Secretary Morton, who is now a saint in heaven. It was at a time when the great desolation of the plague was in the city, and when myself was ill of a dangerous and tedious sickness. The first time that I found any degree of health, nothing came sooner to my mind than to acknowledge your majesty's great favour by my most humble thanks. And because I see your majesty taketh delight in my writings, and to say truth they are the best fruits I now yield. I presume to send your majesty a little discourse of mine, touching a war with Spain, which I writ about two years since, which the king your brother liked well. It is written without bitterness or invective, as kings' affairs ought to be carried: but, if I be not deceived, it hath edge enough. I have yet some spirits left and remnant of experience, which I consecrate to the king's service and your majesty's; for whom I pour out my daily prayers to God, that he would give your majesty a fortune worthy your rare virtues: which some good spirit tells me will be in the end. I do in all reverence kiss your majesty's hands, ever resting Your Majesty's most humble

and devoted servant.

FRANCIS ST. ALBAN.

A Letter of the Lord Bacon's to the University of Cambridge, upon his sending to their Public Library, his Book of the Advancement of Learning. Franciscus Baro de Verulamio, Vicecomes Sancti Albani, Alma Matri inclytæ Academiæ Cantabrigiensi, Salutem.

Debita filii, qualia possum, persolvo. Quod verò facio, idem et vos hortor; ut Augmentis Scientiarum strenuè incumbatis, et in animi modestiâ libertatem ingenii retineatis, neque talentum à veteribus concreditum in sudario reponatis. Affuerit proculdubiò et affulserit divini luminis gratia, si humiliatâ, et submissâ religioni philosophiâ, clavibus sensûs legitimè, et dextrè utamini, et amoto omni contradictionis studio, quisque cum alio, ac si ipse secum, disputet. Valete.

The same in English by the Publisher.

Francis, Baron of Verulam, and Viscount of St. Albans, to the Indulgent Mother, the famous University of Cambridge, Health.

I here repay you according to my ability the debts of a son. I exhort you also to do the same thing with myself: That is, to bend your whole might towards the advancement of the sciences, and to retain freedom of thought, together with humility of mind; and not to suffer the talent which the ancients have deposited with you to lie dead in a napkin. Doubtless, the favour of the divine light will be present and shine amongst you, if philosophy being submitted to religion, you lawfully and dexterously use the keys of sense; and if all study of opposition being laid aside, every one of you so dispute with another as if he were arguing with himself. Fare ye well.

A Letter of the Lord Bacon's, to the University of Cambridge, upon his sending to their public Library, his Novum Organum.

Alma Matri Academiæ Cantabrigiensi.

Cum vester filius sim et alumnus, voluptati mihi erit, partum meum nuper editum vobis in gremium dare: aliter enim velut pro exposito eum haberem. Nec vos moveat, quòd via nova sit. Necesse est enim talia per ætatum, et seculorum circuitus evenire. Antiquis tamen suus constat honos; ingenii scilicet: nam fides verbo dei, et experientiæ tantùm debetur. Scientias autem, ad experientiam retrahere, non conceditur: at easdem ab experientiâ de integro excitare, operosum certè sed pervium. Deus vobis, et studiis vestris faveat.

Filius vester Amantissimus,

FRANC. VERULAM, Cancel.

The same in English by the Publisher.

Let it not trouble you

Seeing I am your son, and your disciple, it will much please me to repose in your bosom the issue which I have lately brought forth into the world; for otherwise I should look upon it as an exposed child. that the way in which I go is new: such things will of necessity happen in the revolutions of several ages. However, the honour of the ancients is secured: that, I mean, which is due to their wit. For faith is only due to the word of God, and to experience. Now, for bringing back the sciences to experience is not a thing to be done: but to raise them anew from experience, is indeed a very difficult and laborious, but not a hopeless undertaking. God prosper you and your studies.

Your most loving son,

FRANCIS VERULAM, Chancel.

A Letter of the Lord Bacon's, written to Trinity College in Cambridge, upon his sending to them his Book of the Advancement of Learning.

Franc. Baro de Verulamio, Vice-comes Sancti Albani percelebri Collegio Sanctæ et Individuæ Trinitatis in Cantabrigia, Salutem.

Res omnes earùmque progressus initiis suis debentur. Itaque cùm initia scientiarum, è fontibus vestris hauserim; incrementa ipsarum vobis rependenda existimavi. Spero itidem fore, ut hæc nostra apud vos, tanquam in solio nativo, felicius succrescant. Quamobrem et vos hortor, ut salvà animi modestiâ, et ergà veteres reverentiâ, ipsi quoque scientiarum augmentis non desitis: verùm ut post volumina sacra verbi Dei et Scripturarum, secundo loco volumen illud. magnum operum Dei et creaturarum, strenuè et præ omnibus libris, qui pro commentariis tantùm haberi debent, evolvatis. Valete.

The same in English by the Publisher.

Francis, Baron of Verulam, Viscount of St. Albans, to the most Famous College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in Cambridge, Health.

The progresses of things, together with themselves, are to be ascribed to their originals. Wherefore, seeing I have derived from your fountains my first beginnings in the sciences, I thought it fit to repay to you the increases of them. I hope also, it may so happen that these things of our's may the more prosperously thrive among you, being replanted in their native soil. Therefore, I likewise exhort you that ye yourselves, so far as is consistent with all due modesty and reverence to the ancients, be not wanting to the Advancement of the Sciences: but that next to the study of those sacred volumes of God, the holy Scriptures, ye turn over that great volume of the works of God, his creatures, with the utmost diligence, and before all other books, which ought to be looked on only as commentaries on those texts. Farewell.

The Lord Chancellor Bacon's Letter to Dr. Williams, then Lord Bishop of Lincoln, concerning his Speeches, etc.

My very good Lord,

I am much bound to your lordship for your honourable promise to Dr. Rawley. He chooseth rather to depend upon the same in general than to pitch upon any particular; which modesty of choice I commend.

I find that the ancients (as Cicero, Demosthenes, Plinius Secundus, and others) have preserved both their orations and their epistles. In imitation of whom I have done the like to my own, which nevertheless I will not publish while I live; but I have been bold to bequeath them to your lordship and Mr. Chancellor of the Duchy. My

speeches, perhaps, you will think fit to publish. The letters many of them touch too much upon late matters of state to be published; yet I was willing they should not be lost. I have also by my will, erected two lectures in perpetuity, in either university: one with an endowment of 2007. per annum a piece. They are to be for natural philosophy, and the sciences thereupon depending; which foundations I have required my executors to order by the advice and direction of your lordship, and my Lord Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield. These be my thoughts now. I rest

Your Lordship's most

affectionate to do you service.

A Letter written in Latin by the Lord Verulam, to Father Fulgentio, the Venetian, concerning his writings; and now translated into English by the Publisher.

Most reverend Father,

I must confess myself to be a letter in your debt; but the excuse which I have, is too, too just. For I was kept from doing you right by a very sore disease, from which I am not yet perfectly delivered.

I am now desirous to communicate to your fatherhood the designs I have touching those writings which I form in my head and begin; not with hope of bringing them to perfection, but out of desire to make experiment, and because I am a servant to posterity; for these things require some ages for the ripening of them.

I judged it most convenient to have them translated in the Latin tongue, and to divide them into certain tomes.

The first tome consisteth of the books of the Advancement of Learning, which, as you understand, are already finished and published; and contain the Partition of Sciences, which is the first part of my Instauration.

The Novum Organum should have immediately followed,