The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

400 EDITOR'S PREFACE.
THIE CHARACTERS OF A BELIEVING CHRISTIAN IN PARADOXES AND SEEMING CONTRADICTIONS.
This tract, published as it seems in the year 1645, was, in 1648, inserted in the Remains5
and in 1730 in Blackburn's edition of Lord Bacon's works.' Its authenticity seems to be very
doubtful. It was inserted in Blackburn's edition, after the following notice:-"- The following
fragments were never acknowledged by Dr. Rawley, among the genuine writings of the Lord Bacon;
nor dare I say that they come up to the spirit of penetration of our noble author. However, as they
are vouched to be authentic in an edition of the Remains of the Lord Verulam, printed 1648; and as
Archbishop Sancroft has reflected some credit on them by a careful review, having in very many instances corrected and prepared them for the press, among the other unquestioned writing of his lordship; for these reasons I have assigned them this place, and left every reader to form his own judgment about their importance:" and in a letter from Dr. Parr to his legatee and biographer, E. H.
Barker, the doctor says, "c it is, however, well known, that some of his fragments were not acknowledged by Dr. Rawley to be genuine, though vouched to be authentic in an edition of the Remains of
Lord Verulam, printed in 1648, and though examined, corrected, and prepared for the press by
Archbishop Sancroft among the other unquestionable writings of Bacon. Among those fragments
aire the Characters of a believing Christian, in paradoxes and seeming contradictions, compared with
the copy printed Lond. 1645. The paradoxes are thirty-four; but it is sufficient for my purpose to
quote the 2d and 3d. After frequent and most attentive perusal, I am convinced that these Fragments
were written by Bacon, and intended only for a trial of his skill in putting together propositions,
which appear irreconcileable, and that we ought to be very wary in drawing from such a work any
positive conclusions upon the real and settled faith of Lord Bacon. Bacon perhaps was sincere, when
he said, -I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than
that this universal frame is without a mind.' But to many parts of the paradoxes we may apply his
remark upon the fool, who said in his heart, but did not think There is no God.' He rather said
these things for a trial of skill, as the fool talked by rote, than that he really believed them, or was
persuaded of thern.2
I subjoin the evidence, external and internal, which I have been able to discover in favour and in
opposition to their authenticity.
The following are the external reasons against their authenticity-Ist, Soon after Lord Bacon's
death there were various spurious works ascribed to him, with which the Remains abound.3 — dly,'Phis tract is not recognised by Dr. Rawley, who in his address to the reader in his Resuscitatio, does
not mention it amongst the theological works which he enumerates, although he says;, I have comrpiled in one whatsoever bears the true stamp of his lordship's excellent genius, and hath hitherto
1 In Dr. Purr's annexed letter, it appears to have been published in 1645; and in Vol. I. of Blackburn's edition, he says,
speaking of Archbishop Sancroft, to the characters of a believing Christian in paradoxes, &c. compared with the other copy
printed in 1615, I have not been able to see a copy of the tract published in 1645.-B. I.
2 See Bacon's Essay on Atheism.
Dr. Parr does not speak with as much confidence in a letter to Mr. C. Butler, published in the second volume of Butler's
Reminiscences, page 233, where lie says, "But now comes a real difficulty. What shall we say to the'Character of a
believing Christian in paradoxes and seet!ing contradictions.' Here I am quite at a loss to determine. If an ingenious man
means to deride the belief of Christianity, could he have done it more effectually than in the work just now alluded to?
Mr. Hume would say-No. There is some uncertainty as to the authenticity of this little tract. I suspect that Bacon meant
to try his strength, and then to return quietly to the habitual conviction of his mind, that Christianity is true."
3 In Rawley's Epistle to the Reader in the Resuscitatio, he says, "for some of the pieces, herein contained, his lordship
did not aim at the publication of them, but at the preservation only, and prohibiting them from perishing, so as to have
been reposed in some private shrine, or library: but now, for that, through the loose keeping of his lordship's papers, whilst
he lived, divers surreptitious copies have been taken; which have since employed the press with sundry corrupt and mangled
editions; whereby nothing hath been more difficult than to find the Lord Saint Alban in the Lord Saint Alban; and which
have presented (some of themn) rather a fardle of nonsense, than any true expressions of his lordship's happy vein; I
thought nmyself in a sort tied to vindicate these injuries and wrongs done to the mnonuments of his lordship's pen; and at
once, by setting forth the true and genuine writings themselves, to prevent the like invasions for the time to come." And
Archbishop Tenison says, " This general acceptance of his works has exposed him to that ill and unjust usage which is
common to enminent writers. For on such are fathered, sometime spurious treatises; sometimes most corrupt copies of
good originals; sometimes their essays and first thoughts upon good subjects, though laid aside by themn unprosecuted andi
uncorrected; and sometimes the very toys of their youth, written by them in trivial or loose arguments, before they had
arrived either at ripeness of judgment, or sobriety of temper. The veriest straws (like that of Father Garnet) are shorNit
to the world as admirable reliques, if the least strokes of the image of a celebrated author, does but seem to be upon them.
The press hath been injurious in this kind to the memory of Bishop Andrews, to whom it owed a deep and solemn reverence. In such an unbecoming manner it hath dealt, long ago, with the very learned and ingenious author of the Fuigcar.Errors. Neither hath the Lord Bacon gone without his share in this injustice from the press. He hath been ill dealt with
in the letters printed in the Cabala, and Scrinia, under his name: for Dr. Rawley professed, that though they were not
wholly false, yet they were very corrupt and enibased copies. This I believe the rather, having lately compared some
original letters with the copies in that collection, and found them imperfect. And to make a particular'instance; in coinparing the letter of Sir Walter Raleigh to Sir Robert Car, of whom a fanme had gone that he had begged his estate; I found
no fewer than forty different, of which sonie were of moment. Our author lath been still worse dealt with, in a pamphlet
in octavo, concerning the trial of the Earl and Countess of Somerset: and likewise in one in quarto, which beareth the
title of Bacon's Remnains, though there cannot be spied in it, so much as the ruins of his beautiful genius."