PREFACE. XV 



tified at the ill success of his suit, the failure of which had 

 perhaps in some measure been due to his own want of judge 

 ment in pressing it. Lady Bacon said truly, * though the Earl 

 showed great affection, he marred all with violent courses. 

 But he generously resolved that his friend should not be alto 

 gether a loser by his friendship. The relation between them 

 at this juncture is excellently expressed by Mr. Spedding. 

 * In the account between him and Bacon the obligation was 

 not all on one side. Bacon owed him much for his friendship, 

 trust, and eager endeavours to serve him. He owed Bacon 

 much, not only for affection and zeal, but for time and pains 

 gratuitously spent in his affairs. These he had done his best 

 to requite in the best way namely by advancing him in his 

 profession ; but having failed, he (not unnaturally) desired to 

 make him some reparation. You shall not deny, said Essex, 

 to accept a piece of land which I will bestow upon you. 

 Bacon declined, but the Earl insisted, and what followed 

 must be told in Bacon s own words, because it shows in what 

 light he viewed the respective duties of citizenship and friend 

 ship, and how fixed a principle it was with him that, like 

 Pericles, he could only be a friend usque ad aras, so far, that 

 is, as was consistent with higher obligations. After in vain 

 endeavouring to persuade Essex not to imitate the Duke of 

 Guise and turn his estate into obligations, he said, My Lord, 

 I see I must be your homager and hold land of your gift : but 

 do you know the manner of doing homage in law ? Always it 

 is with a saving of his faith to the King and his other lords : 

 and therefore, my Lord (said I), I can be no more yours 

 than I was, and it must be with the ancient savings. It looks 

 as if Bacon already foresaw that the impetuous rashness of 

 Essex might at some time place him in such a position that 

 the lower duty would have to give way before the higher. 

 How strongly he felt this is shown by the closing sentence ot 

 a letter to the Earl, which is very properly assigned to this 

 period of his life, and carries with it a warning sound. I 

 reckon myself as a common (not popular, but common) ; and as 

 much as is lawful to be enclosed of a common, so much your 



