PREFACE 



TO 



DE PRINCIPIIS ATQUE ORIGINIBUS. 



BY ROBERT LESLIE ELLIS. 



THE following tract is one of those which were pub 

 lished by Grater. It seems to be of later date than 

 many of the others, as it contains several phrases and 

 turns of expression which occur also in the Nbvum 

 Organum. 



Bacon s design was to give a philosophical exposition 

 of two myths ; namely, that of the primeval Eros or 

 Cupid, and that of Uranos or Coelum. Only the first 

 however is discussed in the fragment which we now 

 have, and even that is left incomplete. 



The philosophy of Democritus appeared to Bacon 

 to be nearly in accordance with the hidden meaning; 



* O 



of these fables ; but we are not well able to judge of 

 his reasons for thinking so, as the only system spoken 

 of in detail is that of Telesius. 



Touching the origin of Eros, Bacon remarks that 

 no mention is made anywhere of his progenitors. In 

 this he is supported by the authority of Plato, or rather 

 by that of one of the interlocutors in the Symposium, 

 who affirms that no one, whether poet or not, has 



