BACON'S ESSAYS, BY MARKBY.
Mr. Markby has recently published his promised edition of Bacon's Essays; and he has in this, as in his edition of the Advancement of Learning, successfully traced most of the passages alluded to by Lord Bacon. The following notes relate to a few points which still deserve attention:
Essay I. On Truth:—"The poet that beautified the sect that was otherwise inferior to the rest.">[ By "beautified" is here meant "set off to advantage," "embellished."
Essay II. On Death.—
Many of the thoughts in the Essays recur in the "Exempla Antithetorum," in the 6th book De Augmentis Scientiarum. With respect to this Essay, compare the article "Vita," No. 12., in vol. viii. p. 360. ed. Montagu.
"You shall read in some of the friars' books of mortification, that a man should think with himself what the pain is, if he have but his finger's end pressed or tortured, and thereby imagine what the pains of death are when the whole body is corrupted and dissolved.">[ Query, What books are here alluded to?
"Pompa mortis magis terret, quam mors ipsa.">[ Mr. Markby thinks these words are an allusion to Sen. Ep. xxiv. § 13. Something similar also occurs in Ep. xiv. § 3. Compare Ovid, Heroid. x. 82.: "Morsque minus pœnæ quam mora mortis habet."
"Galba, with a sentence, 'Feri si ex re sit populi Romani.'">[ In addition to the passage of Tacitus, quoted by Mr. Markby, see Sueton. Galb. c. 20.
"Septimus Severus in despatch, 'Adeste si quid mihi restat agendum.'">[ No such dying words are attributed to Severus, either in Dio Cassius, lxxvi. 15., the passage cited by Mr. Markby, or in Spartian. Sever. c. 23.
In the passage of Juvenal, the words are, "qui spatium vitæ," and not "qui finem vitæ," as quoted by Lord Bacon. Length of life is meant.
Essay III. Of Unity in Religion.—
"Certain Laodiceans and lukewarm persons.">[ The allusion is to Rev. iii. 14-16.
"It is noted by one of the Fathers, Christ's coat indeed had no seam, but the Church's vesture was of divers colours; whereupon he saith, 'in veste varietas sit, scissura non sit.'">[ Query, Who is the Father alluded to?
"The massacre in France.">[ I. e. the massacre of St. Bartholomew.
Essay IV. Of Revenge.—See Antitheta, No. 39. vol. viii. p. 374.
The saying of Cosmo, Duke of Florence, as to not forgiving friends, recurs in the Apophthegms, vol. i. p. 394. ed. Montagu.
Essay V. Of Adversity.—
On the fable of Hercules sailing over the ocean in an earthen pot, see Sap. Vet., vol. x. p. 335. And concerning the Greek fable, see Schneidewin, Del. Poes. Gr., p. 329.
Essay VI. Of Simulation and Dissimulation.—See Antitheta, No. 32. vol. viii. p. 370.
"Arts of state and arts of life, as Tacitus well calleth them.">[ Mr. Markby does not trace this allusion, which is not obvious.
Essay VII. Of Parents and Children.—See Antitheta, No. 5. vol. viii. p. 356.
"The Italians make little difference between children and nephews, or near kinsfolk.">[ Query, What ground is there for this assertion?
"Generally the precept is good: 'Optimum elige, suave et facile illud faciet consuetudo.'">[ Query, Who is the author of this precept?
Essay VIII. Of Marriage and Single Life.—See Antitheta, No. 5. vol. viii. p. 356.
The answer of Thales concerning marriage is also given in Plut. Symp. iii. 3.
Essay IX. Of Envy.—See Antitheta, No. 16. vol. viii. p. 362.
"The Scripture calleth envy an evil eye.">[ Lord Bacon appears to allude to James iv. 5.: "Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, the Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?"
"Non est curiosus, quin idem sit malevolus.">[ From Plautus, Stich. 1. 3. v. 55. "Nam curiosus nemo est, quin sit malevolus."
"Therefore it was well said, 'Invidia festos dies non agit.'">[ Whence is this saying taken? It occurs likewise in the Antitheta.
Essay X. Of Love.—See Antitheta, No. 36. vol. viii. p. 373.
"It hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self.">[ Query, From whom is this saying quoted?
"It was well said, that it is impossible to love and to be wise.">[ Mr. Markby cites a verse of Publius Syrus, "Amare et sapere vix Deo conceditur." Compare Menander, Andria, Fragm. 1., and Ovid, Met. ii. 846.: "Non bene conveniunt, nec in unâ sede morantur, Majestas et amor."
"I know not how, but martial men are given to love.">[ Aristotle (Pol. ii. 9.) has the same remark, adding that there was good reason for the fable which made Venus the spouse of Mars.
Essay XI. Of Great Place.—See Antitheta, No. 7. vol. viii. p. 357.
"Cum non sis qui fueris, non esse cur velis vivere.">[ Whatever may be the source of this quotation, the sense seems to require est for esse.
"It is most true that was anciently spoken: 'A place showeth the man.'">[ The allusion is to the celebrated Greek proverb "ἀρχὴ ἄνδρα δείκνυσι," attributed to Bias, Solon, Pittacus, and others. See Diogenianus, Prov. ii. 94., with the note of Leutsch and Schneidewin.
Essay XII. Of Boldness.—See Antitheta, No. 33. vol. viii. p. 371.
"Question was asked of Demosthenes," &c.] See Cic. de Orat. iii. 56.; Brut. 38.; Plut. Vit. X. Orat. c. 8. By the Greek word ὑπόκρισις, and the Latin word actio, in this anecdote, is meant all that belongs to the acting or delivery of a speech. Bacon appears, by his following remarks, not to include elocution in actio; which was certainly not Cicero's understanding of the word.
"If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the hill.">[ Query, What is the authority for this well-known story?
Essay XIII. Of Goodness.—
"The Turks, a cruel people, nevertheless are kind to beasts, and give alms to dogs and birds; insomuch, as Busbechius reporteth, a Christian boy in Constantinople had like to have been stoned for gagging in a waggishness a long-billed fowl.">[ A. G. Busbequius, Legationis Turcicæ Epistolæ quattuor, in Epist. iii. p. 107. of his works, Lond. 1660, tells a story of a Venetian goldsmith at Constantinople, who was fond of fowling, and had caught a bird of the size of the cuckoo, and of the same colour; with a beak not very large, but with jaws so wide that, when opened, they would admit a man's fist. This bird he fastened over his door, with extended wings, and a stick in his beak, so as to extend the jaws to a great width, as a joke. The Turks, who were passing by, took compassion on the bird; seized the goldsmith by the neck, and led him before the criminal judge. He was with difficulty saved from an infliction of the bastinado by the interference of the Venetian Bailo. The man told the story to Busbequius, and showed him the bird; who supposed it to be the Caprimulgus, or goat-sucker. A full account of the Caprimulgus Europæus (the bird here alluded to) may be seen in the Penny Cyclopædia, art. Nightjars. It will be observed that Bacon quotes the story from memory, and does not represent the particulars of it with accuracy. It is not a Christian boy, nor is he threatened with stoning, nor is the bird a long-billed fowl.
"Neither give thou Æsop's cock a gem," &c.] Compare Apophthegms, No. 203. p. 393.
"Such men in other men's calamities are, as it were, in season, and are ever on the loading part.">[ By "the loading part," seems to be meant the part which is most heavily laden; the part which supports the chief burthen.
"Misanthropi, that make it their practice to bring men to the bough, and yet have never a tree for the purpose in their gardens as Timon had.">[ Query, What is the allusion in this passage? Nothing of the sort occurs in Lucian's dialogue of Timon.
Essay XIV. Of Nobility.—See Antitheta, No. 1. vol. viii. p. 354.
Essay XV. Of Seditions and Troubles.—
"As Machiavel noteth well, when princes, that ought to be common parents, make themselves as a party," &c.] Perhaps Lord Bacon alludes to Disc. iii. 27.
"As Tacitus expresseth it well, 'Liberius quam ut imperantium meminissent.'">[ Mr. Markby is at a loss to trace this quotation. I am unable to assist him.
The verses of Lucan are quoted from memory. The original has, "Avidumque in tempora," and "Et concussa fides."
"Dolendi modus, timendi non item.">[ Query, Whence are these words taken?
"Solvam cingula regum.">[ Mr. Markby refers to Job xii. 18.; but the passage alluded to seems to be Isaiah xlv. 1.
The story of Epimetheus is differently applied in Sap. Vet., vol. x. p. 342.
The saying of Cæsar on Sylla is inserted in the Apophthegms, No. 135. p. 379. That of Galba is likewise to be found in Suet. Galb. 16.
Essay XVI. Of Atheism.—See Antitheta, No. 13. vol. viii. p. 360.
"Who to him is instead of a god, or melior natura.">[ From Ovid, Met. 1. 21. "Hanc deus et melior litem natura diremit."
Essay XVII. Of Superstition.—See Antitheta, No. 13. vol. viii. p. 360.
Essay XIX. Of Empire.—See Antitheta, No. 8. vol. viii. p. 358.
"And the like was done by that league, which Guicciardini saith was the security of Italy," &c.] The league alluded to, is that of 1485. See Guicciardini, lib. i. c. 1.
"Neither is the opinion of some of the school-men to be received, that a war cannot justly be made but upon a precedent injury or provocation.">[ Grotius lays down the same doctrine as Bacon, De J. B. et P., ii. 1. §§ 2, 3. Query, What school-men are here referred to?
Essay XX. Of Counsel.—See Antitheta, No. 44. vol. viii. p. 377.
Jupiter and Metis.] See Sap. Vet., vol. xi. p. 354.
"For which inconveniences, the doctrine of Italy, and practice of France, in some kings' times, hath introduced cabinet councils: a remedy worse than the disease." By "cabinet councils" are here meant private meetings of selected advisers in the king's own apartment.
"Principis est virtus maxima nosse suos.">[ From Martial, viii. 15.
"It was truly said, 'Optimi consiliarii mortui.'">[ Compare Apophthegms, No. 105.: "Alonzo of Arragon was wont to say of himself, that he was a great necromancer; for that he used to ask counsel of the dead, meaning books."
Essay XXI. Of Delays.—See Antitheta, No. 41. vol. viii. p. 376.
"Occasion (as it is in the common verse) turneth a bald noddle," &c.] See "N. & Q.," Vol. iii., pp. 8. 43., where this saying is illustrated.
Essay XXII. Of Cunning.—
"The old rule, to know a fool from a wise man: 'Mitte ambos nudos ad ignotos, et videbis.'">[ Attributed to "one of the philosophers" in Apophthegms, No. 255. p. 404.
"I knew a counsellor and secretary that never came to Queen Elizabeth of England with bills to sign, but he would always first put her into some discourse of estate, that she might the less mind the bills.">[ King's or queen's bills is a technical expression for a class of documents requiring the royal signature, which is still, or was recently, in use. See Murray's Official Handbook, by Mr. Redgrave, p. 257. Query, To which of Queen Elizabeth's Secretaries of State does Bacon allude? And again, who are meant by the "two who were competitors for the Secretary's place in Queen Elizabeth's time," mentioned lower down?
Essay XXIII. Of Wisdom for a Man's Self.—
"It is the wisdom of rats, that will be sure to leave a house somewhat before it fall.">[ Query, How and when did this popular notion (now engrafted upon our political language) originate?
"It is the wisdom of crocodiles, that shed tears when they would devour.">[ This saying seems to be derived from the belief, that the crocodile imitates the cry of children in order to attract their mothers, and then to devour them. See Salgues, Des Erreurs et des Préjugés, tom. ii. p. 406.
Essay XXIV. Of Innovations.—See Antitheta, No. 40. vol. viii. p. 375.
Essay XXV. Of Despatch.—See Antitheta, No. 27. vol. viii. p. 368.
"I knew a wise man, that had it for a by-word, when he saw men hasten to a conclusion, 'Stay a little, that we may make an end the sooner.'">[ Mr. Markby says that Sir Amias Paulet is the person alluded to. The saying in Apophthegms, No. 14. p. 414.
"The Spartans and Spaniards have been noted to be of small despatch: 'Mi venga la muerte de Spagna,—Let my death come from Spain, for then it will be sure to be long in coming.'">[ The slow and dilatory character of the Lacedæmonians is noted in Thucyd. i. 70.: "Καὶ μὴν καὶ ἄοκνοι πρὸς ὑμᾶς μελλητάς." And again, i. 84.: "Καὶ τὸ βραδὺ καὶ μέλλον, ὃ μέμφονται μάλιστα ἡμῶν." Livy represents the Rhodians making a similar remark to the Roman senate in 167 B.C.: "Atheniensium populum fama est celerem et supra vires audacem esse ad conandum: Lacedæmoniorum cunctatorem, et vix in ea, quibus fidit, ingredientem," xlv. 23. Bayle, in his Pensées sur les Comètes, § 243., has a passage which illustrates the slowness of the Spaniards:—"D'un côté on prévoyoit, que l'empereur et le roi d'Espagne se serviroient de très grandes forces, pour opprimer la chrétienté: mais on prévoyoit aussi de l'autre, qu'ils ne seroient jamais en état de l'accabler, parceque la lenteur et les longues délibérations qui ont toujours fait leur partage, font perdre trop de bonnes occasions. Vous savez la pensée de Malherbe sur ce sujet: S'il est vrai, dit-il dans quelqu'une de ses lettres, que l'Espagne aspire à la monarchie universelle, je lui conseille de demander à Dieu une surséance de la fin du monde."
Essay XXVI. Of seeming wise.—
"Magno conatu nugas.">[ From Terence, Heaut. iii. 5. 8.: "Ne ista, hercle, magno jam conatu magnas nugas dixerit."
Essay XXVII. Of Friendship.—
"Epimenides the Candian.">[ Bacon calls the ancient Cretan priest Epimenides a "Candian," as Machiavel speaks of the capture of Rome by the "Francesi" under Brennus. Mr. Pashley, in his Travels in Crete, vol. i. p. 189., shows that Candia is a name unknown in the island; and that among the natives its ancient denomination is still in use. The name Candia has been propagated over Europe from the Italian usage.
"The Latin adage meeteth with it a little: 'Magna civitas, magna solitudo.'">[ See Erasm. Adag., p. 1293. It is taken from a verse of a Greek comic poet, which referred to the city of Megalopolis in Arcadia: "Ἐρημία μεγάλη 'στὶν ἡ Μεγάλη πόλις."—Strab. viii. 8. § 1.
"The Roman name attaineth the true use and cause thereof, naming them 'participes curarum.'">[ To what examples of this expression does Bacon refer?
"The parable of Pythagoras is dark, but true: 'Cor ne edito.'">[ Concerning this Pythagorean precept, see Diog., Laert. viii. 17, 18., cum not.
The saying of Themistocles is repeated in Apophthegms, No. 199. p. 392.
The saying of Heraclitus is repeated, Apophthegms, No. 268.; De Sap. Vet., vol. xi. p. 346. It is alluded to in Nov. Org., ii. 32.: "Quicquid enim abducit intellectum a consuetis, æquat et complanat aream ejus, ad recipiendum lumen siccum et purum notionum verarum."
"It was a sparing speech of the ancients, to say that a friend is another himself.">[ See Aristot., Mag. Mor. ii. 11.: "Μία φανὲν ψυχὴ ἡ ἐμὴ καὶ ἡ τούτου;" and again, c. 15.: "Τοιοῦτος οἷος ἕτερος εἶναι ἐγὼ, ἀν γε καὶ σφόδρα φίλον τοιήσῃς, ὥσπερ τὸ λεγόμενον 'ἄλλος οὗτος Ἡρακλῆς,' 'ἄλλος φίλος ἐγώ.'" Eth. Eud. vii. 12.: "Ὁ γὰρ φίλος βούλεται εἶναι, ὥσπερ ἡ παροιμία φησὶν, ἄλλος Ἠρακλῆς, ἄλλος οὗτος."
L.
(To be continued.)