The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

EDITOR'S PREFACE
TO
I. THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS.
II. CIVIL HISTORY. III. BIOGRAPHY.
1. History of Henry VII. 1. Queen Elizabeth.
2. History of Henry VIII. 2. Julius Caesar.
3. History of Great Britain. 3. Augustus Caesar.
4. The State of Europe. 4. Hen'y, Prince of Wales.
~ 1.
THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS.
The first edition of this work was published in Latin in the year 1609. It is entitledFRANCISCI
BACONI
EQVITIS AVRATI,
PROCVRATORIS SECVNDI, JACOBI REGIS
MAGNAi BRITANNIAE
DE SAPIENTIA
e VETERVM LIBER,
AD INCLYTAM ACADEMIAM
CANTABRIGIENSEM.
LONDINI
CXCUDEBAT ROBERTUS BARKERUS SERENIISSIM REGIAE
MAIESTATIS TYPOGRAPHUS
ANNO 1609.
In February 27, 1610, Lord Bacon wrote ", To MR. MATTHEW, upon sending his book De Sapientia Veterum.'
6" Mr. Matthew,
6- I do very heartily thank you for your etter of the 24th of August from Salamanca; and in recompence thereof I send you a little work of mine that hath begun to pass the world. They tell me my
Latin is turned into silver, and become current: had you been here, you should have been my inquisitor before it came forth: but, I think, the greatest inquisitor in Spain will allow it. But one thing
you must pardon me, if I make no haste to believe, that the world should be grown to such an ecstasy
as to reject truth in philosophy, because the author dissenteth in religion; no more than they do by
Aristotle or Averroes. My great work goeth forward; and after my manner, I alter ever when I
add. So that nothing is finished till all be finished. This I have written in the midst of a term and
parliament; thinking no time so possessed, but that I should talk of these matters with so good and
dear a friend. And so with my wonted wishes I leave you to God's goodness."
" From Gray's Inn, Feb. 27, 1610."
And in his letter to Father Fulgentio, giving some account of his writings, he says,," My Essays
will not only be enlarged in number, but still more in substance. Along with them goes the little
piece'De Sapientia Veterum.'"
Bacon's sentiments with respect to these fables may be found in the ",Advancement of Learning," and
in the "c De Augmentis," under the head of Poetry.
In the "6 Advancement of Learning," he says, "6 There remaineth yet another use of poesy parabolical, opposite to that which we last mentioned: for that tendeth to demonstrate and illustrate that
which is taught or delivered, and this other to retire and obscure it: that is, when the secrets and
mysteries of religion, policy, or philosophy, are involved in fables or parables. Of this in divine
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