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222 FRANCIS BACON'S CRYPTIC RHYMES
from which all we can gather
is that Rawley would have
very much liked to say more, but did not dare to do so.
In vol. xiv. p. 524 however, Mr. Spedding, in speaking
of this passage added by Rawley, says :
In a book published in France about the end of the last (i8th)
century, a passage on this subject is quoted as if from Rawley, about
which there must certainly be some mistake. The book is entitled
" Le Christianisme de Francois Bacon, Chancelier d'Angleterre, ou
Pense"es de ce grand homme sur la Religion. A Paris, an. VII."
The passage in question occurs in a note, vol. i.p. 174. "Voici
les termes de Rawley, qui etoit un des legataires de Bacon. Neque
est quod ullam ei post remotionem familiaris rei tenuitatem*
objicere velit constat enim : post hanc nihil quicquam horum quae
ad status magnificentiam fecissent t defuisse, sed ita nihilominus
vixisse, ut Jovi ipsi
de felicitate controversiam facere velle visus
fuerit, virtutis omnis, pietatis, humanitatis, patientiae imprimis,
exemplum maxime honorabile."} 1 do not know where this passage
is to be found.
Didn't he indeed know where to look for those words of
Rawley' s f Well then, as the editor of a complete edition
of all Bacon's works he does indeed expose his ignorance
in a manner fatal to his reputation, for he might easily have
found them !
In 1665, the first real " Complete edition of Francis
Bacon's Works" in Latin (1324 Folio columns) appeared
in Frankfort on the Main (not in London, not in England).
In 1694, the second, still completer edition of the "Opera
Omnia"(i584 Folio columns) appeared in Leipzig (not in
England this time either, nor in London).
Mr. Spedding never as much as looked at either of those two
important editions ! He does not even know what is on
the first pages of those two books.
" For my name and memory, I leave it to foreign nations."
In accordance with those words in the Last Will, Rawley
* " Quis
" is left out here. The passage was not even copied
correctly.
f Here "illi" is omitted. Oh, oh, Mr. Copyist
1 The commas
are also mostly wanting.
J Should be " memorabile " !