PREFACE. 425 



acquired in other fields in the House of Commons, 

 the Courts of Law, and the Star-Chamber, coupled 

 with the well-known fact that his favourite pursuit all 

 the time had been natural philosophy, concerning which 

 he had long had a great work in preparation, this 

 reputation had given to his name the weight which 

 before it wanted ; insomuch that there was then per 

 haps no mouth in Europe which could command a 

 larger audience, or from which the prophecy of a new 

 intellectual era coming upon the earth could proceed 

 with greater authority, than that of Francis Bacon. 



Nevertheless, when I say that these pieces are chief 

 ly interesting on account of the light they throw on 

 Bacon s personal hopes, fears, and struggles, I am far 

 from meaning to underrate their intrinsic and indepen 

 dent value. Those who are most perfectly acquainted 

 with the works by which they were superseded will 

 not the less find them well worth the studying. Many 

 of them are in form and composition among Bacon s 

 most perfect productions ; and if in successive processes 

 of digestion he succeeded in sinking the thought deep 

 er and packing the words closer, it was often at the 

 expense of many natural and original graces. What 

 they have gained in weight and solidity they have lost 

 sometimes in freshness, freedom, and perspicuity ; and 

 it will generally be found that each helps to throw 

 light on the other. 



J. S. 



