LIFE OF BACON. 



God, and to the sense, which is God s lamp, Lucerna Dei 

 Spiraculum Hominis, will inquire, with all sobriety and 

 seventy, whether there is to be found, in the footsteps of 

 nature, any such transmission and influx of immateriate 

 virtues.&quot; (a) 



In this state of darkness was society involved, when 

 Bacon formed his Art of Invention, which consists in col 

 lecting all bodies that have any affinity with the nature 

 sought; and in a systematic examination of the bodies 

 collected. 



having cut his hand, asked me to view his wounds ; l For I understand, 

 said he, that you have extraordinary remedies upon such occasions, and 

 my surgeons apprehend some fear that it may grow to a gangrene, and so 

 the hand must be cut off. I told him that I would willingly serve him. 

 I asked him then for any thing that had the blood upon it ; so he presently 

 sent for his garter, wherewith his hand was first bound : and having called 

 for a bason of water, as if I would wash my hands, T took a handful of 

 powder of vitriol, which I had in my study, and presently dissolved it. As 

 soon as the bloody garter was brought me, I put it within the bason, ob 

 serving in the interim what Mr. Howel did, who stood talking with a gentle 

 man in a corner of my chamber, not regarding at all what I was doing; but 

 he started suddenly, as if he had found some strange alteration in himself. 

 I asked him what he ailed ? I know not what ails me, but I find that I 

 feel no more pain ; methinks that a pleasing kind of freshness, as it were a 

 wet cold napkin did spread over my hand, which hath taken away the in 

 flammation that tormented me before. I replied, since that you feel already 

 so good an effect of my medicament, I advise you to cast away all your 

 plaisters, only keep the wound clean. After dinner I took the garter out of 

 the water, and put it to dry before a great fire ; it was scarce dry, but Mr. 

 Howell s servant came running, and told me, that his master felt as much 

 burning as ever he had done, if not more, for the heat was such as if his 

 hand were betwixt coals of fire. I answered, that although that had hap 

 pened at present, yet he should find ease in a short time ; for I knew the 

 reason of this new accident, and I would provide accordingly, for his master 

 should be free from that inflammation, it may be before he could possibly 

 return unto him. Thereupon he went, and at the instant I did put again 

 the garter into the water; thereupon he found his master without any pain at 

 all. Within five or six days the wounds were cicatrized and entirely healed.&quot; 

 () See Century x. of Sylva, vol. iv. p. 487, a tract containing materials 

 for a work upon Imagination, most deserving consideration. 



