Francis Bacon

My singular good Lord,

Your Lordship’s good opinion and favour hath always been dear unto me, and I will never deserve to lose it. I understand you are willing to consider of some course for me, whereby I may serve you; and because I am uncertain whether the matter may be carried in particular as well as in general terms, I think it fittest to write to your Lordship what my poor mind is.

I confess that I have as vast contemplative ends as I have moderate civil ends; for I have taken all knowledge to be my province; and if I could purge it of two sorts of rovers — whereof the one with frivolous disputations, confutations, and verbosities; the other with blind experiments, and auricular traditions and impostures — hath committed so many spoils, I hope I should bring in industrious observations, grounded conclusions, and profitable inventions and discoveries, the best state of that province. This, whether it be curiosity, or vain glory, or nature (if one take it favourably), philanthropia, is so fixed in my mind, as it cannot be removed.

I do not pretend to found a sect, or to set myself in opposition against any, but to take all that is good, to join it, and to enlarge it. For your Lordship, perhaps you will say, that I being a young man, might be more fit to seek preferment and rise by my profession (law) which I mean to use to help myself in living, but not as my principal end. If your Lordship will not carry me on, I will not do as Anaxagoras did, who reduced himself with contemplation to voluntary poverty; but this I will do: I will sell the inheritance I have, and purchase some lease of quick revenue, or some office of gain, that shall be executed by deputy, and so give myself wholly to such studies and endeavours as may best secure my continuance in the liberal state of life wherewith God hath blessed me.

This is not meant for any ostentation, but as duty to your Lordship, to show myself your honest servant. And so I humbly take my leave.

Your Lordship’s most bounden, Francis Bacon