The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. 7
to a service of great merit and great peril; and defaults of so many former governors, and the
as the greatness of the peril must needs include clearing the glory of so many happy years' reign,
no small consequence of peril, if it be not tem- only in this part excepted. Nay, farther, how far
perately governed; so all immoderate success forth the peril of that state is interlaced with the
extinguisheth merit, and stirreth up distaste and peril of England; and, therefore, how great the
envy, the assured forerunner of whole changes of honour is to keep and defend the approaches of
peril. But I am at the last point first, some good this kingdom, I hear many discourse; and indeed
spirit leading my pen to presage your lordship's there is a great difference, whether the tortoise
success; wherein it is true, I am not without my gather herself into her shell hurt or unhurt; and
oracle and divinations, none of them superstitious, if any man be of opinion, that the nature of an
and yet not all natural: for, first, looking into the enemy doth extenuate the honour of a service,
course of God's providence in things now depend- being but a rebel and a savage, I differ from him;
ing, and calling into consideration how great for I see the justest triumphs that the Romans in
things God hath done by her majesty, and for her their greatest greatness did obtain, and that
collect he hath disposed of this great dissection whereof the emperors in their styles took addiin Ireland, whereby to give an urgent occasion to tions and denominations, were of such an enemy;
the reduction of that whole kingdom, as upon the that is, people barbarous, and not reduced to
rebellion of Desmond there ensued the reduction civility, magnifying a kind of lawless liberty,
of that province. Next, your lordship goeth prodigal of life, hardened in body, fortified in
against three of the unluckiest vices of all other, woods and bogs, placing both justice and fecility
disloyalty, ingratitude, and insolence; which in the sharpness of their swords. Such were the
three offences in all examples have seldom their Germans and ancient Britons, and divers others.
doom adjourned to the world to come. Lastly, he Upon which kind of people, whether the victory
that shall have had the honour to know your lord- be a conquest, or a reconquest upon a rebellion or
ship inwardly, as I have had, shall find " bona revolt, it made no difference that ever I could find,
exta," whereby he may better ground a divination in honour. And, therefore, it is not the enriching
of good, than upon the dissection of a sacrifice. the predatory war that hath the pre-eminence in
But that part I leave, for it is fit for others to be honour; else should it be more honour to bring in
confident upon you, and you to be confident upon a carrack of rich burden, than one of the twelve
the cause, the goodness and justice whereof is Spanish apostles. But then this nature of people
such as can hardly be matched in any example, doth yield a higher point of honour (considering
it being no ambitious war of foreigners, but a in truth and substance) than any war can yield
recovery of subjects, and that after lenity of con- which should be achieved against a civil enemy,
ditions often tried; and a recovery of them not if the end may be —" pacique imponere moremr,"
only to obedience, but to humanity and policy, to replant and refound the policy of that nations
from more than Indian barbarism. There is yet to which nothing is wanting but a just and civil
another kind of divination familiar in matters of government. Which design, as it doth descend
state, being that which Demosthenes so often to you from your noble father, (who lost his life
relieth upon in his time, where he saith, that in that action, though he paid tribute to nature,
which for the time past is worst of all, is for the and not to fortune,) so I hope your lordship shall
time to come the best, which is, that things go ill be as fatal a captain to this war, as Africanus was
not by accident but by error; wherein though to the war of Carthage, after that both his uncle
your lordship hath been a waking censor, yet, you and his father had lost their lives in Spain in the
must look for no other now, but "4 medice, cura same war.
teipsum;" and although your lordship shall not Now, although it be true, that these things
be the blessed physician that cometh to the de- which I have writ (being but representations
clination of the disease, yet, you embrace that con- unto your lordship of the honour and appearance
dition which many noble spirits have accepted for of success and enterprise) be not much to the
advantage, which is, that you go upon the greater purpose of my direction, yet, it is that which is
peril of your fortune, and the less of your reputa- best to me, being no man of war, and ignorant in
tion; and so the honour countervaileth the adven- the particulars of state: for a man may by the
ture; of which honour your lordship is in no eye set up the white right in the midst of the butt,
small possession, when that her majesty, known though he be no archer. Therefore I will only
to be one of the most judicious princes in discern- add this wish, according to the English phrase,
ing of spirits that ever governed, hath made choice which termeth a well-wishing advice a wish,
of you merely out of her royal judgment, (her that your lordship in this whole action, looking
affection inclining rather to continue your attend- forward, set down this position; that merit is
ance,) into whose hands and trust to put the com- worthier than fame; and looking back hither,
mandment and conduct of so great forces, the would remember this text, that o6 bedience is
gathering in the fruit of so great charge, the exe- better than sacrifice." For designing to fame
cution of so many councils, the redeeming of the and glory may make your lordship, in the advert