EARLY COMPOSITIONS.
It is at this stage that the mystery of Francis Bacon begins to develop.
Every channel through which information might be expected appears to be
blocked. Besides a few pamphlets, in the production of which little time
would be occupied, there came nothing from his pen until 1597 when, at
the age of 37, the first edition of the essays was published--only ten
short essays containing less than 6,000 words. In 1605, when 45, he
addressed to James I. the "Two Books on the Advancement of Learning,"
containing less than 60,000 words. It would require no effort on Bacon's
part to write either of these volumes. He could turn out the "Two Books
of the Advancement of Learning" with the same facility that a leader
writer of the _Times_ would write his daily articles. He was to all
intents and purposes unoccupied. Until 1594 he had not held a brief, and
he never had any practice at the Bar worth considering. He was a member
of Parliament, but the House seldom sat, and never for long periods.
Bacon's life is absolutely unaccounted for. It is now proposed, by the
aid of the literature of the period from 1576 to 1620, and with the help
of information derived from his own handwriting, to trace, step by step,
the results of his industry, and to supply the reason for the
concealment which he pursued.
There is an entry in the Book of Orders of Gray's Inn under date 21st
November, 1577, that Anthony and Francis Bacon (who had been admitted
members 27th June, 1576, "_de societate magistrorum_") be admitted to
the Grand Company, _i.e._, to the Degree of Ancients, a privilege to
which they were entitled as sons of a judge. From a letter subsequently
written by Burghley, it is known that one Barker was appointed as their
tutor of Law. Apparently it was intended that they should settle down to
a course of legal training, but this plan was abandoned, at any rate, as
far as Francis was concerned. Sir Amias Paulet, who was Chancellor of
the Garter, a Privy Counsellor, and held in high esteem by the Queen,[8]
was about to proceed to Paris to take the place of Dr. Dale as
Ambassador at the Court of France. There is a letter written from
Calais, dated 25th September, 1576, from Sir Amias to Lord Burghley, in
which this paragraph appears: "My ordinary train is no greater than of
necessity, being augmented by some young gentlemen, whereof one is Sir
Nicholas Throgmorton's son, who was recommended to me by her Majesty,
and, therefore, I could not refuse him. The others are so dear to me and
the most part of them of such towardness, as my good hope of their doing
well, and thereafter they will be able to serve their Prince and
country, persuades me to make so much to excuse my folly as to entreat
you to use your favour in my allowance for my transportations, my
charges being increased by these extraordinary occasions."
Francis Bacon was one of this group of young gentlemen. Rawley states
that "after he had passed the circle of the liberal arts, his father
thought fit to frame and mould him for the arts of state; and for that
end sent him over into France with Sir Amyas Paulet then employed
Ambassador lieger into France."
There are grounds for believing that Bacon's literary activity had
commenced before he left England. There is abundant evidence to prove
that it was the custom at this period for authors who desired to conceal
their authorship to substitute for their own names, initials or the
names of others on the title-pages. Two instances will suffice: "The
Arte of English Poesie" was published in 1589, but written several years
previously. The author says:--"I know very many notable Gentlemen in the
Court that have written commendably, and suppressed it agayne, or els
suffred it to be publisht without their owne names to it as if it were a
discredit for a Gentleman to seeme learned, and to shew himself amorous
of any learned Art." There is a bare-faced avowal of how names were
placed on title-pages in a letter which exists from Henry Cuffe to Mr.
Reynolds. Cuffe, an Oxford scholar of distinction, was a close companion
and confidant of Essex. After the capture and sacking of Cadiz by Essex
and Howard, the former deemed it important that his version of the
affair should be the first to be published in England. Cuffe, therefore,
started off post haste with the manuscript, but was taken ill on his
arrival at Portsmouth, and could not proceed. He despatched the
manuscript by a messenger with a letter to "Good Mr. Reynoldes," who was
a private Secretary of Essex. He was to cause a transcript to be made
and have it delivered to some good printer, in good characters and with
diligence to publish it. Reynoldes was to confer with Mr. Greville
(Fulke Greville, afterwards Lord Brooke) "whether he can be contented to
suffer the two first letters of his name to be used in the inscription."
"If he be unwilling," adds Cuffe, "you may put R.B. which some no doubt
will interprete to be Beale, but it skills not." That this was a common
practice is admitted by those acquainted with Elizabethan literature. If
any of Bacon's writings were published prior to the trifle which
appeared in 1597 as Essaies, his name was suppressed, and it would be
probable some other name would appear on the title-page. There is a
translation of a classical author, bearing date 1572, which is in the
Baconian style, but which need not be claimed for him without further
investigation.
The following suggestion is put forward with all diffidence, but after
long and careful investigation. Francis Bacon was the author of two
books which were published, one before he left England, and the other
shortly after. The first is a philosophical discourse entitled "The
Anatomie of the Minde." Newlie made and set forth by T.R. Imprinted at
London by I.C. for Andrew Maunsell, 1576, 12mo. The dedication is
addressed to Master Christopher Hatton, and the name of Tho. Rogers is
attached to it. There was a Thomas Rogers who was Chaplain to Archbishop
Bancroft, and the book has been attributed to him, apparently only
because no other of the same name was known. There was published in 1577
a translation by Rogers of a Latin book "Of the Ende of the World, etc."
and there are other translations by him published between then and 1628.
There are several sermons, also, but the style of these, the matter, and
the manner of treatment are quite distinct from those of the book under
consideration. There is nothing of his which would support the
assignment to him of "The Anatomie of the Mind." It is foreign to his
style.
Having regard to the acknowledged custom of the times of putting names
other than the author's on title-pages, there is no need for any apology
for expressing doubt as to whether the book has been correctly placed to
the credit of the Bishop Bancroft's chaplain. In the address To the
Reader the author says: "I dyd once for my profite in the Universitie,
draw into Latin tables, which since for thy profite (Christian Reader)
at the request of a gentleman of good credite and worship, I have
Englished and published in these two books." There is in existence a
copy of the book with the printer's and other errors corrected in
Bacon's own handwriting.
Bearing date 1577, imprinted at London for Henri Cockyn, is an octavo
book styled, _"Beautiful Blossoms" gathered by John Byshop from the best
trees of all kyndes, Divine, Philosophicall, Astronomicall,
Cosmographical, Historical and Humane that are growing in Greece,
Latium, and Arabia, and some also in vulgar orchards as wel fro these
that in auncient time were grafted, as also from them which with skilful
head and hand beene of late yeare's, yea, and in our dayes planted: to
the unspeakable, both pleasure and profite of all such as wil vouchsafe
to use them._ On the title-page are the words, "The First Tome," but no
further volume was published. As to who or what John Byshop was there is
no information available. His name appears on no other book. The preface
is a gem of musical sounding words. It contains the sentence, "let them
pass it over and read the rest which are all as plaine as Dunstable
Way." Bacon's home was within a few miles of Dunstable Way, which was
the local term for the main road.
It is impracticable here to give at length the grounds upon which it is
believed that Francis Bacon was the author of these two books. Each of
them is an outpouring of classical lore, and is evidently written by
some young man who had recently assimilated the writings of nearly every
classical author. In this respect both correspond with the manner of
"The French Academie," to which the attention of the reader will shortly
be directed, whilst in "The Anatomie of the Minde" the treatment of the
subject is identical with that in the latter. Failing actual proof, the
circumstantial evidence that the two books are from the same pen is
almost as strong as need be.
Some time in October, 1576, Sir Amyas Paulet would reach Paris,
accompanied by Bacon. The only fragment of information which is given by
his biographers of any occurrence during his stay there is obtained from
Rawley. He states that "Sir Amias Paulet after a while held him fit to
be entrusted with some message, or advertisement to the Queen, which
having performed with great approbation, he returned back into France
again with intention to continue for some years there." In his absence
in France, his father, the Lord Keeper, died. This was in February,
1578-9. If he returned shortly after news of his father's death reached
him, his stay on the Continent would cover about two and a-half years.
As to what he was doing nothing is known, but Pierre Amboise states that
"France, Italy, and Spain as the most civilised nations of the whole
world were those whither his desire for Knowledge carried him."
FOOTNOTES:
[8] It was to Sir Amias that the custody of Mary Queen of Scots was
committed.