The  first-named  class  is  of  course  the  largest,
including  as  it  does  the  relations  of  mankind  to  the
physical  world  and  also  those  mutual  relations  con-
stituting Society  as  a  whole.  As  representative  of
the  papers  that  would  fall  under  this  category  may
be  named  those  on  "Seditions  and  Troubles,"
"Great  Place,"  "Empire,"  "Friendship,"  "Planta-
tions," "  Parents  and  Children,"  "Building,"  "Gar-
dens," "  Suitors,"  "  Judicature,"  "  Discourse,"
"  Faction,"  &c.
Under  the  second  group,  would  be  ranked  the
papers  dealing  with  Man  the  individual,  in  his  intel-
lectual and  moral  relations.  The  Essays  regarded
as  representative  of  this  class  would  be  such  as  :
"Regimen  of  Health,"  "Studies,"  "Ambition,"
"  Wisdom  for  Man's  Self,"  "  Seeming  Wise,"
"  Adversity,"  "  Revenge,"  "  Honour  and  Reputa-
tion," "  Deformity,"  &c.
Under  the  third  heading,  Man's  relation  to  his
Maker  and  the  Unseen  World — such  papers  as
these  would  be  ranked  :  "  Death,"  "  Unity  in  Re-
ligion," "  Atheism,"  "  Superstition,"  "  Prophecies,"
"Nature  in  Men,"  "Goodness,"  &c.
xlviii


Introduction

Bacon's  Essays,  we  repeat,  should  be  read  accord-
ing to  some  such  scheme  of  classification,  because
thereby  papers  on  cognate  or  allied  themes  are
studied  consecutively,  and  the  development  of  the
main  ideas  are  thus  traced  from  inception  to  conclu-
sion. On  the  other  hand,  by  reading  them  without
any  definite  plan  of  study,  fish,  flesh,  and  sweets,  so
to  speak,  are  devoured  indiscriminately,  and  mental
indigestion  too  often  ensues.  The  epigrammatic
aphorisms  with  which  Bacon's  Essays  abound  make
them  a  favourite  magazine  for  quotations.  Many
of  the  nuggets  of  proverbial  wisdom  which  bestud
our  current  conversation,  on  examination  will  be
found  to  have  been  dug  originally  from  the  Baconian
mine.  We  have  space  only  for  one  or  two  of  these.
