362 THE CAUSES OF THE 



XI 



and yet, so firmly rooted is this sort of impression, 

 I cannot call it an idea, or conception, the 

 thing is too absurd to be entertained, but so 

 completely does it exist at the bottom of most 

 men's minds, that this has been a matter of ob- 

 servation with me for many years past. There 

 are many men who, though knowing absolutely 

 nothing of the subject with which they may be 

 dealing, wish, nevertheless, to damage the author 

 of some view with which they think fit to disagree. 

 What they do, then, is not to go and learn some- 

 thing about the subject, which one would naturally 

 think the best way of fairly dealing with it ; but 

 they abuse the originator of the view they ques- 

 tion, in a general manner, and wind up by saying 

 that, "After all, you know, the principles and 

 method of this author are totally opposed to the 

 canons of the Baconian philosophy.' 7 Then every- 

 body applauds, as a matter of course, arid agrees 

 that it must be so. But if you were to stop them 

 all in the middle of their applause, you would 

 probably find that neither the speaker nor his 

 applauders could tell you how or in what way it 

 was so ; neither the one nor the other having the 

 slightest idea of what they mean when they speak 

 of the " Baconian philosophy/' 



You will understand, I hope, that I have not 

 the slightest desire to join in the outcry against 

 either the morals, the intellect, or the great genius 

 of Lord Chancellor Bacon. He was undoubtedly 



