1. The Essays.
2. Meditationes Sacræ.
3. The Colours of Good and Evil.
4. Miscellaneous Tracts upon Human Philosophy.

1. In Praise of Knowledge.
2. Valerius Terminus, or the Interpretation

of Nature.
3. Filum Labyrinthi.

4. Sequela Chartarum. 5. Miscellaneous Tracts.

1. Apophthegmes.
2. Ornamenta Rationalia.
3. Sentences.
4. Notes for Conversation.
5. An Essay on Death.

b.

VOL. III.

$ 1.

THE ESSAYS. The first edition of the Essays was published in the year 1597. It is entitled *

“Essayes.
Religious Meditations.
“ Places of perswasion and

“ disswasion.
“ Seene and allowed.

“ AT LONDON,
“ Printed for Humfrey Hooper, and are
“ to be sold at the blacke Beare
“ in Chauncery Lane.

6 1597."
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE.
“ To M. Anthony Bacon his deare Brother.

Louing and beloued brother I do now like some that haue an Orcharde il neighbored, that gather their fruit before it is ripe, to preuent “ stealing. These fragments of my conceits were

going to print : To labour the stay of them had “ bene troublesome, and subiect to interpretation : “ to let them passe had bin to aduentur the wrong

they mought receiue by vntrue Coppies, or by some

garnishment which it mought please any one that “ shold set them forth to bestow upon them. There

fore I helde it best discretion to publish them my si “ selfe as they passed long agoe from my pen with“out any further disgrace, then the weakenes of the

* There is a copy of this edition at Cambridge, and in the E.

"author. And as I did euer hold there mought be as

great a vanitie in retyring and withdrawing mens “ conceits (except they be of some nature) from the

world, as in obtruding them: So in these particu“ lars I haue played my selfe the inquisitor, and find

nothing to my vnderstanding in them contrary, or “ infectious to the state of Religion, or manners, but

rather (as I suppose) medicinable. Onely I dis" liked now to put them out, because they will be

like the late newe halfepence, which though the " siluer were good, yet the pieces were small. But “ since they would not stay with their master, “ but wold needs trauel abroad, I haue preferred " them to you, that are next myself, dedicating them, such as they are, to our loue, in the depth whereof

(I assure : ou) I somtimes wish your infirmities “ transslated upon my selfe, that her maiesty mought " haue the seruice of so active and able a mind, and “ I mought bee with excuse confined to these contem

plations and studies for which I am fittest, so com“mende I you to the preseruation of the diuine “ Maiestie.

From my Chamber at Grayes Inne, “ this 30. of Ianuary. 1597. “ Your entire louing brother

- Fran. Bacon." It consists of ten Essays. 1. Of Studie. 2. Of Discourse. 3. Of Ceremonies and Respects.

4. Of Followers and Friends. ! 5. Of Sutors.

a

2

6. Of Expence. 7. Of Regiment of Health. 8. Of Honor and Reputation. 9. Of Faction. 10. Of Negotiating.

These Essays, which are very short, are in octavo, in thirteen double pages, and somewhat incorrectly printed.* They are annexed to this volume.t

Of this edition there is a manuscript in very ancient writing in the Lansdowne MSS. in the British Museum. I

The next edition was in the year 1606. It is entitled

“ Essaies. Religious Meditations. “ Places of perswasion

“ and disswasion.

" Seeneand allowed.
“ Printed at London for Iohn Iaggard,,
· dwelling in Fleete streete at the
“ hand and Starre neere

Temple barre.

“ 1606."

The Essay (for instance) in the table of contents is “ Of Suters," in the body of the book it is “ Of Sutes :" + See note L. page 445.

The reference to it is in vol. ii. of Catalogue, page 173, as follows:

“ Essays by Lord Bacon, viz. on Studies, Discourses, Cere“ monies and Respects, Followers and Friends, Suitors, Ex“pense, Regimen of Health, Honor and Reputation, Faction, " and Negotiating." The Catalogue then adds, “ These Essays will be found to vary in some degree from the printed copies