are you doing together?
Perhaps some reader can explain the origin of these words.
Icenus.
Sir John Perrot.—Sir John Perrot, governor of Ireland in the reign of Henry VIII., was one of the few rulers over that most unfortunate country who have ruled it wisely. I believe that he was beheaded in the reign of Elizabeth. Will any of your readers kindly inform me whether his life has ever been published, or where I can meet with the best account of him?
E.N.W.
"Antiquitas sæculi juventus mundi."—Mr. Craik in his admirable little work on Bacon; his Writings and his Philosophy, after quoting the paragraph containing this fine aphoristic expression, remarks that,
"From the manner in which it is here introduced as a Latin phrase, there would seen to be some reason for doubting whether it be an original thought of Bacon's. It has much the appearance of some aphorism or adage of the schools." (Vol. ii. p. 55.)
Mr. Craik adds in a note,
"A friend, however, who, if we were to name him, would be recognised as one of the first of living authorities on all points connected with the history of learning and philosophy, informs us that he feels certain of having never met with the expression or the thought in any writer previous to Bacon."
In Basil Montagu's edition of The Advancement of Learning it is marked as a quotation. Query. Has the expression, or the thought, been traced to any writer previous to Bacon?