The essays, or councils, civil and moral, of Sir Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban with a table of the colours of good and evil, and a discourse of The wisdom of the ancients : to this edition is added The character of Queen Elizabeth, never before printed in English.

DAEDALƲS, or Mechanick.

MEchanical Wisdom and Industry, and in it un∣lawful Science perverted to wrong ends, is sha∣dowed by the Ancients under the Person of Daedalus, a Man ingenious, but execrable. This Daedalus (for murthering his fellow-servant that emulated him) being banished, was kindly entertained (during his Exile) in many Cities and Princes Courts: For indeed he was the Raiser and Builder of many goodly Structures, as well in honour of the Gods, as the Beauty and Magnificence of Cities, and other publick places, but for his Works of Mischief he is most notorious. It is he that framed the Engine which Pasiphae used to satisfie her Lust in company with a Bull; so that by his wretched Industry, and pernicious Device, that Monster Minotaur (the destruction of so many hope∣ful Youths) took his accursed and infamous begin∣ning, and studying to cover and increase one Mis∣chief

with another; for the security and preservati∣on of this Monster he invented and built a Labyrinth, a Work for intent and use most nefarious and wicked, for Skill and Workmanship famous and excellent. Af∣terwards, that he might not be noted only for Works of Mischief, but be sought after as well for Remedies, as for Instruments of Destruction, he was the Author of that ingenious device concerning the Clew of Thread, by which the Labyrinth was made passable without any let. This Daedalus was persecuted by Minos with great Severity, Diligence, and Inquiry, but he always found the means to avoid and escape his Ty∣ranny. Lastly, he taught his Son Icarus to fly; but the Novice, in Ostentation of this Art, soaring too high, fell into the Sea and was drowned.

The Parable seems to be thus: In the beginning of it may be noted that kind of Envy or Emulation that lodgeth, and wonderfully sways and domineers a∣mongst excellent Artificers, there being no kind of People more reciprocally tormented with bitter and deadly Hatred than they.

The Banishment also of Daedalus (a punishment in∣slicted on him against the Rules of Policy and Provi∣dence) is worth the noting: For Artificers have this Prerogative to find entertainment and welcome in all Countries, so that Exile to an excellent Workman can hardly be termed a punishment, whereas other Con∣ditions and States of Life can scarce live out of their own Countrey. The admiration of Artificers is pro∣pagated and increased in foreign and strange Nations, seeing it is a natural and unbred disposition of Men to value their own Countrey-men (in respect of Mecha∣nical Works) less than Strangers.

Concerning the use of Mechanical Arts, that which follows is plain. The Life of Man is much beholden to them, seeing many Things (conducing to the Or∣na••ent of Religion, to the Grace of Civil Discipline, an•• to the beautifying of all Humane Kind) are ex∣tracted

out of their Treasuries: And yet notwith∣standing from the same Magazine or Store-house are produced Instruments both of Lust and Death; for to omit the Wiles of Bands, we will know how far ex∣quisite Poysons, Warlike Engines, and such like Mis∣chiefs (the effects of Mechanical Inventions) do exceed the Minotaur himself in Malignity and savage Cruelty.

Moreover that of the Labyrinth is an excellent Alle∣gory, whereby is shadowed the nature of Mechanical Sciences; for all such handicraft Works as are more ingenious and accurate, may be compared to a Laby∣rinth in respect of Subtilty and divers intricate Passa∣ges, and in other plain resemblances, which by the Eye of Judgment can hardly be guided and discerned, but only by the Line of Experience.

Neither is it impertinently added, that he which in∣vented the intricate Nooks of the Labyrinth, did also shew the Commodity of the Clew: For Mechanical Arts are of ambiguous use, serving as well for hurt as for Remedy, and they have in a manner Power both to loose and bind themselves.

Unlawful Trades, and so by consequence, Arts them∣selves are often persecuted by Minos, that is by Laws, which do condemn them, and prohibit Men to use them. Nevertheless they are hid and retained every where, finding lurking holes and places of Receipt, which was well observed by Tacitus of the Mathema∣ticians and Figure-flingers of his time, in a thing not so much unlike; Genus Hominum quod in Civitate nostra semper & retinebitur & vetabitur. There is a kind of Men that will always abide in our City, though al∣ways forbidden. And yet notwithstanding unlawful and curious Arts of what kind soever, in tract of time, when they cannot perform what they promise, do fall from the good Opinion that was held of them, (no otherwise than Icarus fell down from the Skies,) they grow to be contemned and scorned, and so pe∣rish by too much Ostentation. And to say the Truth,

they are not so happily strairened by the Reins of Law, as bewrayed by their own Vanity.