oi a” 
‘ 
PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS OF LORD BACON. 415 
The same writer admits, that Bacon’s example may have been 
of some use to his French rival ; inasmuch as it was calculated 
to encourage him in his design, to abjure the authority of the 
ancients, and to re-establish the sciences upon a new founda- 
tion *. He farther observes, that Descartes thought Bacon’s 
method very well suited to the views of those who were willing 
to incur the expence and trouble of instituting experiments 7. 
In- making this observation, he refers to some remarkable 
passages in Descarres’s letters to Father Mrrsrnnr; one 
of which is as follows: “ You formerly wrote me, that you 
“knew persons, who were willing to labour for the advance- 
“ ment of the sciences, at the cost of all sorts of observations 
“ and experiments; now, if any one who is inclined this way, 
“could be prevailed upon to undertake a history of the ap- 
“pearances of the Heavenly Bodies, to be drawn up accord- 
“ ing to the Verulamian method, without the admixture of hypo- 
“ thesis ; such a work as this would prove of great utility, and 
“ would save mea ae deal of trouble in the prosecution 
iad wee <a 
AbSNE | Hs Qat eae Thus, 
fogs J 
* Ua Vie de M. Descartes, tom, i. p. 148,—Descarrtes was about thirty years of 
age at Bacon’s death, and did not publish any of his principal ores till several 
ee after that period. 
Pd 149. ot “4 : 
t Lettres de M. Descartes, tom. iv. p. 210. Paris edit. 1724,—It appears from 
the following passage in one of Sir Kenetm Dicpy’s letters to Fermar, the rival 
of Descartes in mathematical science, that this eminent geometer was a great 
admirer of the works of Bacon: “ Je ne scaurois m’empécher de vous envoyer 
quelques vers que le plus grand genie de notre Isle pour les Muses écrivit au Chan- 
celier Bacon, qui étoit son grand ami, et que vous témoignez étre fort le votre 
en le citant souvent.” 13. Fev. 1658,—Letires de M. Fermar, p. 198. annexed 
to his Opera Mathematica. 
