NOTES 4 A 4 B. 



massy bodies move to the centre of the earth, but rather than to suffer a divulsion 

 in the continuance of nature they will move upwards from the centre of the 

 earth, forsaking their duty to the earth in regard of their duty to the world. 

 This double nature of good and the comparative thereof is much more engraven 

 upon man, if he degenerate not, unto whom the conservation of duty to the public 

 ought to be much more precious than the conservation of life and being ; 

 according to that memorable speech of Pompeius Magnus, when being in com 

 mission of purveyance for a famine at Rome, and being dissuaded with great 

 vehemency and instance by his friends about him, that he should not hazard 

 himself to sea in an extremity of weather, he said only to them, Necesse eat ut 

 earn, non ut vivam.&quot; 



4 A. Life, p. Ixii. 



As a patron he considered preferment a sacred trust for the encouragement of 

 merit. Power to do good is, he says, the true and lawful end of aspiring, for good 

 thoughts though God accept them, are little better than good dreams except they be 

 put in act. &quot; Detur digniori&quot; was therefore his favourite maxim. &quot; Qui bene- 

 ficium digno dat, omnes obligat.&quot; And in this spirit, upon sending to Buck 

 ingham his patent for creating him a viscount, he says, &quot; I recommend unto you 

 principally, that which I think was never done since I was born ; and that which 

 because it was not done, hath bred almost a wilderness and solitude in the King s 

 service ; which is that you countenance and encourage and advance able men 

 in all kinds, degrees, and professions. For in the time of the Cecils, the father 

 and the son, able men were by design and of purpose suppressed : and though 

 of late, choice goeth better, both in church and commonwealth, yet money and 

 serving, and cunning canvasses, and importunity prevaileth too much. And in 

 places of moment, rather make able and honest men yours, than advance those 

 that are otherwise because they are yours.&quot; 



And within a few weeks after he was appointed Lord Keeper, he thus wrote 

 to a Clergyman of Trinity College. 



&quot; After my hearty commendations, I, having heard of you as a man well de 

 serving and of able gifts to become profitable in the church ; and there being 

 fallen within my gift the Eectory of Frome St. Quintin, with the Chapel of 

 Evershot in Dorsetshire, which seems to be a thing of good value, 18/. in the 

 King s books and in a good county, I have thought good to make offer of it to 

 you ; the rather for that you are of Trinity College, whereof myself was some 

 time. And my purpose is to make choice of men -rather by care and inquiry, 

 than by their own suits and commendatory letters. So T bid you farewell. 



From your loving Friend, FR. BACON, C. S. 



From Dorset House, 23rd April, 1617. 

 To Mr. Massey, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. 



4 B. Life, p. Ixii. 



In his advancement of learning he has thus explained the custom of the 

 ancients in hearing the opposite reasonings of the same powerful mind, which 

 has occasionally existed and did exist, in the fyme of Elizabeth, in our Courts of 

 Justice in England. 



Strange as, from our habits, this may be considered, there is nothing new in 

 the suggestion. When Alexander was feasting one night where Calisthenes 

 was at the table, it was moved by some after supper, for entertainment sake, that 

 Calisthenes, who was an eloquent man, might speak of some theme or purpose, 

 at his own choice : which Calisthenes did ; choosing the praise of the Mace 

 donian nation for his discourse, and performing the same with so good manner 

 as the hearers were much ravished : whereupon Alexander, nothing pleased, 

 said, &quot; It was easy to be eloquent upon so good a subject.&quot; &quot; But,&quot; saith he, 

 &quot; turn your style, and let us hear what you can say against us :&quot; which Calis 

 thenes presently undertook, and did with that sting and life, that Alexander in- 



