophthegms' (Bacon's Works, vii. 113-20).

Of the historical works, the only one of any size is the 'History of Henry the Seventh.' This book, though the subject had long been familiar to Bacon, and a fragment on this and the four following reigns dates back as far as the time of Elizabeth, seems to have been wholly composed during the long vacation succeeding his fall. On 8 Oct. 1621 he was ready to send a fair manuscript to the king. This was returned shortly after 7 Jan., and on 20 March 1621-2 the book was printed and ready for publication. Sir James Mackintosh, in his 'History of England,' appears to regard Bacon as having simply set to work, in order to gratify James I, to produce a flattering portraiture of his royal ancestor. Spedding, who has a better title to be heard on this subject than any other authority, delivers this weighty judgment: 'Though not one of his works which stand highest, either in reputation or popularity, with later times, the "History of Henry the Seventh" has done its work more effectually perhaps than any of them. None of the histories which had been written before conveyed any idea either of the distinctive character of the man or the real business of his reign. Every history which has been written since has derived all it light from this, and followed its guidance in every question of importance; and the additional materials which come to light from time to time, and enable us to make