LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. 91 



Cogitation, it is rather a recreation : this hath put me into 

 these miscellanies, which I purpose to suppress, if God 

 give me leave to write a just and perfect volume of philoso 

 phy, which I go on with, though slowly. I send not your 

 lordship too much, lest it may glut you. Now, let me tell 

 you what my desire is. If your lordship be so good now as 

 when you were the good Dean of Westminster, my request 

 to you is, that not by pricks, but by notes, you would mark 

 unto me whatsoever shall seem unto you either not current 

 in the style, or harsh to credit and opinion, or inconvenient 

 for the person of the writer, for no man can be judge and 

 party ; and when our minds judge by reflection on ourselves 

 they are more subject to error. And though, for the matter 

 itself, my judgment be in some things fixed, and not acces 

 sible by any man s judgment that goeth not my way, yet 

 even in those things the admonition of a friend may make 

 me express myself diversly. I would have come to your 

 lordship, but that I am hastening to my house in the coun 

 try, and so I commend your lordship to God s goodness. 



Sir Francis Bacon to Sir Thomas Bodley, after he 

 had imparted to him a writing intituled, Cogi- 

 tata et Visa. 



SIR, 



In respect of my going down to my house in the coun 

 try I shall have miss of my papers, which I pray you there 

 fore return unto me. You are, I bear you witness, sloth 

 ful, and you help me nothing ; so as I am half in conceit 

 that you affect not the argument ; for myself, I know well 

 you love and affect. I can say no more to you, but, &quot; non 

 canimus surdis, respondent omnia silva?.&quot; If you be not of 

 the lodgings chalked up (whereof I speak in my preface) I 

 am but to pass by your door. But if I had you but a fort 

 night at Gorhambury, I would make you tell me another 



