Item genre: Essay

St. Paul's Cathedral Library: MS 52.D.14
Commonplace book of poetic and prose extracts, begun 1696 (1696-c.1745. The flyleaf suggests that Butler acquired the manuscript in 1693 from her father. The two sections of her commonplace book (poetry and prose) each begin with the date 1696. The final item Butler compiled in the poetry section is probably taken from a printed work of 1720. The penultimate item Butler compiled in the prose section is dated 1745. Three later hands added to the volume after this.)
Katherine Butler (owner, scribe)

Item 6 (Essay), fols 256v, rev.-246r, rev.

The Character of Queen Elizabeth. Written by way of Essay, by the Lord Verulam

Queen Elizabeth was one, whom nature and fortune had made the wonder of her sex, and an ornament to crowned heads

...

Since no age since the creation, could ever shew her equal in her own sex, that was so fit to manage the affairs of a state

Finis

[This essay, transcribed by Butler, is the complete text of Francis Bacon's ""The Character of Queen Elizabeth"", first printed in English in 1696 in The essays, or councils, civil and moral, of Sir Francis Bacon....]

[Fol. 246r is blank.]


(scribe)Hand B
St. Paul's Cathedral Library: MS 52.D.14
Commonplace book of poetic and prose extracts, begun 1696 (1696-c.1745. The flyleaf suggests that Butler acquired the manuscript in 1693 from her father. The two sections of her commonplace book (poetry and prose) each begin with the date 1696. The final item Butler compiled in the poetry section is probably taken from a printed work of 1720. The penultimate item Butler compiled in the prose section is dated 1745. Three later hands added to the volume after this.)
Katherine Butler (owner, scribe)

Item 8 (Essay), fol. 232v-r, rev.

Mrs Cowlings thoughts upon time

I have a certain horror upon common praeingagements of time

...

as I do sincerely and deliberately think a mortgage upon one's land, a less grievance than upon one's time

[Fol. 232r is blank.]


(scribe)Hand D
Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies: D/EP F36
Miscellany (1670-1710)
(Compiler, Scribe) Sarah Cowper

Item 4 (Essay), fol.[2r-v]

Description of Holland

The whole seventeen provinces of Holland are not above a thousand English miles in circuit,

...

To confirm this the keeping of their own language is an argument unanswerable, the change whereof ever follows upon the fully vanquished.

[

Preceded by blank fol.[1v].

Followed by blank fol.[2v].

]


Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies: D/EP F36
Miscellany (1670-1710)
(Compiler, Scribe) Sarah Cowper

Item 61 (Essay), fol.[59r-v][rev]

Eclipse

In the East Indies when the sun and moon are in eclipse, they believe it a certain devil who hath black claws is seizing on those planets with his talons,

...

In short everything is animated ----


Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies: D/EP F40A
Miscellany (Started in 1683)
(Compiler, Scribe) Sarah Cowper

Item 15 (Essay), pp.296-345


Michel de Montaigne (Author)

Fear of Death. Montaigne's Essays.

Physicians say there is no passion sooner transports our judgment out of his due seat then fear.

...

The best and most commendable lives are those which are fitted to the common good mould and humane model, but without wonder and extravagancy.


Cambridge University Library: MS Additional 8460
Miscellany in verse and prose (c.1665-1714. Elizabeth Lyttelton probably began compiling this manuscript in the mid to late 1660s, when she is first mentioned in her father's letters as helping him organize his papers (Keynes, Works, IV, p. 29, letter 21 (13 August 1668)). She might have continued until she gave the manuscript to her cousin Edward Tenison in 1714 (p. 174), though the latest dateable item in the miscellany is 1710 (see Item 6.25).)
Elizabeth Lyttelton (author, scribe)

Item 2.32 (Essay, Extract), p. 43


Thomas Browne (Author (attrib.))

A fragment on consumptions

Many have thought it no lost time to exercise their wits in the praises of diseases

...

and even his last hours and speak unto his saviour when he is within a moment of him

[This fragment is attributed ""by TBMD"", probably Thomas Browne, medical doctor. Geoffrey Keynes has argued that this was a fragment composed by Browne for his ""Letter to a Friend"" but not used in it (Keynes, " "Daughter"", p. 470). For other works possibly by Browne see Items 6.8 and 6.24.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 6.3 (Essay, Extract), fols 64r-v

L Bacon Essays

God never yet wrought a miracle to convince an atheist, because to a man that is capable of being convinced his ordinary works are sufficient

[This is the whole text of the item.]

[This is transcribed from Wilkins chapter 7, "From Providence, and the government of the word", and not directly from Bacon's essays as Bacon uses different wording. A marginal gloss in Wilkins notes the source as "L. Bacon. Essays."]

[Fol. 64v is blank.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 6.4 (Essay, Extract), fol. 65r

L Bacon

I should think it much more easy and rational to believe all the fables in the poets the legend the Talmud and the Alcoran than that this universal frame should be without a creator and governor

...

without successful attempts for supplying of their wants by them

[The first two sentences on this page are from Wilkins (chapters 7 and 4, respectively). The final passage (beginning, " There is no reason to believe that the world was from all eternity as Aristotle imagined"), has not been found in Wilkins.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 6.6 (Essay, Extract, Religious writing), fol. 66r

Of the excellencies and perfections of the divine nature.

Lord Bacon

It would be better to have no opinion of God, than such a one as is unworthy of him, the one is but mere unbelief the other is contumely

[This is the whole text of the item.]

[This extract, and the 6 that follow (msItem 6.7-6.12) are taken from chapter 8 of Wilkins entitled, "Concerning the excellencies and perfections of the divine nature". The compiler uses the heading "Lord Bacon"while in the printed source the word "better" is followed by "saith a great Author" in parentheses. In a marginal note this is clarified as "Lord Bacons Essays".]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7 (Essay, Extract), fols 76r-83v

Prose extracts, twelve from Francis Bacon's

Essays

.


(scribe)Hand B
(author)Francis Bacon

[The sources for items 7.1-7.5, 7.9, and 7.20-7.22 have not been located. Items 7.6-7.8 and 7.10-7.18 (but only the first half of 7.18) are taken from Bacon's Essays, the first complete version of which was published in 1625 with 58 essays. The scribe may have used any number of later editions of the work, but I have compared the extracts with the 1625 edition. MsItem 7.19 is attributed to "Robinson's essays" but has not been located in John Robinson's New essays, or observations divine and moral .]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.6 (Essay, Extract), fol. 77r

L: B: of death

Death is not such terrible enemy when a man hath so many attendants about him

...

Death hath this also that it openeth the gate to good fame and extinguisheth envy

[These lines all appear in Bacon's essay "Of Death". The first paragraph is from the middle of the essay and the explicit is the final line of the essay.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.7 (Essay, Extract), fol. 77r

Of adversity

It was a high speech of Seneca after the manner of the stoics

...

prosperity best discovereth vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue

[These lines all appear in Bacon's essay "Of Adversity". The first line of the extract is the first line of the essay, the second line is from the middle, and the third is the final line of the essay.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.8 (Essay, Extract), fols 77r-78r

[Fol. 77v is item 7.9. The scribe evidently wrote first on the rectos and then returned at a later time to write on the verso of fol. 77.]

Of goodness of nature

If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers it shows that he is a citizen of the world

...

if he be thankful for small benefits, it shows that he weighs men's minds and not their trash

[These lines all appear (with one minor omission) in Bacon's essay "Of Goodness and Goodness in Nature", near the end of the essay (but do not include the final line of the essay).]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.10 (Essay, Extract), fol. 78r

Of counsel

When one asketh counsel let him beware how he opens his own inclinations

...

and instead of giving free counsel sing him a song of placebo

[These lines appear, slightly altered, as the last line of Bacon's essay "Of Counsel".]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.11 (Essay, Extract), fols 78r-79r

Of wisdom for a man's self

Divide with reason between self love and society, as to be so true to thyself as thou be not false to others

...

to the inconstancy of Fortune, whose wings they thought by their self-love to have pinioned

[The first sentence of the extract appears near the beginning of Bacon's essay " Of wisdom for a man's self". The scribe seems to have added a linking phrase and ended with the final sentence of the essay.]

[Fol. 78v is blank.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.12 (Essay, Extract), fol. 79r

Of seeming wise

Seeming wise men may make shift to get opinion, but let no man choose them for employment, for certainly you had better take for business a man somewhat absurd than over formal

[This is the whole text of the item.]

[This appears as the final line of Bacon's essay "Of seeming wise" .]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.13 (Essay, Extract), fols 79r-v

Of expence

If a man will keep but of even hand his ordinary expences ought to be but half of his receipts

...

but in matters that return not, he may be more magnificent

[The first sentence appears near the beginning of Bacon's essay "Of expence" and the second is the final line of the essay.]

[Fol. 79v is blank.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.14 (Essay, Extract), fol. 80r

Of suspicion

There is no better way to moderate suspicion than to account upon suspicions as true

...

as if that should be true that he suspects, yet it may do him no hurt

[These lines appear in the middle of Bacon's essay "Of suspicion" .]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.15 (Essay, Extract), fols 80r-v

Of discourse

It is good in discourse and speech of conversation to vary and intermingle speech

...

namely religion, matters of state, great persons and any man's present business of importance, and any case that deserveth pity

[These two sentences appear (with a small omission) near the beginning of Bacon's essay "Of discourse".]

[Fol. 80v is blank.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.16 (Essay, Extract), fol. 81r

Of riches

Seek not proud riches, but such as thou mayst get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly

...

he that doth so is rather liberal of another man's than of his own

[These lines appear near the beginning and at the end of Bacon's essay " Of riches".]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.17 (Essay, Extract), fols 81r-v

Of boldness

Boldness is ever blind, for it seeth not dangers and inconveniencies, therefore it is ill in counsels

...

for in councel it is good to see dangers, and in execution not to see them, except they be very great

[These lines appear as the last sentences of Bacon's essay "Of boldness". This quotation disturbs the order of the essays quoted in this section. The previous quotations (msItems 7.6-7.8, 7.10-7.16) have all come from essays that appear after each other. This quotation jumps back to an essay near the beginning of the volume.]

[Fol. 81v is blank.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.18 (Essay, Extract), fol. 82r

Of anger

Carry anger rather with scorn than fear so that you may seem rather to be above the injury than below it

...

another time his slave having offended him, I would beat thee says he, but that I am angry

[The opening sentence of the extract appears at the end of the second paragraph of Bacon's essay "Of anger". The rest of the extract (the example of Plato not chastizing a servant when he was angry) does not seem to be in the 1625 essay.]


Beinecke Library: Osborn MS b.188
Commonplace book of prose extracts and sermons (1672-1694)
Jane Truesdale (scribe)
Jane Truesdale's unnamed father (scribe)

Item 7.19 (Essay, Extract), fols 82r-83r

Robinson's essays

Several quotations on revenge

As the bear whets and sharpens his tusks in his own foam, so doth a proud man excite and sharpen his own indignation and revenge

...

the other the ground and continuation multiplication of the crime and consequently makes it without measure and end

[The source is probably John Robinson's New essays, or observations divine and moral first published in 1628 (though that is apparently the second edition). A search yielded no obvious matches with the quoted lines in this manuscript. The quotation attributed to Cosmus, Duke of Florence (on fol. 83r) about forgiving our enemies but not our friends also appears in Bacon's essay "On revenge", but that seems to be the only overlap.]

[Fol. 82v is blank.]