The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

APOPHTHEGMS. 123
such things were: so they, to save the practice or otherwise, but that he would come in, in the
of the church, had devised a number of strange end with a but, and drive in a nail to his disadpositions. vantage."
275. It was also said by many concerning the 278. There was a lady of the west country,
canons of that council, 4" That we are beholden to that gave great entertainment at her house to most
Aristotle for many articles of our faith." of the gallant gentlemen thereabout, and amongst
276. The Lo. Henry Howard, being lord privy- others Sir Walter Raleigh was one. This lady,
seal, was asked by the king openly at the table, though otherwise a stately dame, was a notable
where commonly he entertained the king, upon good housewife; and in the morning betimes she
the sudden, "1 My lord, have you not a desire to called to one of her maids that looked to the
see Rome l" My lord privy-seal answered,, Yes, swine, and asked,, Is the piggy served 3" Sir
indeed, sir." The king said, " And why 3" My Walter Raleigh's chamber was fast by the lady's,
lord answered, " Because, and it please your ma- so as he heard her. A little before dinner, the lady
jesty, it was once the seat of the greatest mo- came down in great state into the great chamber,
narchy, and the seminary of the bravest men of which was full of gentlemen: and as soon as Sir
the world, amongst the heathen: and then again, Walter Raleigh set eye upon her, ",Madam,"
because after it was the see of so many holy saith he, ",Is the piggy served 3" The lady anbishops in the primitive church, most of them swered, "' You best know whether you have had
martyrs." The king would not give it over, but your breakfast."
said,, And for nothing else t" My lord an- 279. There was a gentleman fell very sick, and
swered, "' Yes, and it please your majesty, for a friend of his said to him, ", Surely, you are in
two things especially: the one to see him, who, danger; I pray send for a physician." But the
they say, hath so great a power to forgive other sick man answered, ", It is no matter, for if I die,
men their sins, to confess his own sins upon his I will die at leisure."
knees before a chaplain or priest; and the other 280. There was an Epicurean vaunted, that
to hear Antichrist say his creed." divers of other sects of philosophers did after turn
277. There was a nobleman said of a great Epicureans; but there was never any Epicureans
counsellor, ", that he would have made the worst that turned to any other sect. Whereupon a
farrier in the world; for he never shod horse but philosopher that was of another sect said, ", The
be cloyed him: so he never commended any man reason was plain; for that cocks may be made
to the king for service, or upon occasion of suit, capons, but capons could never be made cocks."
CERTAIN APOPHTHEGMS
OF THE
LORD BACON'S.
FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE'BACONIANA.
1. PLUTARCH said well, c"It is otherwise in a full of excellent* instruction: Vespasian asked
commonwealth of men than of bees: the hive of him, 6" What was Nero's overthrow l" He ana city or kingdom is in best condition when there swered, "Nero could touch and tune the harp
is least of noise or bnz in it." well; but in government sometimes he used to
2. The same Plutarch said of men of weak wind the pins too high, sometimes to let them
abilities set in great place, " That they were like down too low." And certain it is, that nothing
little statues set on great bases, made to appear destroyeth authority so much as the unequal and
the less by their advancement." untimely interchange of power pressed too far,
3. He said again, "Good fame is like fire. and relaxed too much.
When you have kindled it, you may easily pre- 5. Queen Elizabeth, seeing Sir Edward -'
serve it; but if once you extinguish it, you will in her garden, looked out at her window, and
not easily kindle it again; at least, not make it asked him in Italian, " What does a man think
burn as bright as it did." of when he thinks of nothing 3" Sir Edward
4. The answer of Apollonius to Vespasian is * This apophthegm is also found in his Essav of Empire