The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

xxvi LIFE OF BACON.
would no longer consider him a suitor for Bacon, which when he is nearest flieth away and lighteth
but for himself; that upon him would light the a little before, and then the child after it again.
disgrace as well of the protraction as of the refusal I am weary of it, as also of wearying my good
of the suit; and complained with much bitterness friends."
of those who ought to be Bacon's friends.l On the 5th of November, 1596,2 Mr. Sergearnt
To the queen, Bacon applied by a letter worthy Fleming was appointed solicitor-general, to the surof them both. He addressed her respectfully, but prise of the public, and the deep-felt mortification
with a full consciousness that he deserved the ap- of Bacon, and of his patron and friend, Lord Essex.
pointment, and that he had not deserved the re- TIhe mortification of Essex partook strongly of the
primand he had received from her majesty, for the extremes of his character; of the generous regard
honest exercise of his duty in parliament. Apolo- of wounded affection, and the bitter vexation of
gizing for his boldness and plainness, he told the wounded pride; he complained that a man every
queen, "6 that his mind turned upon other wheels way worthy had "6 fared ill, because he had made
than those of profit; that he sought no great mat- him a mean and dependence;" but he did not rest
ter, but a place in his profession, often given to here: he generously undertook the care of Bacon's
younger men; that he had never sought her but future fortunes, and, by the gift of an estate, worth
by her own desire, and that he would not wrong about &1800, at the beautiful village of Twickenhimself by doing it at that time, when it might ham, endeavoured to remunerate him for his great
be thought he did it for profit; and that if her loss of time and grievous disappointment.
majesty found other and abler men, he should be How'bitterly Bacon felt the disgrace of the
glad there was such choice of them." This letter, queen's rejection, is apparent by his own letter,
according to the custom of the times, he accom- where he says, that "rejected with such circumpanied by a present of a jewel. When the queen, stances, he could no longer look upon his friends,
with the usual property of royalty, not to forget, and that he should travel, and hoped that her mamentioned his speech in parliament which yet jesty would not be offended that, no longer able
rankled in her mind, and with an antipathy, un- to endure the sun, he had fled into the shade."
worthy of her love of letters, said, c" he was rather His greatest annoyance during this contest had
a man of study, than of practice and experience;" arisen from the interruption of thoughts generally
he reminded her of his father, who was made so- devoted to higher things. After a short retirelicitor of the Augmentation Office when he was ment, "' where he once again enjoyed the blessings
only twenty-seven years old, and had never prac- of contemplation in that sweet solitariness which
tised, and that Mr. Brograve, who had been re- collecteth the mind, as shutting the eyes does the
commended by the lord keeper, was without prac- sight," during which he seems to have invented
tice. an instrument resembling abarometer, he resumed
This contest lasted from April, 1594, till No- his usual habits of study, consoled by the convember, 1595; and what at first was merely doubt sciousness of worth, which, though it may at first
and hesitation in the queen's mind, became a imbitter defeat from a sense of injustice, never
struggle against the ascendency which she was fails ultimately to mitigate disappointment, by
conscious Essex had obtained over her, as she insuring the sympathy of the wise and the good.
more than once urged that ", if either party were This cloud soon passed away; for, though Bato give way, it ought to be Essex; that his affection con had stooped to politics, his mind, when he
for Bacon should yield to her mislike." Of this resumed his natural position, was far above the
latent cause Essex became sensible, and said to agitation of disappointed ambition. During his
Bacon, 6" I never found the queen passionate retirement he wrote to the queen, expressing his
against you till I was passionate for you." submission to the providence of God, which he
Such was the nature of this contest, which was says findeth it expedient for me 1" tolerare jugum
so long protracted, that success could not compen- in juventute mea;" and assuring her majesty that
sate for the trouble of the pursuit; of this, and the her service should not be injured by any want of
difficulties of his situation, he bitterly complained. his exertions. His forbearance was not lost upon
"To be," he said, 1" like a child following a bird, the queen, who, satisfied with her victory, soon
afterwards, with an expression of kindness, emi To the right honourable the lord keeper, 4-c.-My very good
lord, The want of assistance from them which should be Mir. ployed him in her service: and some effort was
Fr. Bacon's friends, makes [me] the more industrious my- made to create a new vacancy by the advancement
self, and the more earnest in soliciting mine own friends.
Upon me the labour must lie of his establishment, and upon of Fleming.
me the disgrace will light of his being refused. Therefore I Durin
pray your lordship, now account me not as a solicitor only of the contest, the University of Cambridge
my friend's cause, but as a party interested in this; and em- had conferred upon him the degree of master of
ploy all your lordship's favour to me, or strength for me, in
procuring a short and speedy end. For though I know it arts, and he had in the first throes of vexation dewill never be carried any other way, yet I hold both my dared his intention of retiring there, a resolution,
friend and myself disgraced by this protraction. More I would
write, but that I know to so honourable and kind a friend, which, unfortunately for philosophy, he did not
this which I have said is enough. And so I commend your put into practice.
lordship to God's best protection, resting, at your lordship's o prac
eounsnandmnent,-EssEx. i a See Dug. Orig. Jud.