The Epistle Dedicatory. Francis Bacon. 1909-14. Essays, Civil and Moral. The Harvard Classics

Francis Bacon. (1561–1626). Essays, Civil and Moral.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

The Epistle Dedicatory


To the Right Honorable my very good Lo. the Duke of Buckingham his Grace, Lo. High Admiral of England.	1
EXCELLENT LO. Solomon says, A good name is as a precious ointment; 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 in Latin. For I do conceive that the Latin volume of them (being in the universal 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 also 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 good increase which God gives to my pen and labors I could yield. God lead your Grace by the hand. Your Grace’s most obliged and faithful servant, FR. ST. ALBAN.	2