Many of the thoughts in the _Essays_ recur in the "Exempla Antithetorum,"
in the 6th book _De Augmentis Scientiarum_. With respect to this Essay,
compare the article "Vita," No. 12., in vol. viii. p. 360. ed. Montagu.
"You shall read in some of the friars' books of mortification, that a man
should think with himself what the pain is, if he have but his finger's
end pressed or tortured, and thereby imagine what the pains of death are
when the whole body is corrupted and dissolved."] Query, What books are
here alluded to?
"Pompa mortis magis terret, quam mors ipsa."] Mr. Markby thinks these
words are an allusion to Sen. _Ep._ xxiv. § 13. Something similar also
occurs in _Ep._ xiv. § 3. Compare Ovid, _Heroid._ x. 82.: "Morsque minus
pœnæ quam mora mortis habet."
"Galba, with a sentence, 'Feri si ex re sit populi Romani.'"] In addition
to the passage of Tacitus, quoted by Mr. Markby, see Sueton. _Galb._ c.
20.
"Septimus Severus in despatch, 'Adeste si quid mihi restat agendum.'"] No
such dying words are attributed to Severus, either in Dio Cassius, lxxvi.
15., the passage cited by Mr. Markby, or in Spartian. _Sever._ c. 23.
In the passage of Juvenal, the words are, "qui spatium vitæ," and not
"qui finem vitæ," as quoted by Lord Bacon. Length of life is meant.