Bacon's essays and Wisdom of the ancients

Front matter

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Contents

Preface by B. Montagu, Esq xi

Introductory Notice of the Life and Writings of Bacon, by

A. Spiers, Ph. D 1

Appendix To Essays

1. Fragment of an Essay of Fame 301

2. Of a King ^^•^

3. An Essay on Death 307

THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS ; A SERIES OF MYTHOLOGICAL FABLES.

Preface ^1''

1. Cassandra, or Divination. Explained of too free and

unseasonable Advice 323

2. Typhon, or a Bebel. Explained of Rebellion ... 324 viii CONTENTS.

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3. The Cyclops, or the Ministers of Terror. Explained

of base Court Officers 327

4. Narcissus, or Self-Love 329

5. The River Styx, or Leagues. Explained of Necessity,

in the Oaths or Solemn Leagues of Princes . . . 331

6. Pan, or Nature. Explained of Natural Philosophy . 333

7. Perseus, or War. Explained of the Preparation and

Conduct necessary to War 343

8. Endymion, or a Eavorite. Explained of Court Eavor-

ites 348

9. The Sister of the Giants, or Eame. Explained of

Public Detraction 350

10. Acteon and Pentheus, or a Curious Man. Explained

of Curiosity, or Prying into the Secrets of Princes

and Divine Mysteries 351

11. Orpheus, or Philosophy. Explained of Natural and

Moral Philosophy 353

12. Coelum, or Beginnings. Explained of the Creation,

or Origin of all Things 357

13. Proteus, or Matter. Explained of Matter and its

Changes 360

14. Meranon, or a Youth too forward. Explained of the

fatal Precipitancy of Youth 363

15. Tythonus, or Satiety. Explained of Predominant

Passions 364

16. Juno's Suitor, or Baseness. Explained of Submission

and Abjection 365

17. Cupid, or an Atom. Explained of the Corpuscular

Philosophy 366

18. Diomed, or Zeal. Explained of Persecution, or Zeal

for Religion 371

19. Daedalus, or Mechanical Skill. Explained of Arts and

Artists in Kingdoms and States 374

20. Ericthouius, or Imposture. Explained of the improper

Use of Eorce in Natural Philosophy 378

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21. Deucalion, or Restitution. Explained of a useful Hint

in Natural Philosophy 379

22. Nemesis, or the Vicissitude of Things. Explained of

the Reverses of Fortune 380

23. Achelous, or Battle. Explained of War by Invasion . 383

24. Dionysus, or Bacchus. Explained of the Passions . 384

25. Atalanta and Hippomenes, or Gain. Explained of the

Contest betwixt Art and Nature 389

26. Prometheus, or the State of Man. Explained of an

Overruling Providence, and of Human Nature . . 391

27. Icarus and Scylla and Cliarybdis, or the Middle Way.

Explained of Mediocrity in Natural and Moral Philosophy 407

28. Sphinx, or Science. Explained of the Sciences . . 409

29. Proserpine, or Spirit. Explained of the Spirit in-

cluded in Natural Bodies 413

30. Metis, or Counsel. Explained of Princes and their

Council 419

31. The Sirens, or Pleasures. Explained of Men's Pas-

sion for Pleasures 420