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There are two short biographical sketches, or rather characters, by Bacon, one of Julius Cæsar, the other of Augustus, which may be classed with his historical writings. Both were written by him in Latin; and the ori

all Stephens's annotations, to the extent of nearly half a dozen pages, relates to the same work. The History of Great Britain there spoken of is another project altogether-a history of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland before the accession of James. "I conceived," Bacon writes, "it would be honour for his majesty, and a work very memorable, if this island of Great Britain, as it is now joined in monarchy for the ages to come, so it were joined in history for the times past, and that one just and complete history were compiled of both nations." The letter is undated; but it was evidently written not at the close, but in the earlier part of James's reign; and the lord chancellor to whom it is addressed was not, as Mr. Montagu appears to assume, Bacon's successor in the great seal, Williams (who, by the bye, never had the title of chancellor), but his predecessor, Lord Ellesmere. Instead of having been written by Bacon at the end of his life and after his loss of office, it was most probably written before he had even become Solicitor-General. There is no allusion in it to his ever having held any public employment. "For all this while," he says towards the close, “I assure myself I cannot be mistaken by your lordship, as if I sought an office or employment for myself; for no man knows better than your lordship, that, if there were in me any faculty thereunto, yet neither my course of life nor profession would permit it." So that he does not even propose himself for the writer of the work. And would he have spoken of himself as known to have no faculty for historical writing, after the publication of his Henry the Seventh? But to put the point beyond dispute, it is only necessary to observe that a considerable part of the letter, recounting the course of events from the time of Henry the Eighth, is evidently the germ of a remarkable passage in the second book of the Advancement of Learning, which was published in 1605. The letter was therefore written in or before that year.Since writing this note, we find the letter, for the first time correctly printed from the original, in Mr. Collier's learned and valuable "Catalogue of the Library at Bridgewater House," 4to., Lon., 1837; and the date turns out to be "Gray's Inn, 2nd April, 1605."

ginals were first published by Rawley, in the Opuscula Varia Posthuma, 8vo. Lond. 1658. English translations of both had been given by Rawley the year before in the First Part of the Resuscitatio. And there are also two pieces on Queen Elizabeth; one written in English, the other in Latin; and a shorter piece entitled The Praise of Henry Prince of Wales. The following are extracts from the English eulogy on Elizabeth, first published by Stephens in 1734, with the title of 'Mr. Bacon's Discourse in the Praise of His Sovereign :'

No praise of magnanimity, nor of love, nor of knowledge, can intercept her praise, that planteth and nourisheth magnanimity by her example, love by her person, and knowledge by the peace and serenity of her times. And if these rich pieces be so fair unset, what are they set, and set in all perfection? Magnanimity no doubt consisteth in contempt of peril, in contempt of profit, and in meriting of the times wherein one liveth. For contempt of peril, see a lady that cometh to a crown after the experience of some adverse fortune, which for the most part extenuateth the mind, and maketh it apprehensive of fears. No sooner she taketh the sceptre into her sacred hands, but she putteth on a resolution to make the greatest, the most important, the most dangerous alteration that can be in a state, the alteration of religion. This she doth, not after a sovereignty established and continued by sundry years, when custom might have bred in her people a more absolute obedience; when trial of her servants might have made her more assured whom to employ; when the reputation of her policy and virtue might have made her government redoubted, but at the very entrance of her reign, when she was green in authority, her servants scant known unto her, the adverse part not weakened, her own part not confirmed. Neither doth she reduce or reunite her realm to the religion of the states about her, that the evil inclination of the subject might be countervailed by the good correspondence in foreign parts: but contrariwise, she introduceth a religion exterminated and persecuted both at home and abroad. Her proceeding herein is not by degrees and by stealth, but absolute and at once. Was she encouraged thereto by the strength she found in leagues and alliances with great and potent confederates ? No, but she found her realm in wars with her nearest and mightlest neighbours. She stood single and alone, and in league only

with one, that after the people of her nation had made his wars, left her to make her own peace: one that could never be by any solicitation moved to renew the treaties; and one that since hath proceeded from doubtful terms of amity to the highest acts of hostility. Yet, notwithstanding the opposition so great, the support so weak, the season so improper; yet, I say, because it was a religion wherein she was nourished and brought up; a religion that freed her subjects from pretence of foreign powers, and, indeed, the true religion; she brought to pass this great work with success worthy so noble a resolution. See a queen that, when a deep and secret conspiracy was plotted against her sacred person, practised by subtile instruments, embraced by violent and desperate humours, strengthened and bound by vows and sacraments, and the same was revealed unto her (and yet the nature of the affairs required farther ripening before the apprehension of any of the parties), was content to put herself into the guard of the Divine Providence, and her own prudence, to have some of the conspirators in her eyes, to suffer them to approach to her person, to take a petition of the hand that was conjured for her death; and that with such majesty of countenance, such mildness and serenity of gesture, such art and impression of words, as had been sufficient to have represt and bound the hand of a conspirator if he had not been discovered. Lastly, see a queen, that when her realm was to have been invaded by an army, the preparation whereof was like the travel of an elephant, the provisions whereof were infinite, the setting forth whereof was the terror and wonder of Europe; it was not seen that her cheer, her fashion, her ordinary manner was anything altered: not a cloud of that storm did appear in that countenance wherein peace doth ever shine; but with excellent assurance, and advised security, she inspired her council, animated her nobility, redoubled the courage of her people, still having this noble apprehension, not only that she would communicate her fortune with them, but that it was she that would protect them, and not they her: which she testified by no less demonstration than her presence in camp. Therefore, that magnanimity that neither feareth greatness of alteration, nor the views of conspirators, nor the power of enemy, is more than heroical.

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The opulency of the peace such, as if you have respect, to take one sign for many, to the number of fair houses that have been built since her reign, as Augustus said " that he had received the city of brick, and left it of marble;" so she may say, she received it a realm of cottages, and hath made it a realm of palaces: the state of traffic great and rich: the customs, notwithstanding these wars and interruptions, not fallen: many profitable trades, many honourable discoveries: and lastly, to make an end where no end is, the shipping of this realm so advanced, and made so mighty and potent, as this island is be come, as the natural site thereof deserved, the lady of the sea; a point of so high consequence, as it may be truly said, that the commandment of the sea is an abridgment or a quintessence of a universal monarchy.

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Lastly, to touch the mighty general merit of this queen, bear in mind that her benignity and beneficence hath been as large as the oppression and ambition of Spain. For to begin with the church of Rome, that pretended apostolic see is become but a donative cell of the King of Spain; the vicar of Christ is become the King of Spain's chaplain; he parteth the coming in of the new Pope for the treasuse of the old: he was wont to exclude but some two or three cardinals, and to leave the election of the rest; but now he doth include, and present directly some small number, all incapable and incompatible with the conclave, put in only for colour, except one or two. The states of Italy, they be like little quillets of freehold being intermixed in the midst of a great honour or lordship. France is turned upside down, the subject against the king, cut and mangled infinitely, a country of Rodomonts and Roytelets, farmers of the ways: Portugal usūrped by no other title than strength and vicinity: the Low Countries warred upon, because he seeketh not to possess them, for they were possessed by him before, but to plant there an absolute and martial government, and to suppress their liberties: the like at this day attempted upon Arragon: the poor Indies, whereas the Christian religion generally brought enfranchisement of slaves in all places where it came, in a contrary course are brought from freemen to be slaves, and slaves of most miserable condition: sundry trains and practices of this king's ambition in Germany, Denmark, Scotland, the east towns, are not unknown. Then it is her government, and her government alone, that hath been the sconce and fort of all Europe, which hath let this proud nation from overrunning all. If any state be yet free from his factions erected in the bowels thereof; if there be any state under his protection upon whom he usurpeth not; if there be any subject to him that enjoyeth moderate liberty, upon whom he tyrannizeth not; let them all know, it is by the mercy of this renowned queen, that standeth between them and their misfortunes. These be some of the beams of noble and radiant magnanimity, in contempt of peril

which so manifestly, in contempt of profit which so many admire, and in merit of the world which so many include in themselves; set forth in my simplicity of speech, with much loss of lustre, but with near approach of truth; as the sun is seen in the water.

If this be presumption, let him bear the blame that owneth the verses. What shall I speak of her rare qualities of compliment; which as they be excellent in the things themselves, things themselves, so they have always besides somewhat of a queen: and as queens use shadows and veils with their rich apparel, methinks in all her qualities there is somewhat that flieth from ostentation, and yet inviteth the mind to contemplate her more.

What should I speak of her excellent gift of speech, being a character of the greatness of her conceit, the height of her degree, and the sweetness of her nature? What life, what edge is there in those words and glances wherewith at pleasure she can give a man long to think; be it that she mean to daunt him, to encourage him, or to amaze him! How admirable is her discourse, whether it be in learning, state, or love! What variety of knowledge, what rareness of conceit, what choice of words, what grace of utterance! Doth it not appear, that though her wit be as the adamant of excellences, which draweth out of any book ancient or new, out of any writing or speech, the best; yet she refineth it, she enricheth it far above the value wherein it is received ? And is her speech only that language which the child learneth with pleasure, and not those which the studious learn with industry? Hath she not attained, besides her rare eloquence in her own language, infinitely polished since her happy times, changes of her language both learned and modern? So that she is able to negotiate with di. vers ambassadors in their own languages; and that with no disadvantage unto them, who I think cannot but have a great part of their wits distracted from their matters in hand to the contemplation and admiration of such perfections. What should I wander on to speak of the excellences of her nature, which cannot endure to be looked on with a discontented eye: of the constancy of her favours, which maketh service as a journey by land, whereas the service of other princes is like an embarking by sea. For her royal wisdom and policy of government, he that shall note and observe the prudent temper she useth in admitting access; of the one side maintaining the majesty of her degree, and on the other side not prejudicing herself by looking to her estate through too few windows: her exquisite judgment in choosing and finding good servants, a point be

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