5. THE PRAISE OF POESY.1

(FROM THE SAME WORK.)

POESY is a part of learning in measure of words for the most part restrained (ie. limited by metre or measure), but in all other points extremely licensed (unfettered and free), and doth truly refer to (is especially connected with) the Imagination; which, being not tied to the laws of matter, may at pleasure join that which nature hath severed, and sever that which nature hath joined, and so make unlawful matches and divorces of things. It is taken in two senses, in respect of words or matter. In the first sense it is but a character of style, and belongeth to arts of speech; in the latter, it is one of the principal portions of learning, and is nothing else but "fained" (feigned) History, which may be styled as well in prose as in

verse.

The use of this "fained" History hath been to give some shadow of satisfaction to the mind of man in those points wherein the nature of things doth deny it; the world being in proportion inferior to the soul; by reason whereof there is (i.e. in poetry), agreeable to (in order to satisfy) the spirit of man, a more ample greatness, a more exact goodness, and a more absolute variety, than can be found in the nature of things. Therefore, because the acts or events of true history have not that magnitude which satisfieth the mind of man, poesy feigneth acts and events greater and more heroical; because true history propoundeth the successes and issues of actions not so agreeable to (consistently with) the merits of virtue and vice, therefore poesy feigns them more just in retribution and more according to revealed providence; because true history representeth actions and events more ordinary and less interchanged, therefore poesy endueth them with more rareness and more unex

(1) Bacon's argument is, that poetry transcends history, by representing the ideal instead of the real; inasmuch as the imagination conceives of something grander and nobler, less tainted with imperfection, than the events which history records, and accomplishes its object by subordinating the shows, the material aspect of things treated of by history, to the craving of the mind after absolute perfection. In this way it tends to elevate the mental and moral character, and refine and purify the taste; and, being thus in harmony with man's nature, and ministered to by the aid of musical verse, it has been held in esteem even by barbarous and uncivilised nations. All these notions are, in fact, contained in Sidney's "Defence of Poesy" (see p. 88), but are not so grandly developed there as in the above passage.

pected and alternative variations. So as (that) it appeareth that poesy serveth and conferreth to magnanimity, morality, and to delectation. And therefore it was ever thought to have some participation of divineness, because it doth raise and erect the mind, by submitting the shows of things to the desires of the mind; whereas reason doth buckle and bow the mind unto the nature of things. And we see that, by these insinuations and congruities with man's nature and pleasure, joined also with the agreement and "consort" (connection) it hath with music, it hath had access and estimation in rude times and barbarous regions, where other learning stood excluded.

6. THE STUDENT'S PRAYER.

To God the Father, God the Word, God the Spirit, we pour forth most humble and hearty supplications; that He remembering the calamities of mankind, and the pilgrimage of this our life, in which we wear out days few and evil, would please to open to us new refreshments out of the fountains of his goodness, for the alleviating of our miseries. This also we humbly and earnestly beg, that human things may not prejudice2 such as are divine; neither that from the unlocking of the gates of sense, and the kindling of a greater natural light, anything of incredulity or intellectual night may arise in our minds towards the divine mysteries; but rather that by our mind "throughly" cleansed and purged from fancy and vanities, and yet subject and perfectly given up to the divine oracles, there may be given unto Faith the things that are Faith's. Amen.

(1) Consort, fr. Lat. consors, "having the same lot, sharing with in common, agreeing together." This word had, in connection with music, exactly the same sense as the modern word concert, which has displaced it, and which is fr. Fr. concerter, "to strive together, to aim at the same object." Milton has "With such consort as they keep" ("Il Penseroso "), and "Till God, ere long, to his celestial consort us unite " ("At a solemn music ").

(2) Prejudice, fr. Lat. præjudicare, to judge beforehand; and hence, "that human things," &c., means, that human things may not lead our minds into misconceptions with regard to such as are divine.

(3) I.e. grant that the light of earth may not tend to eclipse or shut off from us the light of heaven.

(4) Given unto Faith, &c. An exquisite adaptation of our Lord's words, "Render unto God the things that are God's."

7. A "PRAYER OR PSALM."1

(WRITTEN AFTER HE HAD CEASED TO BE LORD CHANCELLOR, ABOUT 1623.) Most gracious Lord God, my merciful Father, from my youth up, my Creator, my Redeemer, my Comforter. Thou, O Lord, soundest and searchest the depths and secrets of all hearts: thou acknowledgest the upright of heart: thou judgest the hypocrite: thou ponderest (weighest) men's thoughts and doings as in a balance: thou measurest their intentions as with a line: vanity and crooked ways cannot be hid from thee.

Remember, O Lord, how thy servant hath walked before thee: remember what I have first sought, and what hath been principal in my intentions. I have loved thy assemblies: I have mourned for the divisions of thy Church: I have delighted in the brightness of thy Sanctuary. This vine (the Church of England), which thy right hand hath planted in this nation, I have ever prayed unto thee, that it might have the first and the latter rain; and that it might stretch her? (its) branches to the seas and to the floods. The state and bread (provision) of the poor and oppressed have been precious in mine eyes: I have hated all cruelty and hardness of heart: I have, though in a despised weed (dress, condition), procured (cared for) the good of all men. If any have been my enemies, I thought not of them; neither hath the sun almost set upon my displeasure ;* but I have been as a dove, free from superfluity of maliciousness.

(1) "It is a composition of eminent beauty, combining elevation with pathos, perhaps in as high a degree as anything that was ever written" (Craik, "Bacon and his Writings").

(2) Herits. See note 1. p. 87. So Milton,

"His (Satan's) form had not yet lost All her (its) original brightness."

This word was once in

(3) Weed, fr. A.S. wæd, garment, clothing, dress. common use. Robert of Gloucester speaks of "povere monne wede "-i.e. poor men's clothing; and Chaucer, "Er (ere, before) we awake wrap us under thy wede;" and Milton (in "L'Allegro "),—

"Where throngs of knights and barons bold

In weeds of peace (in splendid dresses) high triumphs hold."

This usage survives amongst us in a single instance. We talk of "widow's weeds." The use of the word above is obscure, and probably means conditionin allusion to Bacon's now degraded position in the world.

(4) Neither hath the sun almost, &c.-i.e. I have not delayed forgiveness as long as possible. I have not allowed the sun almost to "go down upon my wrath." I have been prompt in forgiving.

Thy creatures have been my books, but thy Scriptures much more. I have sought thee in courts,' fields, and gardens; but I have found thee in thy temples.

Taousands have been my sins, and ten thousands my transgressions but my sanctifications have remained with me, and my heart, through thy grace, hath been an unquenched coal upon thine altar. O Lord, my strength, I have since my youth met with thee (have been attended by thee) in all my ways; by thy fatherly compassions, by thy comfortable chastisements,3 and by thy most visible providence. As thy favours have increased upon me, so have thy corrections; so as (that) thou hast been always near me, O Lord; and ever as my worldly blessings were exalted, so secret darts from thee have pierced me; and when I have ascended before men, I have descended in humiliation before thee. And now, when I thought most of peace and honour, thy hand is heavy upon me, and hath humbled me according to thy former loving-kindness; keeping me still in thy fatherly school, not as a bastard, but as a child. Just are thy judgments upon me for my sins, which are more in number than the sands of the sea, but have no proportion to thy mercies. For what are the sands of the sea to the sea, earth, heavens? And all these are nothing to thy mercies. Besides my innumerable sins, I confess before thee, that I am debtor to thee for the gracious talent of thy gifts and graces, which I have neither put into a napkin, nor put it, as I ought, to exchangers, where it might have made best profit, but mis-spent it in things for which I was least fit: so Î may truly say, my soul hath been a stranger (as doing the things for which I was least fit) in the course of my pilgrimage. Be merciful unto me, O Lord, for my Saviour's sake, and receive me into thy bosom, or guide me in thy ways.

(1) Courts. Some copies have "the courts."

(2) Comfortable, properly, that which strengthens and sustains. The chastisements were not crushing, but strengthening. See note 2, p. 24.

(3) Chastisement, fr. Lat. castigare, "to cleanse or purify;" hence to correct, punish-i.e. by removing what soiled and stained the character. "Chastisement is inflicted for the sake of the sufferer, in order to mend; and punishment for the bystander, in order to warn " (Taylor's "Synonyms ").

(4) Thou hast been always near me, &c. Compare "He whom God smiteth, hath God with him" (Landor).

ROBERT BURTON.

THE PROGRESS OF MELANCHOLY.

(FROM "THE ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY,"1 PUBLISHED IN 1621.)

Most pleasant it is at first, to such as are melancholy given (given to melancholy) to lie in bed whole days, and keep their chambers, to walk alone in some solitary grove, betwixt wood and water, by a brook side, to meditate upon some delightsome and pleasant subject, which shall affect them most; amabilis insania (a pleasing madness) and mentis gratissimus error (a most agreeable delusion of the mind). A most incomparable delight it is so to melancholise and build castles in the air, to go smiling to themselves, acting an infinite variety of parts, which they suppose and strongly imagine they represent [themselves] or that they see acted or done.

So delightsome these "toyes" (amusements) are at first, they could spend whole days and nights without sleep, even whole years in such contemplations and "phantastical" meditations,2 which are like unto dreams; and they will hardly be drawn

(1) Hallam rather depreciates the famous book, that, as Johnson declared, was the only one which had ever caused him to leave his bed earlier than he intended; and says for himself, "I have not found much pleasure in glancing over the Anatomy of Melancholy.'" He speaks, however, of the style as "not by any means devoid of point and terseness." Some critics allow to Burton's pen far higher praise than this; and even the passage quoted above will justify us in claiming for him the credit of writing very concise, terse, and, at the same time, quaint English, and thus displaying the capabilities of our language in a new and original light.

(2) Contemplations, meditations. Contemplation, fr. Lat. contemplari, to mark out the heavens for the augur's observation, and therefore, to take a wide view of external objects. Meditation, fr. Lat. meditari, to practise on an instrument, or to turn over a matter in the mind with a view to understand its bearings. Tyndale has, "right meditation and contemplation which is nothing els saving the calling to mind and repeating in the hart the wonderful deeds of God." Milton, in "Lycidas," ""What boots it to strictly meditate the thankless muse?" (i.e. to practise poetry). "Meditation," says Taylor, "is that internal rehearsal which precedes the performance of all intellectual effort." He thus distinguishes the two words: "Meditation applies to the future, contemplation to the present. We meditate what we are about to do; we contemplate what is already done."