can show is her beauty, so the least thing that may be praised in her is her beauty. Certainly, as her eyelids are more pleasant to behold than two white kids climbing up a fair tree and browsing on his tenderest branches, and yet are nothing 5 compared to the day-shining stars contained in them; and as her breath is more sweet than a gentle southwest wind, which comes creeping over flowery fields and shadowed waters in the extreme heat of summer, and yet is nothing compared to the honey-flowing speech that breath doth carry; no more all that 10 our eyes can see of her (though when they have seen her what else they shall ever see is but dry stubble after clovers-grass) is to be matched with the flock of unspeakable virtues laid up delightfully in that best-builded fold."

Richard booker.

1554(?)-1600.

THE MAJESTY AND BENEFICENCE OF LAW.

(From Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity, Book I., 1594.)

Thus far, therefore, we have endeavored in part to open 15 of what nature and force laws are, according unto their several kinds: the law which God with himself hath eternally set down to follow in his own works; the law which He hath made for His creatures to keep; the law of natural and necessary agents; the law which angels in heaven obey; the law 20 whereunto by the light of reason men find themselves bound in that they are men; the law which they make by composition for multitudes and politic societies of men to be guided by; the law which belongeth unto each nation; the law that concerneth the fellowship of all; and, lastly, the law which 25 God Himself hath supernaturally revealed. . . Thus we see how even one and the self-same thing is under divers considerations conveyed through many laws, and that to measure by any one kind of law all the actions of men were to confound the admirable order wherein God hath disposed all 30 laws, each as in nature, so in degree, distinct from other.

Wherefore, that here we may briefly end, of Law there can be no less acknowledged than that her seat is the bosom of God, her voice the harmony of the world; all things in heaven and earth do her homage, the very least as feeling her care, and the greatest as not exempted from her power; both angels 5 and men and creatures of what condition soever, though each in different sort and manner, yet all with uniform consent, admiring her as the mother of their peace and joy.

NOTES.

NOTES.

FRANCIS BACON.

The first edition of the Essays, in 1597, contained ten essays, including Of Studies and Of Negotiating; the second edition, in 1612, contained thirty-eight, including Of Youth and Age and Of Nature in Men; the third edition, in 1625, contained fifty-eight. In these later editions Bacon revised and enlarged most of the essays already published. The text of 1625 is here followed. In 1638 Dr. Rawley, Bacon's chaplain, published a Latin translation of the Essays; whether Bacon himself was the translator is uncertain.

66

OF TRUTH.

1.-1. Pilate: at the trial of Jesus; John xviii. 38.-2. there be that: understand "those " after "be."-5. discoursing-discursive, passing rapidly from one thought to another" (A New English Dictionary).-9. imposeth-lays restraint.-17-18. masks and mummeries and triumphs: spectacular theatrical performances, very popular in Bacon's time, in which there was much tinsel and glitter.-18. daintily=prettily, delightfully.— 23. vain empty, false.

2.-3. "vinum dæmonum "-" wine of devils"; the father was St. Augustine (354-430).-7. howsoever-although.-15. sabbath work, i. e., the work of God's one continuous sabbath ever since the great work of creation ended.-19. The Poet: Lucretius (96 ?55 B. C.); the quotation is from his De Rerum Natura (“On the Nature of Things "), II. 1 ff., in which he expounds the philosophy of Epicurus. the sect: the Epicureans.-25. not to be commanded, i. e., there is none higher (cf. commanding view "); "commanded" is a military term.-26. errors-wanderings.-28. $0 = provided.-prospect: = looking forth, survey.-31. poles axes.-34. round-fair.

66

3.-3. Montaigne: a French essayist (1533-1592).

OF INNOVATIONS.

=

3.-24. of course by its course, or "running."-31. admired wondered at-33. round rapidly (cf. "round trot ").

4.-6. pairs-impairs.-13-14. Scripture saith: Jer. vi. 16:"Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein."