4o6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ly to have been generally misunderstood. He lias been ranked as a 

 superstitious alchemist who stumbled upon some inventions ; but 

 more recent investigation has revealed him to be one of the great 

 masters in human progress. 



The advance of sound historical judgment seems likely to reverse 

 the positions of the two who bear the name of Bacou. Bacon of the 

 chancellorship and the " Novum Organon " seems to wane. Bacon of 

 the prison-cell and the " Opus Majus " seems to grow brighter.^ 



Roger Bacon's work, as it is now revealed to us, was wonderful. 

 He wrought with power in philosophy and in all sciences, and his 

 knowledge was sound and exact. By him, more than by any other 

 man of the middle ages, was the world put on the most fruitful paths 

 of science the paths which have led to the most precious inventions. 

 Clocks, lenses, burning specula, telescopes, were given by him to the 

 world, directly or indirectly. In his writings are found formulas for 

 extracting phosphorus, manganese, and bismuth. It is even claimed 

 that he investigated the power of steam. He seems to have very 

 nearly reached also some of the principal doctrines of modern chemis- 

 try. His theory of investigation was even greater than these vast 

 results. In an age when metaphysical subtilizing was alone thought 

 to give the title of scholar, he insisted on real reasoning and the aid 

 of natural science by mathematics. In an age when experimenting 

 was sure to cost a man his reputation and Avas likely to cost him his 

 life, he insisted on experiment and braved all its risks. Few greater 

 men have lived. As we read the sketch given by Whewell of Bacon's 

 process of reasoning regarding the refraction of light, he seems fairly 

 inspired. 



On this man came the brunt of the battle. The most conscientious 

 men of his time thought it their duty to fight him, and they did it too 

 well. It was not that he disbelieved in Christianity, tliat was never 

 charged against him. His orthodoxy was perfect. He was attacked 

 and condemned, in the words of his opponents, ''propter quasdam 

 novitates suspectasy 



He was attacked, first of all, wnth that goodly old missile, which, 

 with the epithets "infidel" and "atheist," has decided the fate of 

 so many battles the charge of magic and compact with Satan. 



He defended himself with a most unfortunate Aveapon a Avcapon 

 which exploded in his hands and injured him more than the enemy, 

 for he argued against the idea of compacts with Satan, and shoAved 

 that much Avhich is ascribed to demons results from natural means. 

 This added fuel to the flame. To limit the poAver of Satan was 

 deemed hardly less impious than to limit the poAver of God. 



The most powerful protectors availed him little. His friend Guy 



* For a very contemptuous statement of Lord Bacon's claim to his position as a phi- 

 losopher, see Lange, "Geschichte des Materialismus," J^eipsic, 1874, vol. i., p. 219. See 

 also Jevons, " Principles of Science," London, 1874, vol. ii., p. 298. 



