PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS OF LORD BACON. 428 



eulogy of Leibnitz is excessive ; but it is remarkable, as show- 

 ing, that the scope and objects of Bacon's Philosophy were 

 known and approved, at this early period, in Germany. We have 

 another illustration of the early diffusion of his views in that 

 country, in Commenius's Synopsis Physicce ad lumen divinum 

 reformat^ published in 1643; in which work, the author 

 speaks of the Novum Organum in the highest terms of praise; 

 and warns his readers, that it was not his wish to interfere with 

 the great plan of discovery which it proposes ; but to make a 

 trial, whether the lights of Scripture might not assist in the 

 interpretation of nature *. 



Among the German writers of the later half of the seven- 

 teenth century, who either professedly or incidentally treat of 

 the history of philosophy, there are various references to be 

 found to the writings of Bacon, coupled with the strongest ac- 

 knowledgments of their beneficial influence. Some of them 

 ascribe merits to his works which have been pointedly disclaim- 

 ed by the more discriminating of his English admirers. Thus 

 Morhof, besides the other praises which lie lavishes upon him, 



affirms 



* " Ego quia ia lumine Dei lumen videre visits sum, temperare mihi non 

 potui,.quin, advocato in auxilium Deo, novas naturalium hypotheses in novam 

 methodum redigere, discipulisque Scholse hujus dictare, tentarim. Non quod 

 magni Veulamii consilio (qui ab axiomatibus, antequam de omnibus et singulis 

 plenae per universam Naturam inductiones exstent, abstinendum esse censet) ad- 

 versus ire vellem ; sed ad capiendum interea experimentum, numnam ratione 

 hac plus luminis, ad Naturae arcana facilius observandum, inferri possit menti- 

 bus." — Commenii, Pliysictz ad lumen divinum reformata Synopsis, Praef. 



In this work, also, Campanella is mentioned in conjunction with Bacon, for 

 reasons which render the passage deserving of notice here. " Videat autem qui 

 volet Campanellam et Verulamium (hos enim Hekcules, qui debellandis mon- 

 stris expurgandisque AugUe stabulis, feliciter admoverunt manus commonstrasse ; 

 et illis, quos Aristotelicae vane turgidae Philosophise dementatos tenet authoritas,. 

 opposuisse, sufficiat) j et quam saepe a vero aberrent Aristotelicae assertiones, pal- 

 pare poterit." — Praef. 



