The Essays

Synopsis

One of the major political figures of his time, sir francis bacon (1561-1626) served in the court of elizabeth i and ultimately became lord chancellor under james i in 1617. A scholar, wit, lawyer and statesman, he wrote widely on politics, philosophy and science - declaring early in his career that 'i have taken all knowledge as my province'. In this, his most famous work, he considers a diverse range of subjects, such as death and marriage, ambition and atheism, in prose that is vibrant and rich in renaissance learning.