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One or two other papers belonging to this bundle I may have occasion to quote hereafter, in connexion with the subjects to which they refer. But there is one which stands by itself, and though not belonging exactly to the class of "Formularies,” is curious enough to be worth preserving, and may be allowed in default of a fitter place to come in here.

I suppose no man was less given to play than Bacon. But the following sheet of notes (written hastily and carelessly in his own Roman hand) shows that on some occasion or other he had thought a good deal about it. In the catalogue of particular histories, which were to combine into the great Natural and Experimental History that was to serve for the foundation of Philosophy, the 123rd title is Historia Ludorum omnis generis.1 And it may be that he once thought of drawing up directions for the execution of it, or possibly even of doing a portion by way of specimen; as his manner was. Here at any rate is the

plan of an elaborate treatise on the subject.

PLAY.2

The syn against the holy ghost-termed in zeal by one of the fathers.

Cause of oths, quarells, expence and unthriftines: ydlenes and indispositiō of the mynd to labors.

1 Vol. I. p. 410.

2 Harl. MSS. 7017. f. 110. The writing goes down to the very bottom of the first page.

Art of forgetting; cause of society, acquaintance, familiarity in frends; neere and ready attendance in servants; recreatio and putting of melancholy.

Putting of malas curas et cupiditates.

Games of activity and passetyme; of act. of strength, quicknes; quick of ey, hand, legg, the whole moco: strength of arme; legge; of activity, of sleight.

Of passetyme onely; of hazard; of play mixt.

Of hazard; meere hazard; cunnyng in making ye game: Of playe; exercise of attentio: of memory: of dissimulation: of discrecō.

Of many hands or of receyt: of few: of quick returne, tedious; of præsent judgm*, of uncerten yssue.

Severall playes or ideas of play.

Frank play, wary play; venturous, not venturous; quick, slowe.

Oversight: Dotage: Betts: Lookers on: Judgmt.

Groome porter: Christmas: Inventio for hunger' (?).

Oddes: stake: sett.

He that folowes his losses and giveth soone over at wynnings will never gayne by play.

Ludimus incauti studioque aperimur ab ipso.

He that playeth not the begynnyng of a game well at tick tack and the later end at yrish shall never wynne.

Frier Gilbert.

Ye lott; earnest in old tyme sport now, as musike out of Church to chamb'.

1 I doubt whether this is the right word; but it is more like it than any other I can think of. The writing comes up to the very edge of the paper here, and part of the word is perhaps lost it may possibly have been "hangers on."

RELIGIOUS WRITINGS.

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