The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

THE PRAISE OF HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES. 405
tating. But whoever diligently observed what fel! the prince some things obscure, and not to be disfrom hitn, either by way of question or remark, covered by the sagacity of any person, but by
saw it te be full to the purpose, and expressive of time only, which was denied him; but what apno common genius. So that under that slowness peared were excellent, which is sufficient for his
and infrequency of discourse, his judgment had fame.
more the appearance of suspense and solicitude to He died in the 19th year of his age of an obdetermine rightly, than of weakness and want of stinate fever, which during the summer, through
apprehension. In the mean time he was wonder- the excessive heat and dryness of the season, unfully patient in hearing, even in business of the usual to islands, had been epidemical, though not
greatest length; and this with unwearied atten- fatal, but in autumn became more mortal. Fame
tion, so that his mind seldom wandered from the which, as Tacitus says, is more tragical with resubject, or seemed fatigued, but he applied him- spect to the deaths of princes, added a suspicion
self wholly to what was said or done: which (if of poison: but as no signs of this appeared, espeills life had been lengthened) promised a very su- cially in his stomach, which uses to be chiefly
perior degree of prudence. There were indeed in affected by poison, this report soon vanished.