54 DISSERTATION SECOND. [pa»» i 



teenfh century, an appeal from the authority of the schools, 

 even to nature herself, could not be made with impunity. 

 Bacon, accordingly, incurred the displeasure both of the 

 University and of the Church, and this forms one of his 

 claims to the respect of posterity, as it is but fair to consi- 

 der persecution inflicted by the ignorant and bigoted as 

 equivalent to praise bestowed by the liberal and enlighten- 

 ed. 



Much more recently, Gilbert, in his treatise on the Mag- 

 net, had given an example of an experimental inquiry, car- 

 ried on with more correctness, and more enlarged views, 

 than had been done by any of his predecessors. Neverthe- 

 less, in the end of the sixteenth century, it might still be 

 affirmed, that the situation of (he great avenue to knowledge 

 was fully understood by none, and that its existence, to the 

 bulk of philosophers, was utterly unknown. 



It was about this time that Francis Bacon (Lord Veru- 

 lam) began to turn his powerful and creative mind to con- 

 template the stale of human knowledge, lo mark its imper- 

 fections, and to plan its improvement. One of the consi- 

 derations which appears to ha\e impressed his mind most 

 forcibly, was the vagueness and uncertainly of all the phy- 

 sical speculations then existing, and the entire want of con- 

 nexion between the sciences and the arts. 



Though these two things are in their nature so closely 

 united, that the same truth which is a principle in science, 

 becomes a rule in art, yet there was at that time hardly any 

 practical improvement which had arisen from a theoretical 

 discovery. The natural alliance between the knowledge 

 and the power of man seemed entirely interrupted ; nothing 

 was to be seen of the mutual support which they ought lo 

 afford to one another; the improvement of art was left to 

 the slow and precarious operation of chance, and that of 

 science to the collision of opposite opinions. 



