THE ESSAYS. XXXV11 



keeper, and to all his friends in power, strongly recom 

 mending him to their protection, (a) 



In the early part of the year 1597 his first publication 1597. 



appeared. It is a small 12mo. volume of Essays, (6) Re- ^ L 37&amp;gt; 



Essays. 



lio-ious Meditations, and a Table of the Colours of Good 



O 



and Evil. In his dedication to his loving and beloved 

 brother, he states that he published to check the circula 

 tion of spurious copies, &quot; like some owners of orchards, who 

 gathered the fruit before it was ripe, to prevent stealing ;&quot; 

 and he expresses his conviction that there was nothing in 

 the volume contrary, but rather medicinable to religion 

 and manners, and his hope that the Essays would, to use 

 his own words, &quot; be like the late new halfpence, which, 

 though the pieces were small, the silver was good.&quot; (b) 



The Essays, which are ten(e) in number, abound with 

 condensed thought and practical wisdom, neatly, pressly, 

 and weightily stated, (f) and, like all his early works, are 

 simple, without imagery, (m) They are written in his favou 

 rite style of aphorisms, (m) although each essay is appa 

 rently a continued work; (A) and without that love of 



(o) See note 3 H at the end. (6) See note 3 I at the end. 



(e) 1. Of Study. 



2. Of Discourse. 



3. Of Ceremonies and Respect. 



4. Of Followers and Friends. 



5. Suitors. 



6. Of Expense. 



7. Of Regiment of Health. 



8. Of Honour and Reputation. 



9. Of Faction. 

 10. Of Negociating. 



(y) See Ben Jonson s description of his speaking in parliament, ante, 

 xxviii. 



(m~) See note 3 K at the end. 



(//) The following is selected as a specimen from his first essay &quot; Of 

 Study :&quot; 



5[ Reade not to contradict, nor to believe, but to waigh and consider. 



