The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

ADVICE TO SIR GEORGE VILLIERS. 387
might be a law to restrain fools. The excess of is but as a great household, and a great household
wine costs the kingdom much, and returns nothing as a little kingdom, must be exemplary, 6, Regis
but surfeits and diseases; were we as wise as ad exemplum, &c." But for this, God be praised,
easily we might be, within a year or two at the our charge is easy; for our gracious master, for
most, if we would needs be drunk with wines, we his learning and piety, justice and bounty, may
might be drunk with half the cost. be, and is, not only a precedent to his own sub5. If we must be vain and superfluous in laces jects, but to foreign princes also; yet he is still
and embroideries, which are more costly than but a man, and seasonable "rmementos" may be
either warm or comely, let the curiosity be the useful; and, being discreetly used, cannot but
manufacture of the natives: then it should not be take well with him.
verified of us, ",materiam superabat opus."' 2. But your greatest care must be, that the
6. But instead of crying up all things, which great men of his court, for you must give me
are either brought from beyond sea, or wrought leave to be plain with you, for so is your injunchere by the hands of strangers, let us advance the tion laid upon me, yourself in the first place, who
native commodities of our own kingdom, and em-. are first in the eye of all men, give no just cause
ploy our countrymen before strangers: let us turn of scandal; either by light, or vain, or by oppresthe wools of the land into clothes and stuffs of sive carriage.
our own growth, and the hemp and flax growing 3. The great officers of the king's household
here into linen cloth and cordage; it would set had need be both discreet and provident persons,
many thousand hands on work, and thereby one both for his honour and for his thrift; they must
Slhilling worth of the materials would by industry look both ways, else they are but half-sighted:
be multiplied to five, ten, and many times to twen- yet, in the choice of them, there is more latitude
ty times more in the value being wrought. left to affection, than in the choice of counsellors,
7. And of all sorts of thrift for the public good, and of the great officers of state, before touched,
I would above all others commend to your care which must always he made choice of merely
the encouragement to be given to husbandry, and out of judgment; for in them the public hath a
the improving of lands for tillage; there is no great interest.
such usury as this. The king cannot enlarge the [And yet in these, the choice had need be of
bounds of these islands, which make up his honest and faithful servants, as well as of comely
empire, the ocean being the unremoveable wall outsides, who can bow the knee, and kiss the
which encloseth them; but he may enlarge and hand, and perform other services, of small im
multiply the revenue thereof by this honest and portance compared with this of public employ
harmless way of good husbandry. ment. King David, Psalm ci. 6, 7, propounded
S. A very great help unto trade are navigable a rule to himself for the choice of his courtiers.
rivers; they are so many indraughts to attain He was a wise and a good king; and a wise and
wealth; wherefore by art and industry let them a good king shall do well to follow such a good
be made; but let them not be turned to private example; and if he find any to he faulty, which
profit. perhaps cannot suddenly be discovered, let himn
9. In the last place, I beseech you, take into take on him this resolution as King David did,
your serious consideration that Indian wealth, "There shall no deceitful person dwell in my
wrhich this island and the seas thereof excel in, house." But for such as shall bear office in the
the hidden and rich treasure of fishing. Do we kling's house, and manage the expenses thereof,
want an example to follow 1 I may truly say to it is much more requisite to make a good choice
the English, 1" Go to the pismire, thou sluggard.+' of such servants, both for his thrift and for his
I need not expound the text: half a day's sail honour.]
with a good wind, will show the mineral and the 4. For the other ministerial officers in court.
miners. as, for distinction sake, they may be termed, there
10. To regulate all these it will be worthy the must also be an eye unto them and upon them.
care ot a subordinate council, to whom the order- They have usually risen in the household by
ing of these things may be committed, and they degrees, and it is a noble way, to encourage faithgive an account thereof to' the state.] ful service: but the king must not bind himself
to a necessity herein, for then it will be held " ex
VIII. I come to the last of those things.which debito:" neither must he alter it, without an ap
I propounded, which is, the court and curiality. parent cause for it: but to displace any who are
The other did properly concern the king, in his in, upon displeasure, which for the most part
royal capacity, as "pater patrim;" this more pro- happeneth upon the information of some great
perly as 6' pater familias:" and herein, man, is by all means to be avoided, unless there
1. I shall, in a word, and but in a word only, be a manifest cause for it.
put you in mind, that the king in his own person, 5. In these things you may sometimes interboth in respect of his household or court, and in pose, to do just and good offices; but for the
respect of his whole kingdom, for a little kingdom I general, I should rather advise, meddle little, but