The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

LETTERS FROM MATHEWS. 189
hind you; considering that, as one age hath not Your lordship may therefore inform yourself if one
bred your experience, so is it not fit it should be Sidley, of Kent, hath not already founded in Oxconfined to one age, and not imparted to the times ford a lecture of this nature and condition. But
to come. For my part therein, I do embrace the if Oxford in this kind be an Argus, I am sure
honour with all thankfulness, and the trust im- poor Cambridge is a right Polyphemus, it hath
posed upon me, with all religion and devotion. but one eye, and that not so steadily or artificialFor those two lectures in natural philosophy, ly placed, but bonum est facile sui diffiLsivumn
and the sciences woven and involved with the your lordship being so full of goodness, will
same; it is a great and a noble foundation, both quickly find an object to pour it on. That which
for the use and the salary, and a foot that will made me say thus much I will say in verse, that
teach the age to come, to guess in part at the your lordship may remember it the better,
greatness of that herculean mind which give them
Sola ruinosis stat Cantabrigia pannis
their existence. Only your lordship may be- ad-.ltque inopi lingtlud disertas invocat./-rtes,
vised for the seats of this foundation. The two I will conclude with this vow: Deus, qui anintum
universities are the two eyes of this land, and istum tibi, aninoisti tempus quam lolngissimzum
fittest to contemplate the lustre of this bounty; tribuat. It is the most affectionate prayer of
these two lectures are as the two apples of these Your lordship's most humble servant,
eyes. An apple when it is single is an ornament, Jo. LINCOLN.
when double a pearl, or a blemish in the eye. Buckden, last of December, 1625.
LETTERS FROM MATHEWS,
NOT BEFORE PUBLISHED.
SIR FRANCIS BACON, DESIRING A FRIEND TO DO speak like a critic) that I'do perhaps indormisHIM A SERVICE. - cere; or where 1 do indulgere genio; or where, in
SIR,-The report of this act, which I hope fine, I give any manner of disadvantage to myself.
will prove the last of this business, will probably, This, super totam materiam, you must not fail to
by the weight it carries, fall, and seize on me. note, besides all such words and phrases as you
Anl, therefore, not now at will, but upon necessity cannot like; for you know in how high account I
it will become me to call to mind what passed; have your judgment.
and (my head being then wholly-employed about
invention) I may the worse put things upon the
account of mine own memory. I shall take
physic to-day, upon this change of weather, and SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE SAME PERSON UPON
vantage of leisure; and I pray you not to allow TIIE LIKE SUBJECT; WITH AN ADDITION OF
yourself so much business, but that you may have CONDOLING THE DEATH OF A FRIEND.
time to bring me your friendly aid before night, &c. SIR, —erhe reason of so much time taken before
my answer to yours of the fourth of August, was
chiefly my accompanying my letter with the
paper which here I send you; and again, now
SIR FRANCIS BACON TO A FRIEND, ABOUT READ- lately (not to hold from you till the end of a letter
ING AND GIVING JUDGMENT UPON IIIS WRIT- that which by grief may, for a time, efface all the
INGS former contents,) the death of your good friend and
SIR, —Because you shall not lose your labour mine, A. B.; to whom, because I used to send my
this afternoon, which now I must needs spend letters for conveyance to you, it made me so much
with my Lord Chancellor, I send my desire to the more unready in the despatch of them. In
you in this letter, that you will take care not to the mean time, I think myself (howsoever it hath
leave the writing which I left with you last with pleased God otherwise to bless me) a most unforany man so long as that he may be able to take a tunate man, to be deprived of two (a great number
copy of it; because, first, it must be censured by in true friendship) of those friends whom I ac
you, and then considered again by me. The counted as no stage friends, but private friends,
thing which I expect most from you is, that you (and such as with whom I might both freely anti
would read it carefully over by yourself, and to safely communicate;) him by death, and you by
make some little in writing, where you think (to absence. As for the memorial of the late deceased