Bacon, Francis, Sylva sylvarum : or, a natural history in ten centuries
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299FRANCIS Lord BACON. a Man on, and allure him, to ſpeak upon ſuch a ſubject, as
wherein he was peculiarly Skilful, and would delight to ſpeak.
And, for Himſelf, he contemned no Mans Obſervations,
but would light his Torch at every mans Candle.
His Opinions and Aſſertions were, for the moſt part, Bin-
ding, and not contradicted by any;
Rather like Oracles, than
Diſcourſes.
Which may be imputed, either to the well weigh-
ing of his Sentence, by the Skales of Truth, and Reaſon;
Or elſe to the Reverence and Eſtimation, wherein he was
commonly had, that no Man would conteſt with him:
So
that there was no Argumentation, or Pro and Con (as they
term it) at his Table:
Or if there chanced to be any it was
carried with much Submiſſion and Moderation.
I have often obſerved, and ſo have other Men of great
account, That if he had occaſion to repeat another Mans Words
after him, he had an uſe and faculty to dreſs them in better
Veſtments, and Apparel than they had before:
So that the
Authour ſhould find his own speech much amended;
and
yet the ſubſtance of it ſtill retained:
As if it had been Na-
tural to him to uſe good Forms;
As Ovid ſpake of his Fa-
culty of Verſifying.
Et quod tentabam ſcribere, Verſus erat,
When his Office called him, as he was of the Kings Coun-
ſel Learned, to charge any Offenders, either in Criminals,
or Capitals;
He was never of an Inſulting, or Domineering
Nature over them;
But alwayes tender Hearted, and carry-
ing himſelf dee ently towards the Parties;
(Though it was his
Duty, to charge them home:)
‘But yet, as one, that looked up-
on the Example, with the Eye of Severity, But upon the Per-
ſon, with the Eye of Pitty, and Compaſſion.
And in Civil
Buſineſs, as he was Counſellor of Eſtate, he had the beſt
way of adviſing;
Not engaging his Maſter, in any Precipi-
tate or grievous Courſes, but in Moderate and Fair
Proceedings:
The King, whom he ſerved, giving him this
Teſtimony;
That he ever dealt, in Buſineſſe,

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