Science in Early England. 27 



Roger Bacon was born at Ilchester, in Somersetshire, 

 in 1214. He took the degree of Doctor of Theology in 

 the University of Paris, famed in those days above Oxford, 

 Salerno, or Montpellier, and acquired a mastery of the 

 Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic literature of his time. 

 He joined the Franciscan order of monks, but incurred 

 much opposition from them, even to the extent of being 

 thrown into prison on several occasions, on account of 

 having fallen under the suspicion of magic. His proposal 

 to repudiate Aristotle altogether, and appeal to nature by 

 experiment, was also very unpopular. He spent forty 

 years of his life in study, and over £2,000 in buying books 

 and materials, and in travelling; and his only reward was 

 neglect, poverty, and persecution. Fortunately for the 

 world, Clement IV., who had been his friend before his 

 elevation to the papal chair, encouraged him to write, and 

 at his instance he produced those works which have placed 

 him among the immortals, the Opus Majus, Opus Minus, 

 Opus Tertium, and Compendium Philosophise. The first 

 of these, planned on a splendid scale, is divided into six 

 parts, as follows: — 



I. On the four causes of human ignorance; authority, 

 custom, popular opinion, and the pride of supposed 

 knowledge. These seem to bear a kind of lurking 

 resemblance to Lord Bacon's Idols of the Tribe, 

 the Cave, the Market-place, and the Theatre; but 

 for whatever connection there is, Francis, and not 

 Roger, must be held accountable. 

 II. On the causes of perfect wisdom in the Sacred 

 Scripture. 



III. On the usefulness of grammar. 



IV. On the usefulness of mathematics. This is again 



sub-divided into 



(a) The necessity of mathematics in human 

 things. 



