334 ^'^ ^^-^ ^'^^'■' ^"'^ Character 



firft, had read and received a reflected ray of illumination from 

 the works of the firfi: Bacon, our philofopher. 



Thefe works of the monk had been buried, amidil the ma- 

 nufcripts of fuch learning as is never read, for tlirte or four 

 hundred years before the time in which the lord St. Albans 

 wrote ; and continued in the fame ftate for near a century 

 after, to 1733, when they were publiflied by the learned 

 editor Dr. Jebb; yet they might not have efcaped the fcru- 

 tinizing, induttrious, inquifitive genius and informed ftudies 

 of the fecond great philofopher. But let me here repeat, 

 that whatever caufe or chance firft wrought this fecond great 

 genius into operation, he was equally an original as the firft. 

 i'or, whoever confiders the procefs of the operations of intel- 

 leol, and the origin and progrcfs of knowledge, will find it 

 difficult, if not impoffible, to mark what that fpring, inte^-nal 

 or external, is which firfl becomes a caufe from a comoidehce 

 of ideas that gives courfe to it. 



As it hath become an almoft generally received opinion, 

 that the inftauration of true philofophy in the prcfent age 

 derives its fource primarily and folely from Bacon the lord 

 St. Albans, I cannot bnt think it juft in this paper to en- 

 deavour to reftorc to the Jirji orig'uial that portion of merit 

 which is due to him ; and fairly to appreciate the former; 

 without derogating from the latter: and to recommend to 

 this fociety to trace back the origin of their philofophy to a 

 more remote fouroe, arifing within the bounds of the county 

 in v.hich this fociety is eltabliflied * ; from a fpring which, 

 however illaudatus, unhonoured, and almoft loft in anti- 

 quity, will alwavs be a peculiar honour to this county, as 

 generally fo, in every extent and degree, to the Britifti nation 

 at large. 



Almoft all focieties, originally from fuperftiiion, but fince 

 from the habit of cultom, have adopted foiiie fuppofed patron 

 faint. Inftead of adopting a patron, let this fociety avow as 

 their pattern the philofopher monk. Though no faint, it 

 would be an honour to any philofophic fociety to adopt his 

 principles, and to follow his example. 



ift, To adopt his principles by an independent fpirit of 

 philofophizing, which will not be reprefled or kept down by 

 the autliority of any name howfoever great; will not be rc- 

 ftrained within tlie bounds of any fociety or feci howfoever 

 refpedtable ; will not fubmit to any dominant lead, but, with- 

 out oppofition or faftion againft others, will unabated follow 

 the ftcps of truth with uudcviating inveftigation j by an ar.^ 



** Roger Bacon v/as born near Ikhpfter. 



dour 



