The Second Book 139 



observations in rhetoric, but chiefly poesy, as we consider 

 it in respect of the verse and not of the argument ; wherein 

 though men in learned tongues do tie themselves to the 

 ancient measures, yet in modem languages it seemeth to 

 me as free to make new measures of verses as of dances: 

 for a dance is a measured pace, as a verse is a measured 

 speech. In these things the sense is better judge than the 

 art; 



Coenae fercula nostrae 

 Mallem convivis quam placuisse cocis.* 



And of the servile expressing antiquity in an unlike and an 

 unfit subject, it is well said. Quod tempore antiquum videtur, 

 id incongruitate est maxime novum .^ 

 6. For ciphers, they are conmionly in letters or alphabets 

 but may be in words. The kinds of ciphers, besides the 

 simple ciphers, with changes, and intermixtures of nulls 

 and non-significants, are many, according to the nature or 

 rule of the infolding, wheel-ciphers, key-ciphers, doubles, 

 etc.* But the virtues of them, whereby they are to be 

 preferred, are three; that they be not laborious to write 

 and read; that they be impossible to decipher; and, in 

 some cases, that they be without suspicion. The highest 

 degree whereof is to write omnia per omnia; which is 

 undoubtedly possible, with a proportion quintuple at most 

 of the writing infolding to the writing infolded, and no 

 other restraint whatsoever. This art of ciphering hath 

 for relative an art of deciphering, by supposition unprofit- 

 able, but, as things are, of great use. For suppose that 

 ciphers were well managed, there be multitudes of them 

 which exclude the decipherer. But in regard of the rawness 

 and unskilfulness of the hands through which they pass, 

 the greatest matters are many times carried in the weakest 

 ciphers. 



» Martial. Epig. ix. 82. 



» This quotation, which is omitted in the Latin, is only another 

 form and application of Bacon's favourite " Antiquitas saeculi, 

 juventus mundi." 



» In the Latin a specimen of a cipher (invented by himself when 

 a young man at Paris) is introduced, to show how the art of writing 

 omnia pet omnia can be attained to. See also Encycl. Brit. verb. 

 Cipher. Trithemius, Bapt. Porta, and others, wrote treatises on this 

 art ; and it is worth remembering that the Stuarts made considerable 

 political use of it. 



