In this collection of essays originally published in 1625 Bacon delves in to a variety of topics using inductive reasoning to find truth based on observations of the world. The application of inductive reason to scientific and philosophical pursuits was a breakthrough in the history of human knowledge. Students of history and philosophy as well as those intrigued by the world's great minds can find in these essays Sir Francis Bacon's commentary on such topics as death religion beauty friendship etc. As a man of religion Bacon was careful to distinguish between reason-based philosophy and faith-based revelation considering both essential to human thought.