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FRANCIS BACON'S CRYPTIC RHYMES 145
nature. Whereas the first
Essay clearly hinted at
Bacon's work as a poet for the stage,
and author of
the Tempest, the newly added lines concluding the
second Essay, state one of the reasons why he con
cealed his " artes " (arts).
He surpassed the others in
art ;
he had reason to fear the others' envy,
and he
carried on his art secretly. His death will extinguish
that jealousy ;
then may his name stand forth, then
may the world know who Francis Bacon really was.
The third
new in
Essay, "Of Unity in Religion," was not
1625, but had been almost entirely recast, and
considerably enlarged.
Many a rhyme flashes up in
it. But we shall only mention one short quotation
from the Bible, to prove again how seldom Bacon
quotes without altering and so recasting the words
that rhyme results. Any other author in quoting a
passage from the second Book of Kings (ix.
1 8) would
reproduce the Biblical words " : And Jehu said, What
hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me."
Bacon, however, writes: "Is it peace, Jehu? What
hast thou to doe with peace? turne thee behinde me."
Which means that he dramatises even those few words,
shaping them into question and answer, and framing a
rhyme : Is it
peace, ]zhu ?
What hast thou to doe
with peace ?
behinde me.
turne thee
This is but a trifle, and yet
it is in this very manner
of acting that the innermost nature of a man will often
reveal itself to us. If this was done intentionally, we
have proved our :
argument Bacon wanted to rhyme.
If it was accidental, that accident shows that rhyme