The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

1 LIFE OF BACON.
He has, however, only drawn the outline, and but when tney decayed in;rms, then greatness
filled up two or three detached parts, reserving became a burden; like as great stature in a na.
the minute investigation of the whole subject for tural body is some advantage in youth, but is a
other works. burden in age; so it is with great territory
According to his usual method, he commences which when a state beginneth to decline, doth
the tract by clearing the way, in the removal of make it stoop and buckle so much the faster."
some erroneous opinions, on the dependence And with respect to each part beiqng prtfitable
of government upon extent of territory;-upon to the whole, he says, in allusion to the fable in
wealth; —upon fruitfulness of soil; —and upon JEsop, by which Agrippa appeased the tumult,
fortified towns. Each of these subjects it was that health of body and of state is promoted by
his intention to have separately considered, but the due action of all its parts, "c Some provinces
he has in this fragment completed only the two are more wealthy, some more populous, and some
first sections. more warlike; some situate aptly for the excludTo expose the error, that the strength of a ing or expulsing of foreigners, and some for the
kingdom depends upon the extent of territory, annoying and bridling of suspected and tumultu", Look," he says,, at the kingdom of Persia, ous subjects: some are profitable in present, and
which extended from Egypt to Bactria and the some may be converted and improved to profit by
borders of the East, and yet was overthrown and plantations and good policy."
conquered by a nation not much bigger than the He proceeds with the same minuteness to exisle of Britain. Look, too, at the state of Rome, pose the error, that the power of government conwhich, when too extensive, became no better than sists in riches; by explaining that the real power
a carcass, whereupon all the vultures and birds of wealth depends upon mediocrity, joined with
of prey of the world did seize and ravine for martial valour and intelligence.
many ages; as a perpetual monument of the The importance of martial valour and high chiessential differences between the scale of miles valric spirit he avails himself of every opportunity
and the scale of forces: and that the natural arms to enforce.,, Well," he says, "did Solon, who
of each province, or the protecting arms of the was no contemplative man, say to Croesus, upon
principal state, may, when the territory is too ex- his showing him his great treasures,' When antensive, be unable to counteract the two dangers other comes with iron he will be master of all
incident to every government, foreign invasion your gold:' so Machiavel justly derideth the
and inward rebellion." adage that money is the sinews of war, by saying,
Having thus generally refuted this erroneous'There are no sinews of war but the sinews and
opinion, he beautifully explains that the power of muscles of men's arms.'"
territory, as to extent, consists in compactness, So impressed was he with the importance of
-with the heart sufficient to support the extremi- elevating the national character, that, three years
ties;-the arms, or martial virtues, answerable before his death, he spoke with still greater enerto the greatness of dominion; —-and every part of gy upon this subject, in his treatise upon the
the state profitable to the whole. Each of these Greatness of States. " Above all things," he
sections is explained with his usualextensiveeand says, "6 cultivate a stout and warlike disposition
minute investigation, and his usual felicity of of the people; for walled towns, stored arsenals,
familiar illustration. goodly races of horses, chariots of war, elephants,
With respect to corpactness, he says, "6 Re- ordnance, artillery, and the like, all this is but
member the tortoise, which, when any part is sheep in a lion's skin, unless the breeding and
put forth from the shell, is endangered." disposition of the people be warlike;" and, "; as
With respect to the heart being sufficient to to the illusion that wealth may buy assistance,
sustain the extremities, ",Remember," he says, let the state which trusts to mercenary forces
",that the state of Rome, when it grew great, was ever remember, that, by these purchases, if it
compelled to naturalize the Latins, because the spread its feathers for a time beyond the comRoman stem could not bear the provinces and pass of its nest, it will mew them soon after;"
Italy both as branches; and the like they were and, in this spirit, he records various maxims to
contented after to do to most of the Gauls: and counteract the debasement of character attendant
Sparta, when it embraced a larger empire, was upon the worship of gold: and, above all, the evil
compared to a river, which, after it had run a of sedentary. and within-door mechanical arts, regreat way, and taken other rivers and streams quiring rather the finger than the arm: which in
into it, ran strong and mighty, but about the head Sparta, Athens, and Rome, was left to slaves, and
and fountain was shallow and weak." amongst Christians should be the employment of
With respect to martial valour, 6"Look," he aliens, and not of the natives, who should be tilsays, " at every conquered state, at Persia and at lers of the ground, free servants, and labourers in
Rome, which, while they flourished in arms, the strong and manly arts.
largeness of territory was a strength to them, and Such were the opinions of'Bacon. How far they
added forces, added treasure, added reputation: will meet with the approbation of political econo