Bacon's Essays, and Wisdom of the Ancients

475 Kept warm in a greenhouse.

476 The damson, or plum of Damascus.

477 Currants.

478 An apple that is gathered very early.

479 A kind of quince, so called from “cotoneum,” or “cydonium,” the Latin name of the quince.

480 The fruit of the cornel-tree.

481 The warden was a large pear, so called from its keeping well. Warden-pie was formerly much esteemed in this country.

482 Perpetual spring.

483 Flowers that do not send forth their smell at any distance.

484 A species of grass of the genus argostis.

485 The blossoms of the bean.

486 Bring or lead you.

487 Impeding.

488 Causing the water to fall in a perfect arch, without any spray escaping from the jet.

489 Lilies of the valley.

490 In rows.

491 Insidiously subtract nourishment from.

492 To consider or expect.

493 Love, are pleased with.

494 It is more advantageous to deal with men whose desires are not yet satisfied, than with those who have gained all they have wished for, and are likely to be proof against inducements.

495 In the sense of the Latin “gloriosus,” “boastful,” “bragging.”

496 Professions or classes.

497 Weakness, or indecision of character.

498 He probably alludes to the ancient stories of the friendship of Orestes and Pylades, Theseus and Pirithoüs, Damon and Pythias, and others, and the maxims of the ancient philosophers. Aristotle considers that equality in circumstances and station is one requisite of friendship. Seneca and Quintus Curtius express the same opinion. It seems hardly probable that Lord Bacon reflected deeply when he penned this passage, for between equals, jealousy, the most insidious of all the enemies of friendship, has the least chance of originating. Dr. Johnson says: “Friendship is seldom lasting but between equals, or where the superiority on one side is reduced by some equivalent advantage on the other. Benefits which cannot be repaid, and obligations which cannot be discharged, are not commonly found to increase affection; they excite gratitude indeed, and heighten veneration, but commonly take away that easy freedom and familiarity of intercourse, without which, though there may be fidelity, and zeal, and admiration, there cannot be friendship.”—The Rambler, No. 64.

499 In such a case, gratitude and admiration exist on the one hand, esteem and confidence on the other.

500 Lowering, or humiliating.

501 Referees.

502 Disgusted.

503 Giving no false color to the degree of success which has attended the prosecution of the suit.

504 To have little effect.

505 To this extent.

506 Of the information.

507 “Ask what is exorbitant, that you may obtain what is moderate.”

508 This formed the first essay in the earliest edition of the work.

509 Attentively.

510 Vapid: without taste or spirit.

511 “Studies become habits.”

512 “Splitters of cummin-seeds;” or, as we now say, “splitters of straws,” or “hairs.” Butler says of Hudibras:—

“He could distinguish and divide

A hair ’twixt south and southwest side.”