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seek over men's minds, in drawing them to depend upon their opinions, and to seek knowledge at their lips. These men are the true successors of Diotrephes, the lover of pre-eminence, and not lord bishops. Such spirits do light upon another sort of natures, which do adhere to these men; 66 quorum gloria in obsequio"; stiff followers, and such as zeal marvellously for those whom they have chosen for their masters. This latter sort, for the most part, are men of young years, and superficial understanding, carried away with partial respects of persons, or with the enticing appearance of godly names and pretences: few follow the things themselves, more the names of the things, and most the names of their masters.'*

The third occasion of controversies, 'I observe,' says Bacon, 'to be, an extreme

* Pauci res ipsas sequuntur, plures nomina rerum, plurimi nomina magistrorum.'

urged in support of the two opinions, that it is against good policy to innovate in church matters, and that all reformation must be after one platform or model.

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'It is true,' he says, that with all wise and moderate persons, custom and usage obtaineth that reverence, as it is sufficient matter to move them to make a stand, and to discover and take a view; but it is no warrant to guide and conduct them: a just ground, I say, it is of deliberation, but not of direction. But on the other side, who knoweth not, that time is truly compared to a stream, that carrieth down fresh and pure waters into that salt sea of corruption which environeth all human actions? And therefore, if a man shall not by his industry, virtue, and policy, as it were, with the oar row against the stream and inclination of time, all institutions and ordinances, be they never so pure, will corrupt and degenerate. But I would ask why the civil state should be purged and restored by good and whole

some laws, made every third or fourth year, in Parliament assembled; devising remedies as fast as time breedeth mischief; and contrariwise, the ecclesiastical state should still continue upon the dregs of time. If it be Isaid that there is a difference between civil causes and ecclesiastical, they may as well tell me that churches and chapels need no reparations, though castles and houses do.'

"There remaineth,' continues Bacon, 'yet an objection, rather of suspicion than of reason; and yet such as I think maketh a great impression in the minds of very wise and well-affected persons; which is, that if way be given to mutation, though it be in taking away abuses, yet it may so acquaint men with sweetness of change, as it will undermine the stability of even that which is sound and good. This had been a good and true allegation in the ancient constitutions and divisions between the people and the senate of Rome, where things were carried at the appetites of multitudes, which

mour of it fed; that all persons found guilty of this offence, should be punished by the Star-Chamber, and those of eminent quality, likewise, banished for some time from court.*

We have seen that, in the very first

* The Court, in this case, decreed, that the principal and second should be committed to the Fleet; the former to be fined five hundred pounds, and the latter, five hundred marks. They were also to make a public acknowledgment of the offence at the next assizes, and to show themselves penitent for the same.-Bacon's Works, vol. 6, p. 135. The subject of Duelling is discussed in a very lively and able manner by Dr. Mandeville, in the second dialogue of the second volume of his Fable of the Bees. Abp. Whately (a name never to be mentioned by us without respect,) supposes, in his Political Economy, p. 47, that this second volume (which is rather a scarce book,) had never been seen by Adam Smith, whose critique on the first has been so much admired. His Grace, however, overlooked the fact, that Adam Smith, in an excellent letter to the authors of the old Edinburgh Review of 1755, expressly says, 'that the second volume of the Fable of the Bees has given occasion to the system of M. Rousseau, in whom, however, the principles of the English author are softened, improved, and embellished,' &c. &c. See p. 130, second edition.

speech which he delivered in Parliament, Bacon called the attention of the House to the subject of Law Reform. He now prepared a proposition to his majesty for the reducing and recompiling of the law.* For the laws of England,' he eloquently said, 'if I shall speak my opinion of them, without partiality either to my profession or country, I hold them wise, just, and moderate laws; they give to God, they give to Cæsar, they give to the subject, what appertaineth. It is true they are as mixt as our language, compounded of British, Roman, Saxon, Danish, Norman customs; and surely as our language is thereby so much the richer, so our laws are likewise, by that mixture, the more complete. I have commended them for the matter, but they ask much amendment for the form, which to reduce and perfect, I hold to be one of the greatest dowries that can be conferred upon this kingdom.' He begins by combat

* Bacon's Works, vol. 5, p. 337.

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