ESSAYS Charles On Bon OR Counfels, Civil and Mozal, OF Sir FRANCIS BACON, Lord Verulam, Viscount St Alban. O F GOOD & EVIL. Whereunto is added The WISDOM of the ANTIENTS. Enlarged by the Honourable Author himself; and LONDON: Printed by M. Clark, for Samuel Mearne, in Little Bri TO THE Right Honourable my very good Lord, THE Duke of Buckingham his Grace, LORD HIGH-AD MIRAL OF ENGLAND. Excellent Lord, S OLOMON (ays, A good name is a precious Oyntment; and, I affure my self, fuch will Your Graces Name be with Pofterity; for Your Fortune and Merit, both have been Eminent; and You have planted things that are like to laft. I do now publish my Effays; which, of all my other Works, have been most current: For that, as it seems, they come A 2 home home to Mens Business, and Bofoms. I have enlarged them both in Number and Weight; fo that they are indeed a New Work. I thought it therefore agreeable to my Affection, and Obligation to Your Grace, to prefix Your Name before them, both in English and Latine: For I do conceive,that the Latine Volume of them, (being in the Univerfal Language) may last as long as Books laft. My Inftauration I dedicated to the King; my History of Henry the Seventh (which I have now alfo tranflated into Latine) and my Portions of Natural Hiftory to the Prince. And thefe I Dedicate to Your Grace, being of the beft Fruits, that, by the good increase which God gives to my Pen and Labours, I could yield. God lead Your Grace by the hand. Your Graces moft obliged and Faithful Servant, Fr. St. ALBAN Elogies on the Illustrious Author. Ben. Johnson, in his Discoveries, p. 101. HERE happened in my time, one noble Speaker Lord Verulam] who was full of gravity in his speaking. His language (where he could fpare or pass by a jeft) was nobly cenforious. No man ever spake more neatly, more prefly, more weightily, or suffered less emptiness, lefs idleness in what he uttered. No member of his Speech, but confifted of the own graces. His hearers could not cough or look afide from him without lofs. He commanded where he spoke; and had his Judges angry and pleased at his devotion. No man had their affections more in his power. The fear of every.man that heard him, was,left he should make an end. And afterwards, Lord Egerton, the Chancellor, a great and grave Orator, &c. But his learned and able, (though unfortunate) Succeffor, [Lord Bacon ] is he, who hath filled up all members, and performed that in our tongue, which may be compar'd or prefer'd, either to infolent Greece or haughty Rome. In fhort, within his view, and about his times, were all the Wits born, that could honour a language or help ftudy. Now things daily fall; Wits grow downward and Eloquence goes backward: So that he may be nam'd and ftand as the mark and x of our Language. Bacon] And |