XVI 



TO MY LOVING BROTHER, 



SIR JOHN CONSTABLE, KT. 



MY last Essays I dedicated to my dear brother, Mr. Anthony Bacon, 

 who is with God. Looking among my papers this vacation, I found 

 others of the same nature: which if I myself shall not suffer to be 

 lost, it seemeth the world will not, by the often printing of the former. 

 Missing my brother, I found you next ; in respect of bond, both of 

 near alliance, and of straight friendship and society, and particularly 

 of communication in studies ; wherein I must acknowledge myself 

 beholden to you : for as my business found rest in my contemplations, 

 so my contemplations ever found rest in your loving conference and 

 judgment : so wishing you all good, I remain 



Your loving brother and friend, 

 1612. FRANCIS BACON. 



TO THE 

 RIGHT HONOURABLE MY VERY GOOD LORD 



THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, 

 fyit c55r&amp;lt;ue JlorD Hpilj SUnniral 



EXCELLENT LORD, 



SOLOMON says, &quot;a good name is as a precious ointment; &quot; and I 

 assure myself such will your Grace s name be with posterity : for your 

 fortune and merit both have been eminent ; and you have planted 

 things that are like to last. I do now publish my Essays ; which of 

 all my other works, have been most current ; for that, as it seems, they 

 come home to men s business and bosoms. I have enlarged them 

 both in number and weight ; so that they are indeed a new work : I 

 thought it, therefore, agreeable to my affection and obligation to your 

 Grace, to prefix your name before them, both in English and Latin : 

 for I do conceive, that the Latin volume of them, being in the uni 

 versal language, may last as long as books last. My Instauration I 

 dedicated to the King; my History of Henry the Seventh, which I 

 have now translated into Latin, and my portions of Natural History, 

 to the Prince ; and these I dedicate to your Grace, being of the best 

 fruits, that, by the ^ood increase which God gives to my pen and 

 labours, I could yield. God lead your Grace by the hand. 



Your Grace s most obliged and faithful servant, 



FRANCIS ST. ALBAN. 



