Francis Bacon and his secret society - Grand Lodge of Colorado

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84 FRANCIS BACON
enthralled
and enchained my heart, but his ichole life and character;
which are such that if he were of an inferior condition I
could not honour him the less, and if he were mine enemy I
should not the less love and endeavour to serve him.
Dr. Kawley's short Life of Bacon deals more with his circumstances
and works than with his
character, yet his opinion is
the same as Sir Tohie's. During his residence in Gray's Inn,
Bacon " carried himself," says Dr. Eawley, " with such sweetness,
comity, and generosity, that he was much revered and
loved by the Readers and Gentlemen of the House " (or Inn).
Again, " When his office called him, as he was the King's Council
Learned, to charge any offenders, . . . he was never insulting
or domineering over them, but always tender-hearted, and carrying
himself decently towards the parties (though it was his
duty to charge them home), as one that looked upon the example
with the eye of severity, but upon the person with the eye of
pity and compassion. And in civil business, as he was Councillor
of State, he had the best way of advising, . . . the King giving
him this testimony, ' That he ever dealt in business suavibus modis,
which was the way that was most according to his heart.'
Having borne testimony to his " prime and observable parts,
. . . abilities which commonly go singly in other men, but
which in him were conjoined" — sharpness of wit, memory,
judgment, and elocution, together with extraordinary celerity
in writing, facility in inventing and " caution in venting the
imagination or fancy of his brain " — Dr. Rawley records his
industry, his anxiety to write so as to
be easily understood, the
charm of his conversation, and his power of " drawing a man on
so as to lure him to speak on such a subject as wherein he was
peculiarly skilful, and would delight to speak, contemning no
man's observation, but lighting his torch at every man's candle-
. . . His opinions and assertions were, for the most part, binding,
and not contradicted by any. ... As he was a good servant
to his master" (being never in nineteen years' service
rebuked by the King for anything), " so he was a good master to
his servants, . . . and if he were abused by any of them in their
places, it was not only the error of the goodness of his nature,