LIFE OF BACOX. 



knowledge, he, without embarrassment, looked steadily at 

 the undefined shapes of difficulty and danger, of possible 

 mistake or mischance, and, without any of the vacillation 

 in which contemplative genius is too apt to indulge, he 

 saw instantly the path of his duty, and steadily advanced 

 in it. He saw that, if he acted in obedience to general 

 rules, he ought neither to desert the Queen, or to bereave 

 himself of the power to do good. If, not adhering to 

 general rules, he exercised his own understanding upon 

 the particular circumstances of the case, he saw that, by 

 yielding to popular feeling, he might gain momentary 

 applause, might leave Essex to a merciless opponent, and, 

 by depriving himself of all influence over the Queen, might 

 sacrifice his friend at the foot of the throne. 

 Bacon s He therefore wrote instantly to the Queen, and, by this 

 sa g ac ^ ous anc * determined conduct, having at once defeated 

 the stratagems by which it was vainly hoped that he would 

 be entangled, he, regardless of the senseless clamour of 

 those who praise they know not what, and know not 

 whom ; of those who could neither be put in possession of 

 his real sentiments towards Essex, or the private communi 

 cations on his behalf with the Queen, went right onward 

 with his own, and the approbation of intelligence. 



The following is Bacon s own account of this extra 

 ordinary event : And then did some principal counsellors 

 send for us of the learned counsel, and notify her majesty s 

 pleasure unto us: save that it was said to me openly by 

 one of them, that her majesty was not yet resolved whether 

 she would have me forborn in the business or no. And 

 hereupon might arise that other sinister and untrue speech 

 that, I hear, is raised of me, how I was a suitor to be used 

 against my lord of Essex at that time ; for it is very true, 

 that I that knew well what had passed between the Queen 

 and me, and what occasion I had given her both of distaste 



