Page:Life of Edmond Malone.djvu/444

424 It is not commonly known that the translation of Bacon’s Essays into Latin, which was published in 1619, was done by the famous John Selden; but this is proved decisively by a letter from N. N. (John Selden N.) to Camden (See Camden Epistol., 4to, 1691, p. 278). In the General Dict. and several other books, this translation is ascribed to and Ben Jonson. One Willymot, a schoolmaster, was foolish enough to re-translate these essays into English in the beginning of this century. The first edition of these admirable essays was in 1597, the next in 1598, another in 1606, another in 1612, another in 1618; in the dedication to which he speaks of several editions having been then printed.

The last and most perfect is in 4to in 1625, the year preceding the author’s death. There are a great many changes and additions in all the editions subsequent to the first.

September 19th, 1791.—I met Dr. Percy, Bishop of Dromore, at Sir Joshua Reynolds’, and had a good