Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/441

 were those which Petronius devoted himself unto at irr lie had received his fatal sentence; and, naving his foot as it were upon the threshold of death, sought to give himself all delightful con tentments; insomuch, as when he had caused con solatory letters to be sent him, he would peruse none of them, as Tacitus reports, that should yive him courage and constancy, but only read fantas tical verses such as these are.

Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque aineinua, RimioreRque senuni severiorurn, Guinea unius ffislimemus assis."

My Lesbia, let us live and love : Though wayward dotards us reprove, Weigh their words light fur our behove.

And this also:

Jura senes norint, et quid sit fasque nefasrpie, Inquirant tristes, legumque exaiuina servent.

Let doting grandsires know the law, And right and wrong observe with awe: Let them in that strict circle draw.

This kind of doctrine would easily persuade to take these plumed coronets from the muses, and to restore the wings again to the Sirens. These Sirens are said to dwell in remote isles, for that pleasures love privacy and retired places, shunning always too much company of people. The Sirens songs are so vulgarly understood, together with the deceits and danger of them, as that they need no exposition. But that of the bones appearing like white cliffs, and decried afar off, hath more acuteness in it: for thereby is signified, that albeit the examples of afflictions he manifest and eminent, yet do they not sufficiently deter us from the wicked enticements of pleasures. As for the remainder of this parable, though it be not over-mystical, yet it is very grave and excellent: for in it are set out three remedies for this violent enticing mischief; to wit, two from philosophy, and one from religion. The first me. MIS to shun these inordinate pleasures is, to withstand and resist them in their beginnings, and seriously to shun all occasions that are offer ed to debauch and entice the mind, which is signified in that stopping of the ears; and that remedy is properly used by the meaner and baser sort of people, as it were Ulysses's followers or mariners, whereas more heroic and noble spirits may boldly converse even in the midst of these seducing pleasures, if with a resolved constancy they stand upon their guard and fortify their minds, and so take greater contentment in the trial and experience of this their approved virtue; learning rather thoroughly to understand the follies and vanities of those pleasures by contemplation than by submission. Which Solomon avouched of himself, when he reckoned up the multitude of those solaces and pleasures wherein he swam, doth conclude with this sentence:

Sapientia quoque perseverabat mecum."

Wisdom also continued with me.

Therefore these heroes and spirits of this excel lent temper, even in the midst of these enticing pleasures, can show themselves constant and in vincible, and are able to support their own virtuous inclination against all heady and forcible persuasions whatsoever; as by the example of Ulysses, that so peremptorily interdicted all pestilent counsels and flatteries of his companions, 39 the most dangerous and pernicious poisons to captivate the mind. But of all other remedies in this case that of Orpheus is most predominant; for they that chaunt and resound the praises of the gods confound and dissipate the voices and incantation of the Sirens; for divine meditations do no only in power subdue all sensual pleasures, bu4 also far exceed them in sweetness and delight. .—40 )