The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

BOOK II. ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 789
real illumination concerning causes and axioms tion and glory, yet the second excelleth it in profit
than is hitherto attained. For like as a man's and use, and the third in verity and sincerity: for
disposition is never well known till he be crossed, history of times representeth the magnitude of
nor Proteus ever changed shapes till he was actions, and the public faces and deportments of
straitened and held fast; so the passages and persons, and passeth over in silence the smaller
variations of nature cannot appear so fully in the passages and motions of men and matters. But
liberty of nature, as in the trials and vexations of such being the workmanship of God, as he doth
art. hang the greatest weight upon the smallest wires,
For Civil History, it is of three kinds; not un- maxima e minimis suspendens," it comes therefitly to be compared with the three kinds of pic- fore to pass, that such histories do rather set forth
tures or images; for of pictures or images, we the pomp of business than the true and inward
see, some are unfinished, some are perfect, and resorts thereof. But Lives, if they be well
some are defaced. So of histories we may find written, propounding to themselves a person to
three kinds, Memorials, Perfect Histories, and represent in whom actions both greater and
Antiquities; for Memorials are history unfinished, smaller, public and private, have a commixture,
or the first or rough draughts of history; and An- must of necessity contain a more true, native,
tiquities are history defaced, or some remnants of and lively representation. So again Narrations
history which have casually escaped the ship- and relations of actions, as the War of Peloponwreck of time. nesus, the Expedition of Cyrus Minor, the ConMemorials, or preparatory history, are of two spiracy of Catiline, cannot but be more purely
sorts; whereof the one may be termed Commen- and exactly true than histories of times, because
taries, and the other Registers. Commentaries they may choose an argument comprehensible
are they which set down a continuance of the within the notice and instructions of the writer:
naked events and actions, without the motives or whereas he that undertaketh the story of a time,
designs, the counsels, the speeches, the pretexts, especially of any length, cannot but meet with
the occasions and other passages of action: for many blanks and spaces which he must be forced
this is the true nature of a Commentary; though to fill up out of his own wit and conjecture.
Caesar, in modesty mixed with greatness, did For the History of Times, I mean of civil
for his pleasure apply the name of a Commentary history, the providence of God hath made the disto the best history of the world. Registers are tribution: for it hath pleased God to ordain and
collections of public acts, as decrees of council, illustrate two exemplar states of the world for
judicial proceedings, declarations and letters of arms, learning, moral virtue, policy, and laws;
state, orations and the like, without a perfect the state of Graecia, and the state of Rome; the
continuance or contexture of the thread of the histories whereof occupying the middle part of
narration. time, have, more ancient to them, histories which
Antiquities, or remnants of history, are, as was may by one common name be termed the Antiquisaid, ", tanquam tabula naufragii;" when indus- ties of the world; and after them, histories which
trious persons, by an exact and scrupulous dili- may be likewise called by the name of Modern
gence and observation, out of monuments, names, History.
words, proverbs, traditions, private records and Now to speak of the deficiencies. As to the
evidences, fragments of stories, passages of books heathen antiquities of the world, it is in vain to
that concern not story, and the like, do save and note them for deficient; deficient they are no
recover somewhat from the deluge of time. doubt, consisting most of fables and fragments;
In these kinds of imperfect histories, I do assign but the deficience cannot be holpen; for antiquity
no deficience, for they are," tanquam imperfecte is like fame, "caput inter nubila condit;" her
mista;" and therefore any deficience in them is head is muffled from our sight. For the history
but their nature. As for the corruptions and of the exemplar states, it is extant in good permoths of history, which are Epitomes, the use of fection. Not but I could wish there were a perthem deserveth to be banished, as all men of sound fect course of history for Graecia from Theseus to
judgment have confessed; as those that have Philopcemen, (what time the affairs of Graecia
fretted and corroded the sound bodies of many were drowned and extinguished in the affairs of
excellent histories, and wrought them into base Rome;) and for Rome from Romulus to Justiniand unprofitable dregs. anus, who may be truly said to be "6 ultimus RoHistory, which may be called Just and Perfect manorum." In which sequences of story the
History, is of three kinds, according to the object text of Thucydides and Xenophon in the one, and
which it propoundeth, or pretendeth to represent: the text of Livius, Polybius, Sallustius, Caesar,
for it either representeth a time, or a person, or an Appianus, Tacitus, Herodianus in the other, to be
action The first we call Chronicles, the second kept entire without any diminution at all, and
Lives, and the third Narrations or Relations. Of only to be supplied and continued. But this is
these, although the first be the most complete and matter of magnificence, rather to be commended
absolute kind of history, and hath most estima- than required: and we speak now of parts of