To Toby Matthew.
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Sir, The reason of so much time taken before my answer to yours of the fourth of August, was chiefly my accompanying my letter with the paper which here I send you; and again, now lately, (not to hold from you till the end of a letter, that which by grief may, for a time, efface all the former contents,) the death of your good friend and mine A. B. to whom because I used to send my letters for conveyance to you, it made me so much the more unready in the dispatch of them. In the mean time I think myself (howsoever it have pleased God otherwise to bless me) a most unfortunate man, to be deprived of two (a great number in true friendship) of those friends whom I accounted as no stage-friends, but private friends, (and such, as with whom I might both freely and safely communicate), him by death, and you by absence. As for the memorial of the late deceased Queen, I will not question whether you be to pass for a disinteressed man or no; I freely confess myself am not, and so I leave it. As for my other writings, you make me very glad of your approbation; the rather because you add a concurrence of opinion with others; for else I might have conceived that affection would perhaps have prevailed with you, beyond that which (if your judgment had been neat and free) you could have esteemed. And as for your caution touching the dignity of ecclesiastical persons, I shall not have cause to meet with them any otherwise, than in that some school men have with excess advanced the authority of Aristotle. Other occasion I shall have none. But now I have sent you that only part of the whole writing, which may perhaps have a little harshness and provocation in it: although I may almost secure myself, that if the preface passed so well, this will not irritate more, being indeed to the preface but as palma ad pugnum. Your own love expressed to me, I heartily embrace; and hope that there will never be occasion of other than intireness between us; which nothing but majores charitates shall ever be able to break off. [@ Bacon, Works XI, 139-40] |
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