The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-07-08
NO. COL.

to relieve himself from embarrassment. and
gain opportunity for study. l admit that in
tins pursuit he was not alwsys-who is?-man.
ly. Like true courtier, he abssed himself
before an almost absolute Throne. He humbly
sought pardon of the Queen for an ELOQUENT
appeal In Parliament against demand for
taxation, abandoned the then untried path Of
popularity, and in politics showed himself the
true child of the age and the circumstances
which had always surrounded him. The Eng.
iish constitution was yet in its swadding clothes,
and Hampden had not lived AS if conscious
that his position was not justified by philoso
ply, ne calls it necessary STOPPING to occa.
sions."
Yet, with all Bacon's humility, the Queen
only smiled: her hand was empty. His position
OF Counsellor, &C., was honorable, but without
profit 1t was not the "prize and reward he
needed. fhea Court at this time was divided
into two fsctions-ons headed BY the Cecils,
and the other by the Earl of Essex. Repudia.
ted by the former, Bacon allied himself to the
latter, and the enthusiastic Earl able to appre-
caate genius, became his most ardent patron
ana friend. He prosecuted his application for
the Attorney Generalship and Solicitorship.
and failing in this, presented Bacon the Twick
eEham estate, and ever m anifested for him the
most considerable regard. Like his father in.
law, Leicester, Essex was the Queens favor;ta
but while she loved to honor him, she was zeal
Gus of her own authority, and his patronage
was but weak passport to her favor. So Be-.
con pro6ted little with Elizabeth from his
friendship, and the connection between them
became memorable only from its unfortunate
termination.
Essex was generous, rash, and unprincipled
man. Had he studied the character of his
mistress, shown decent gratitude for her ex.
traordinary favors, and regulated his conduct.
not by his own caprices and wild ambition. but
but the rules of common prudence and the ad
vice of his friend Bacon, his would have con-
tlnued the highest position at Court. But hav.
ing been dsservedly placed under cloud" for
failure, if not betrayal of the most i'm portant
trusts-trusts committed to him BY Elizabeth
against the advice of the Cabinet, trusts which
Bacon vainly labored to dissuade him from &C.
cepting-he affected the air of injured innocence,
now fretted with the impotence of spoiled
pet as he was, now humbled himself for re.
newsl of an odious monopoly, and failing, rail.
Cd against his mistress as "an old woman no
less crooked in mind than in body" and now
entered into reasonable conspiracy to seize
the Queen and strongholds of London, and rule
either in her name or without her. Thus he
brought ruin upon his own head, and well nigh
upon the heads of his friends. During the
whole period of Essex's enlargement, from his
recklessness and disobedience in Ireland to the
seasa3 .es Li--As.-~.---.;--f Op-o,,..
tier to most cspricious sovereign, TO save him
and restore him to favor. He watched every
opportunity to extenuate his follies, soothe the
pride of Elizabeth, and revive her affection. He
even went 80 far, having ascertained the pecu.
liar state of Elizsbeth's temper, as to dictate
letters adapted to that state, to be sent her by
Essex, and would have succeeded in his resto.
ration, but for his own continued follies and
crimes.
/ am surprised to fnd Lord Campbell as.
persing Bscon's motive for these endeavors.
BE says, "Bacon stuck by him as defender
believing that he retained his place in the
Queens heart, and that he would yet have the
disposal of the patronage of the Crown" and
again, 81 most eagerly admit that now, and
down to the hour when the unhappy youth ex.
plated his offences on the scaffold, Bacon showed
him as much countenance as was entirely cen.
sistent with his own safety, convenience, and
hope of advancement" There is nothing to
warrant these base insinuations. His en-
desvors were praiseworthy and persistent
and why asperse the motive2 1t would be
supplementary where men may speak with
impunity, it would be libelIous elsewhere; and
shall the great dead alone be unprotected ?
The truth is, Bacon was sssiduous in his en-
deavors to save his friend, as well from bis
hotbrained self and insane advisers, as from
his offended Sovereign; and it was not till the
EarPs blind and criminal rashness rendered
his destruction certain, that it became neces
sary to choose between his duty to the State
with high political prospects, and ruin, not t.
serve, but, himself innocent, to fall with guilt,
benefactor.
admit that the fact that Bacon appeared
as the prosecutor Of his fallen though guilt,
friend, has an ugly look and especially tina
he subseq GENTLY loaned his pen to justify th
| Queens severity. Il would have been NOR
chivalrous, more generous, had be rather re
signed his place, rather gave up all hope o
promotion. But it is not hence necessary Il
suppose him the "meanest of mankind" Tha
he was a man rather of ideas than deep affec
tons, or rather that his affections we're centres
upon his ideas think is clear. That he IN
duly valued external position, both as q sourc
of happiness, and as a commanding position
whence the world could be brough. within th
influence of his ideas, is also clear. He ais
deemed such position essential, deemed success
in his political career essential to his success q
philosopher. This We can scarcely comprt
bend, and Macaulay and Campbell evidentl
give him little credit for the claim. And ye
with his habits and associations from CHILDHOOD
I do not suppose Bacon could have prosecute
his studies with the surroundings of q poo
scholar, more than most poor scholars coul
follow their pursuits in palace. And, besides
the successful practice of the law is incompat
BILE with the pursuits of literature and philos
ply. Rest and relaxation TO the lawyer is pr
fessional ruin; and when briefs are scarce, b
devotion must be the more assiduous. Of a
lovers, he most clearly realizes that the coy al
not won by divided attention. / have know
men of philosophic or literary tastes, who I
the bar dared steal no time for its indulgence