or expectation of any thing to be had for his place, yet out of his duty he would give him 40007. ready money. The King took him in his arms, thanked him, and commended him much for it, and told him he had need of it, for it must serve even to buy him dishes."* Buckingham was chagrined that no part of this donation came to his private purse, and Yelverton was afterwards so indiscreet as to behave disrespectfully to the Chancellor, who thus complains of him:-" Mr. Attorney groweth pretty pert with me of late; and I see well who they are that maintain him. But be they flies or be they wasps, I neither care for buzzies nor stings." He now gave great offence to both by refusing to pass some illegal patents, and they vowed his destruction. The pretext was, his having introduced into a charter granted to the city of London, certain clauses alleged not to be agreeable to the King's warrant, and derogatory to his honour. For this supposed offence the Chancellor ordered an information to be filed against him in the Star Chamber, and resolved to preside himself at the trial. There is a curious paper preserved to us with the notes he had made for his speech in passing sentence: “ Sorry for the person, being a gentleman that I lived with in Gray's Inn,-served with him when I was Attorney,-joined with him in many services,--and one that ever gave me more attributes in public than I deserved,—and, besides, a man of very good parts,-which, with me, is friendship at first sight, much more joined with so ancient an acquaintance. But, as Judge, hold the offence very great, &c.”† The following is Bacon's boastful account to Buckingham of the conclusion of the trial:-" Yesternight we made an end of Sir Henry Yelverton's cause. I have almost killed myself by sitting almost eight hours. He is sentenced to imprisonment in the Tower during the King's pleasure, the fine of 40007., and discharge of his place, by way of opinion of the Court,-referring it to the King's pleasure. How I stirred the Court I leave it to others to speak; but things passed to his Majesty's great honour. I would not for any thing but he had made his defence, for many deep. parts of the charge were deeper printed by the defence." Yelverton, having been suspended from his office of Attorney General during the prosecution, was now turned out and was farther punished on the meeting of parliament for his conduct in the granting of monopolies; but he was made a Judge of the Common Pleas at the commencement of the next reign.‡ Amidst all these low grovelling and disgraceful occupations, Bacon was indefatigably employed upon his immortal work, the NOVUM ORGANUM," which had engaged his thoughts for thirty years, and which he had twelve times transcribed with his own hand, as often enlarging and amending it. He still considered it *Diary of Whitelock, p. 63. 2 St. Tr. 1141. Works, vi. 259. † Works, vi. 258. § “Ipse_reperi in archivis dominationis suæ autographa plus minus duodecim ORGANI NOVI de ano in annum elaborati, et ad incudem revocati; et singulis defective in itself, and it was only a part of his "INSTAURATIO MAGNA," which he once hoped to have completed. But "numbering his days," he thought he should best consult his own fame and the good of mankind by now giving it to the world. It came out in October, 1620, when he was in his sixtieth year, the preceding long vacation having been spent in again retouching it and getting it through the press. In addition to the public Dedication to James, the author accompanied the copy which he sent to him with a private letter giving this beautiful and comprehensive view of his undertaking: "The work, in what colours soever it may be set forth, is no more but a new logic teaching to invent and judge by induction, as finding syllogism incompetent for sciences of nature; aud thereby to make philosophy and sciences both more true and more active." The compliment which follows may be excused :-"This tending to enlarge the bounds of reason, and to endow man's estate with new value, was no improper oblation to your Majesty, who of men is the greatest master of reason and author of beneficence." James's many failings are to a certain degree redeemed by his love of learning and respect for those who had gained intellectual distinction. With his own hand he wrote this answer:— “MY LORD, "I have received your letter and your book, than the which you could not have sent a more acceptable present unto me. How thankful I am for it, cannot better be expressed by me than by a firm resolution I have taken-first, to read it through with care and attention, though I should steal some hours from my sleep,having otherwise as little spare time to read it as you had to write it. And then to use the liberty of a true friend in not sparing to ask you the question in any point whereof I shall stand in doubt, -nam ejus est explicare cujus est condere; as on the other part I will willingly give a due commendation to such places as in my opinion shall deserve it . . . And so praying to God to give your work as good success as your heart can wish and your labours deserve, I bid you heartily farewell. "JAMES R."* Bacon replied, eagerly soliciting his Majesty's criticisms:"For though this work as by position and principle doth disclaim to be tried by any thing but by experience and the results of experience in a true way, yet the sharpness and profoundness of your Majesty's judgment ought to be an exception to this general rule; and your questions, observations, and admonishments may do infinite good: "' Astrum quo segetes gauderent frugibus, et quo annis, ulteriore lima subinde politi et castigati; donec in illud tandem corpus adoleverat, quo in lucem editum fuit."-Rawley. * Works, v. 535. Even Buckingham, who was not without generous tastes and feelings, forgot his intrigues,-for once ceased to consider Bacon as the instrument of his power,—and although incapable of fully appreciating the work, wrote a kind and seemingly sincere congratulation to him as a philosopher. Bacon and Coke were now living together on terms of decent courtesy, and frequently met at the council-table. A presentationcopy of the NoVUM ORGANUM was therefore sent by the Chancellor to the Ex-chief Justice. This copy is still preserved at Holkham, showing by the inscription upon the title-page in Sir Edward's handwriting, in what spirit it was received: "Edw. C. ex dono auctoris.” "AUCTORI CONSILIUM. "Instaurare paras veterum documenta sophorum, This edition contains a device of a ship passing through the pillars of Hercules over which Sir Edward, driven by indignation against his nature to make verses, has written "It deserves not to be read in schooles, But to be freighted in the ship of Fools."* But notwithstanding the envious snarlings of a legal pedant, the work was received with the highest applause by all capable of understanding it, and raised the fame of Bacon, and of the nation to which he belonged, all over the civilised world. Now was his worldly prosperity at its height, and he seemed in the full enjoyment of almost every thing that man can desire. He was courted and flattered by all classes of the community. The multitude, dazzled by the splendour of his reputation as a statesman, an orator, a judge, a fine writer, a philosopher-for a time were blind to the faults in his character, and overlooked the evil arts by which he had risen. Bystanders, who were not interested in the cases before him (a large class compared to the suffering suitors†), were struck with the eloquence and apparent equity of his decisions, and the murmurs of those whom he had wronged were drowned by the plaudits of his admirers. He was on the best terms both with the King and the favourite; and it was generally expeeted, that, like his father, he would keep his office while he lived. Foreigners visiting this country, were more eager to see him as author of the NOVUM ORGANUM than as Lord High Chancellor. We have a specimen of the magnificent mode in which he lived, from the description of the grand banquet he gave at York House on entering his 60th year. Ben Jonson, who was present, celebrates "the fare, the wine, the men;" and breaks out in enthusiastic praise of the illustrious host: * Alluding to Sebastian Brand's famous "Shyp of Folys." † Sir Samuel Romilly once observed to me, "the number of suitors in Chancery is nothing compared to the community,-or this Court would long ago have been abolished as a nuisance." In his soft cradle, to his father's chair, Whose even thread the Fates spin round and full He had a villa at Kew, to which he could retire for a day in seasons of business; and his vacations he spent at Gorhambury, "in studies, arts, and sciences, to which, in his own nature, he was most inclined;"-and in gardening, "the purest of human pleasures." Here, at a cost of 10,000l., he erected a private retreat, furnished with every intellectual luxury, -to which he repaired when he wished to avoid all visitors, except a few choice spirits, whom he occasionally selected as the companions of his retirement and his lucubrations. From thence, in January, 1621, he was drawn, not unwillingly, to the King's Court, at Theobalds; for there he was raised in the peerage by the title of Viscount [JAN. 27, 1621.] St. Alban's, his patent being expressed in the most flattering language, particularly celebrating his integrity in the administration of justice; and he was, with great ceremony, according to the custom of the times, invested by the King with his new dignity, Buckingham supporting his robe of state, while his coronet was borne by the Lord Wentworth.* In answer to a complimentary address from the King, he delivered a studied oration, enumerating the successive favours he had received from the Crown, and shadowing forth the fresh services he was to render, in his future career, as evidence of his gratitude. In little more than three months from this day he was a prisoner in the Tower,stripped of his office for confessed corruption, and condemned to spend the remainder of his days in disgrace and penury. It is a remarkable circumstance, and affords a striking instance of a really great man being very ignorant of the state of public opinion, that Bacon had strongly recommended the calling of a parliament, and confidently expected, not only that there would be a grant of liberal supplies, but that no difficulty would be experienced in stifling all inquiry into grievances, and in carrying through the measures of the government. He had penned a reasoned proclamation for calling parliament, with a view to influence the elections; and he had prepared a plan of operations, which had been approved of by the King and Buckingham, for the conduct of the session. On the 30th of January, a day inauspicious to the Stuarts, the two Houses assembled. James, having made a long speech from the throne in his rambling familiar shrewd style,† the Lord Chan * A question had arisen immediately after his appointment as Lord Keeper, whether an Earl could be created without this investiture.-Works, vol. v. 465. 474. † He now complains that his eloquence on former occasions had not been properly appreciated, and he says with much naïveté,-" So it may be it pleased God (seeing some vanity in me) to send back my words as wind spit in my own face. So cellor thus addressed him: "May it please your Majesty, I am struck with admiration in respect of your profound discourses, with reverence of your royal precepts, and contentment in a number of gracious passages which have fallen from your Majesty. For myself, I hold it as great commendation in a Chancellor to be silent when such a King is by, who can so well deliver the oracles of his mind. Only, Sir, give me leave to give my advice to the Upper and Lower House briefly in two words, Nosce teipsum. I would have the parliament know itself: 1st, in a modest carriage to so gracious a Sovereign: 2dly, in valuing themselves thus far as to know now it is in them, by their careful dealing, to procure an infinite good to themselves in substance, and reputation at home or abroad.”* As soon as a Speaker had been chosen and approved†, the · Commons set to work in a manner which showed that they knew their duty, and were resolved to fulfil it. They first voted an adequate supply, that there might be no ground for saying that the Crown was driven to unconstitutional modes of raising money. They then proceeded to the redress of grievances, and here they were headed by Sir Edward Coke, become member for Liskeard, and a flaming patriot. He had for several years been contented with assisting in the judicial business of the Privy Council without office or emolument. Finding this rather dull work, presuming that the intention was to make use of his services without promoting him, and having the sagacity to discover that the time had arrived when he might gratify the envy and malignity with which he had viewed the ascendancy of his rival, he entirely broke with the Court, and he was gladly hailed as leader of the opposition. He struck a decisive blow by moving for a committee to inquire into the grievance of monopolies, which the ministers found they could not attempt to resist. A report was speedily presented, showing the dreadful oppression which the monopolies were producing, and it was resolved to demand a conference on the subject with the Lords. The message to demand the conference was sent up by Sir Edward Coke. [MARCH 3.] tact. It must have been curious to have witnessed the following scene at the bar of the House of Peers on this occasion, when the two rivals came into such close conGentleman Usher of the Black Rod.-" My Lords, a message from the House of Commons." Bacon." Is it your Lordship's pleasure that the messengers be called in? Call in the messengers." (The Chancellor leaves the woolsack with the purse hold as I may truly say, I have often piped unto you, but you have not danced; I have often mourned, but you have not lamented."-1 Parl. Hist. 1176. * 1 Parl. Hist. 1168. † Bacon, in yielding to the Speaker's prayer for liberty of speech, added this caution: "That liberty of speech turn not into license, but be joined with that gravity and discretion as may taste of duty and love to your Sovereign, reverence to your own assembly, and respect to the matters ye handle." |