PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS OF LORD BACON. 417 
» Gassrnpr was one of the earliest disciples of Bacon in 
France ; and he was also one of the earliest and most strenu- 
‘ous opponents ef Descarres’s Philosophy. He has characte- 
rized the principles of philosophizing, which these two re- 
formers respectively professed, in a very clear and able. man- 
ner, in the tenth and eleventh chapters of his treatise De Logice 
-origine, et varietate*. The reformation attempted by Bacon, is 
‘there pronounced a truly great and heroical undertaking. | In 
another work, his excellent account of the life of his celebrat- 
ed friend Psrrresc, ‘there is a: passage, in which Bacon. is 
‘mentioned in a way particularly deserving of notice in the 
present discussion. ‘“ No man,” says Gassenp1, speaking of 
his friend, “ made more observations, or caused more to be 
“made; to the end, that at last some notions. of natural 
- things, more sound and pure than those commonly received, 
“ might be collected ; for which reason, he admired the ge- 
-“ nius, and approved the design of that: great Chancellor of 
_eiRglatid, ‘Sir Francis Bacon f.” Now, Pemesc died in 
1637, only eleven’ years after Bacon. But this is not all. He 
_ was’ the first man in France, according to Bartiy, who deserved 
the name of. an’ astronomer {; and he, as well as. GassENnprI, 
who was’also distinguished as an astronomer,—was a correspon- 
‘Menttirieadied admirer of GatiLEo; yet we see, that Bacon 
"was considered by both, as the great leader of reform in Natu- 
‘ral Philosophy. HR 
There ‘are many other niecaine of a similar real 
in the writings of those who were conversant with the 
po oo ame ea tags One of these, that furnished by 
TE Ee pi 0 BUGact). bast 99 cup Slot SORBIERRE, 
4 
 * Gassenpr, Opera, tom. i. ' 
+ Gassenni’s Life of Peiresc, Book vi. p. 207. of the Biiglish te iitbecinge: 
+ Histoire de Ll Astronomie Moderne, liv, iii. § 20. 
