The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. 21
for my constitution,) was ready to have waited may say to your lordship, in the confidence of
upon your majesty this day, all respects set aside; your poor kinsman, and a man by you advanced,
but my lord treasurer, in respect of the season, "in idem fer opem qui spem dedisti:" for I am
and much other business, was willing to save me. sure, it was not possible for a man living to have
I will only conclude, touching these papers, with received from another more significant and coma text divided; I cannot say"e Oportuit hec fieri," fortable words of hope: your lordship being
but I may say, "Finis autern nondum." God pleased to tell me, during the course of my last
preserve your majesty. service, that you would raise me, and that, when
Your majesty's most humble and you are resolved to raise a man, you were more caredevoted subject and servant. ful of him than himself, and that what you had done
Feb. 14, at 12 o'clock. for me in my carriage, was a benefit for me, but
I humbly pray your majesty, to keep the papers of no use to your lordship; and, therefore, I might
safe. assure myself, you would not leave me there, with
many like speeches; which I know too well my
duty to take any other hold of, than the hold of a
thankful remembrance: and I know, and all the
SIR FRANCIS BACON TO MR. TOBY MATTIIEWS. world knoweth, that your lordship is no dealer of
MR. MATTHEWS., holy wvater, but noble and real; and on my part,
on sure ground, that I have committed nothing
Do not think me forgetful, or altered towards on sure ground, that I have committed nothing
you: but if I should say, I could do you any good, may deserve any alteration; and if I cannot
I should make my power more than it is. I do observe you as I would, your lordship will impute
I should make my power more than it is. I do it to my want of experience, which I shall gatber
fear that which I am right sorry for, that you
grow more impatient and busy than at first, which better, when I am once settled.
makes me exceedingly fear the issue of that which And therefore my hope is, your lordship will
seemeth not to stand at a stay. I myself am out finis a good work, and consider, tat t, roweth precious, and that I am now 66 vero-entiof doubt, that you have been miserably abused, growe th precious, and that I am now "vergentiwhen you were first seduced; and that which I bus annis:" and although I know your fortune is
take in compassion, others may take in severity. not to want a hundred such as I am, yet I shall be
take in cmaso ohr a a i ertyever ready to give you my best and first fruits,
I pray God, that understands us all better than we and to supply as much as in me lieth, a worthi fruits
understand one another, continue you, as I hope
he will, at least, within the bounds of loyalty to ness by thankfulness.
his majesty, and natural piety to your country.
And I entreat you much, to meditate sometimes
upon the effect of superstition in this last powdertreason, fit to be tabled and pictured in the cham- CHANCELLOR BACON TO THE KING.
bers of meditation, as another hell above the
ground; and well justifying the censure of the IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
heathen, that "Superstition is far worse than I dare not presume any more to reply upon your
Atheism," by how much it is less evil to have no majesty, but reserve my defence till I attend your
good opinion of God at all, than such as are majesty at your happy retnrn, when I hope verily
impious towards his divine majesty and goodness. to approve myself not only a true servant to your
Good Mr. Matthews, receive yourself back from majesty, but a true friend to my Lord of Buckingthese courses of perdition. Willing to have written ham; and for the times also, I hope to give your
a great deal more, I continue majesty a good account, though distance of place
Your, etc. may obscure them. But there is one part of your
FR. BACON. majesty's letter, that I could be sorry to take time
to answer; which is, that your majesty conceives,
that whereas I wrote that the height of my lord's
fortune might make him secure, I mean, that he
SIR FRANCIS BACON TO THE EARL OF SALIS- was turned proud, or unknowing of himself.
Surely, the opinion I have ever had of my lord
IT MIAY PLEASE YOUR GOOD LORDSHIP, (whereof your majesty is best witness) is far from
I am not ignorant how mean a thing I stand for, that. But my meaning was plain and simple,
in desiring to come into the solicitor's place: for that his lordship might, through his great fortune,
I know well, it is not the thing it hath been, time be the less apt to cast and foresee the unfaithfulhaving wrought an alteration, both in the profes- ness of friends, and the malignity of enemies, and
sion, and in that special place. Yet, because I accidents of times. Which is a judgment (your
think it will increase my practice, and that it may majesty knoweth better than I) that the best ausatisfy my friends, and because I have been voiced thors make of the best, and best tempered spirits
to it, I would be glad it were done. Wherein I "' ut sunt res human;" insomuch as Guicci.