moment, and communicable to the public, save only some few Latin works, which, by God's favour and sufferance, shall soon after follow." And in another part of the same address he says, "I thought myself in a sort tied to vindicate these injuries and wrongs done to the monuments of his Lordship's pen; and at once, by setting forth the true and genuine writings themselves, to prevent the like invasions for the time to come."-3dly, It is not noticed by Archbishop Tenison, who published the Baconiana in 1679, in which he says, "His lordship's writings upon pious subjects are only these: his Confession of Faith, the Questions about an Holy War, and the Prayers in these Remains; and a translation of certain of David's Psalms, into English verse.(a)-4thly, There is not any MSS. of these Paradoxes.(b)

The external reasons in favor of their authenticity are, 1st, They are published in the Remains, in 1648, and, although they are not recognised, they are not expressly disowned either in 1657 by Dr. Rawley, or in 1679 by Archbishop Tenison, who does expressly repudiate (c) other works ascribed to Lord Bacon. Whether this silence is negative evidence that the Paradoxes are authentic, or that the friend and admirer of Lord Bacon, after having discredited the Remains, did not deem the Paradoxes entitled to a particular refutation, is

(a) Baconiana, page 72.

(b) I venture to assert this for I have not been able to find a MSS. I should be happy to have my error corrected.

(c) See note (b) ante xxviii.

a question not free from doubt, if it can be supposed that Dr. Rawley and the Archbishop were so insincere as, knowing their reality, to express their opinion of Lord Bacon's religious sentiments, and to censure the author of the Remains, without doing him the justice to acknowledge that the Paradoxes were authentic. 2dly, Dr. Rawley and Archbishop Tenison admit that there were other MSS. in existence. (d) 3dly. The authenticity of the paradoxes is supposed to have been acknowledged by Archbishop Sancroft; but upon enquiry it will, perhaps, appear that the Archbishop only corrected the copy which was inserted in the Remains, by comparing it with the first publication in 1645. (e).

(d) See note b, ante xxviii.

(e) Blackburn, in the fourth volume of his edition of Bacon, A. D. 1730, p. 438, says, "Archbishop Sancroft has reflected some credit on them by a careful review, having in very many instances corrected and prepared them for the press: among the other unquestioned writings of his lordship, I annex some of the passages from Blackburn, where Archbishop Sancroft is mentioned. "Our noble author's letters in the Resuscitatio' are in

full credit; and yet these are in many instances corrected by Dr. Sancroft, and that uncontestably from MSS. because the author's subscription, under that prelate's hand, is in several particulars added, as N. X. Your lordship's most humbly in all duty. N. XI. Your lordship's in all humbleness to be commanded.' I say I conceive it evident, that these subscriptions to the printed copy of 1657, do ascertain the additions to be made from original MSS. since they could not be added upon judgment or conjecture, but must be inserted from authority. And this gives sanction to the emendations of these letters contained in the Resuscitatio;' so that I may presume to

Such is the external evidence. The internal evidence is either from the thought, or the mode in which the thought is expressed.

The reasons against the authenticity of the Paradoxes, from the nature of the thought, are1st. If a spirit of piety (w) pervades the Paradoxes,

think this present edition is even more exact than what Dr. Rawley himself published. Blackburn, Vol. I. p. 193.

In page 458, of vol. iv. he says, "I have added some fragments from the quarto edition of the remains printed in 1648. That copy has been deservedly treated with great indignation and contempt being notoriously printed in a surreptitious and negligent manner. However, I do not remember a single page in this scandalous edition, excepting these fragments and the essay of a king, which does not appear in a more correct dress in some part or other of our noble author's works. This seems to give them a little credit; and Dr. Sancroft having corrected them with so much diligence, as to distinguish where he has done it from printed copies, I have some cause to apprehend that the other copies were amended by unquestionable MSS. of our noble author. The order they appear in is, 1. An Explanation what manner of persons those should be, that are to execute the power or ordinance of the king's prerogative, p. 3. This is corrected in very many places. 2. Short notes for civil conversation, p. 6. interlined in many places, with apt divisions, not observed in the edition of 1648. 3. An Essay on Death, p. 7. This is likewise corrected in very many places, and subdivided as if done from MSS. and made a new work. 4. The Characters of a believing Christian, in paradoxes and seeming contradictions. This in terms of abatement under the Archbishop's own hand stands thus: Compared with the other copy, printed Lond. anno, 1645. 5. A Prayer, corrected only in two places, which I must confess does not appear to be cast in the same mould with that printed above, p. 447.

(w) In the year 1762, the third edition of a penny tract

it seems to differ from the spirit which moved upon the mind of Lord Bacon; (a) and if the MSS.

of the Characteristics was published. The following is a copy of the title page of this tract: Characteristics of a Believing Christian in Paradoxes and Seeming Contradictions. By Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, Viscount of St. Alban, and Lord High Chancellor of England, with a Preface by a Clergyman. The Third Edition. London, Printed by M. Lewis, in Paternoster Row, 1762, (Price one Penny.) The following is the Preface: In order to prevent a misconstruction of the following paradoxes, it may be needful to inform the reader, that when rightly considered, they are no ways ludicrous, sarcastical or prophane, but solid, comfortable and godly truths, taught by the Holy Ghost in the school of experience, and well understood by them who are truly Christians. I do not say, that every babe in Christ can understand them all, but this I think I may venture to affirm, he that understands none of them, hath not yet learned his A. B. C. in the school of Christ. But if any should ask me, why I choose to publish his lordship's paradoxes rather than any other? I answer-1st, Because, though very comprehensive, yet they are but short, and may therefore be easily purchased by the poorer sort of christians. 2ndly, That the minute philosophers and ignoble gentlemen of our day might hence be taught, that a fine gentleman, a sound scholar, and a great philosopher, may be a christian; since we find not only Paul, a Justin Martyr, &c. but even in our own nation, so great a philosopher as my Lord Bacon, espousing and confessing the christian verity. In a word, reader, if thou understandest these few paradoxes, bless God for them; if thou understandest them not, thou mayest, like the Eunuch, call in some Philip to thy assistance: but above all permit me to advise thee to ask of the Father of Lights, who giveth wisdom liberally and upbraideth not. I am, for Christ's sake, thy Friend and Servant, F. GREEN.

(a) Take any, for instance Paradox 34.-" His Advocate, his d

VOL. VII.

of this Essay, of which there is not any evidence, had been found amongst the papers of Lord Bacon, would it not be more probable that they were the effusion of one of his pious friends, Herbert for instance, than that they were Lord Bacon's own production? 2d. If the Paradoxes are supposed to be polluted by an under current of infidelity, the very supposition is evidence against their authenticity, "for this lord was religious, and was able to render a reason of the hope which was in him. (a) He repaired fre

Surety shall be his Judge; his mortal part shall become immortal; and what was sown in corruption and defilement shall be raised in incorruption and glory; and a finite creature shall possess an infinite happiness. Glory be to God."- Compare this with his prayer. "Remember, O Lord, how thy servant hath walked before thee: remember what I have first sought, and what hath been principal in my intentions. I have loved thy assemblies I have mourned for the divisions of thy Church: I have delighted in the brightness of thy sanctuary. This vine which thy right hand hath planted in this nation, I have ever prayed unto thee, that it might have the first and the latter rain; and that it might stretch her branches to the seas and to the floods. The state and bread of the poor and oppressed have been precious in mine eyes: I have hated all cruelty and hardness of heart: I have, though in a despised weed, procured the good of all men. If any have been my enemies, I thought not of them; neither hath the sun almost set upon my displeasure; but I have been as a dove, free from superfluity of maliciousness. Thy creatures have been my books, but thy Scriptures much more. I have sought thee in the courts, fields, and gardens, but I have found thee in thy temples."

(x) So in the Religio Medici, Sir Thomas Brown says, " For my religion, though there be several circumstances that might