clxii LIFE OF BACON. 



harbour in these troubled seas ; to find a new passage for 

 the King s business, by a new and unknown point of the 

 compass : to build forts to intimidate the house, unmind 

 ful that the only forts by which the King of England can 

 command, is the fort of affection moving the hearts, and 

 of reason the understandings of his people. He then 

 implores the house not to listen to these idle rumours, 

 existing only in the imagination of some deluded enthu 

 siast, who like the fly upon the chariot wheel, says, What 

 a dust do I raise ! and, being without foundation or any 

 avowed author, are like the birds of paradise, without 

 feet, and never lighting upon any place, but carried away 

 by the wind whither it listeth. Let us then,&quot; he adds, 

 &quot; instead of yielding to these senseless reports, deliberate 

 upon the perilous situation in which the government is 

 placed : and, remembering the parable of Jotham, in the 

 case of the trees of the forest, that when question was, 

 whether the vine should reign over them? that might 

 not be; and whether the olive should reign over them? 

 that might not be, let us consider whether we have not 

 accepted the bramble to reign over us. For it seems that 

 the good vine of the King s graces, that is not so much 

 in esteem: and the good oil, whereby we should relieve 

 the wants of the estate and crown, is laid aside ; and this 

 bramble of contention and emulation, this must reign and 

 rule amongst us.&quot; 



Having examined and exposed all the arguments, he 

 concludes by saying : &quot; Thus I have told you mine opinion. 

 I know it had been more safe and politic to have been 

 silent ; but it is more honest and loving to speak. When 

 a man speaketh, he may be wounded by others ; but if he 

 holds his peace from good things, he wounds himself.&quot; 



The exertions of Bacon and of the King s friends being, 

 however, of no avail, the King, seeing no hope of assist- 



