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 ten-fold 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.

B. MONTAGU.

November 17, 1834.

CONTENTS.

Part I.

FROM THE BIRTH OF BACON TO THE DEATH OF

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Chapter I.

From the Birth of Bacon to the Death of his

Father

His Birth. The University. New Atlantis. Paris.

Death of his Father. Return to England.

From his entrance into active life till the

Death of Elizabeth

Parties at court. Member for Middlesex. In 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 des-

cription of him as a speaker. Exertions to be Solicitor

General. Applies to the Lord Keeper, Lord Burleigh,

Sir Robert Cecil. Essex's exertions. Fleming ap-

pointed. Essex gives him an estate at Twickenham.

xix

XXV

Essex appointed

Returns to Twickenham. Invents barometer and other

instruments. Resumes his professional labours. Em-

ployed by the Queen. Effort to secure a vacancy. M.A.

of Cambridge. Work on Elements of the law. Essex

appointed to command in Spain. The Essays. Sacred

Meditations. Colours of Good and Evil. Proposal of

marriage to Lady Hatton. Reading on Statute of Uses.

Essex solicits command in Ireland. Interruption of inti-

macy between Bacon and Essex. Bacon dissuades

Essex from accepting the command.

Lord Lieutenant. His rash conduct. Intercession by

Bacon with the Queen. Return of Essex. His impri-

sonment. Bacon's friendship. Private investigation in

Star Chamber. Bacon's objection to this. Apology for

Essex. Public proceeding against Essex. Bacon coun-

sel against Essex. Reasons for this. Trial of Essex.

His application to the Queen after the trial. Obloquy

of Bacon. Imprudent conduct of partizans of Essex.

Bacon's exertions with the Queen for Essex. Writes

letters for him. Impropriety of this. Essex liberated.

Monopoly of Sweet Wines. Essex's violence. Bacon's

interview with the Queen. Treason of Essex.

difficult situation. Trial of Essex. His Execution.

Death of the Queen. Bacon's

Account of his treason.

praise of the Queen.

Part II.

Bacon's

FROM THE DEATH OF ELIZABETH TO THE

DEATH OF BACON.

Chapter I.

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 Saville. Education. Great-

xcviii

ness of Britain. Extent of Territory. Compactness.
Martial valour. Riches. His parliamentary exertions.
Advancement of Learning. Decision. Dedication.
Objections from Divines. Politicians. Errors of learned
men. Study of Words. Government. Posthumous
fame. Analysis of science of Man. Exertions in active
life. Ireland. Scotland. Church Reform. Church
Controversies. Edification of the Church. Solicitor
General. Cogitata et Visa. Wisdom of the Ancients.

Chapter II.

From the publication of the Wisdom of the
Ancients to the publication of the Novum
Organum

Marshalsea. Charter House. Death of the Prince.
Essays. Prosecution of Lord Sanquhar. Confession
of Faith. Attorney General. Parliament of 1614.
Duelling. Undertakers. Benevolences. St. John.
Peacham. Consulting the Judges. Owen. Villiers.
Political advice to Villiers. Overbury. Somerset.
Disputes between King's Bench and Chancery. Privy
Counsellor. Resignation and Death of Lord Brackley.
Lord Keeper. His pecuniary loss. Presents to the
Monarch and Officers of State. To the Lord Keeper.
To Judges. Abolition in France of the Epices. King's
journey to Scotland. Takes his seat in Chancery. His
address. Jurisdiction. Patents. Delays. Expense.
Spanish match. Marriage of Sir John Villiers. Finance.
Civil List. Lord Chancellor. Wrenham, Dulwich.
Dutch merchants. Lord Suffolk. Buckingham receives
£20,000 for the place of Lord Treasurer. Bacon's
judicial exertions. Buckingham's interference. Slander
of Wraynham. Presents in the case of Egerton and
Egerton. In Aubrey and Bronker. From Grocers and
Apothecaries. Hody and Hody. Lord Clifford threatens

cli

to assassinate the Chancellor. Law Reporters. Ordi-
nances in Chancery. Judges, character of. Gardens,
Bacon's delight in. Lincoln's Inn Fields. Gorhambury.
His philosophical house. Alienation Office. York
House. His sixtieth birth-day. Ben Jonson's poem.

Chapter III.

From the publication of the Novum Organum
to his retirement from active life

Resolution to publish Novum Organum. Literate
Experience. Division of Instauratio Magna. Division
of the Sciences. Novum Organum.
Our powers.

Defects of the Senses. Division of Idols. Idols of the
Tribe of the Market: of the Den: of the Theatre.
Destruction of Idols. Our motives for acquiring know-
ledge. Obstacles to acquiring knowledge. Want of
time. Want of means. Right road. Formation of
opinion. Affirmative table. Negative table. Table of
comparisons. Table of results. Instances, solitary,
travelling, journeying, constituent, patent, maxima,
frontier, singular, divorced, deviating, crucial. Diffe-
rences. Parliamentary proceedings. Charge of bribery.
Decision against donors. Presents advised by counsel.
Custom of receiving presents. Error of judging of
past by present times. Presents made by men of emi-
nence. Presents of furniture. Presents 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. Letter to the King.
Sentence. His silence. Letter from the Tower. Letter
to the King. Lambeth Library. His will. Silence of
friends. Tennison. Bushel. Williams, Lord Keeper.

cclx