412 
them with fuccefs. Several of the moft in- 
genious have been fince projected and exe- 
cuted, and many which he propofed have 
been found to be impraéticable and ufe- 
lefs. In the age in which nature placed 
him, and in the elevation which he reached 
by his own genius in the midft of the 
{ciences, his thoughts were oftentimes 
more properly conjectures than. well- 
grounded obfervations. But there is a 
fact which I muft mention, not only be- 
caufe it forms the firmeft foundation for 
Bacon’s glory, but likewife becaule it 
will naturally furnifh you with a more 
juft and extenfive idea of the great 
though not undifputed utility of the ana- 
lyfis of the human underftanding. 
The threenobleft difcoveries of Newton, 
and perhaps the nobleft that have been 
made in any age, are the fyitem of at- 
traction, the explanation of the tide, and 
the diftovery of the theory of colours by 
the analyfis of light. But Newton in 
demonftrating there three great laws of 
nature only reduced to experiment and 
calculation three general obfervations 
«of Bacon. Icall them obfervations and 
mot cenjectures ; for he alludes to thefe 
feveral times in his different works, they 
bear the marks of his methed of conf- 
dering the phenomena of nature, and he 
has himfelf pointed out experiments which 
bear a firong refemblance to thofe which 
have been fince made. The glory of 
thefe important difcoveries ought there- 
fore to be fhared between Newton and 
Bacon, and between the analyfis of the 
underftanding, and the {cience of geome- 
try ; for the analyfis of the underftard- 
ing was the inftrument of Bacon, in the 
fame manner as geometry. was the inftru- 
ment of Newton. Natural philofophy 
and metaphyfics, the extent of which is 
ammenfe, were not fufficient to engrofs 
the comprehenfive genius of Bacon. We 
may obferve in general, that in Europe 
the cultivation of ancient literature has re- 
tarded the progrefs of philofophy; aad 
philofophy, which has not been always in 
the right, has affected a great difdain 
for that department of knowledge. But 
Bacon, being placed at an equai difanc 
between the cultivators of claffical know- 
ledge and the philofophers, has this dif- 
tinguifhing mark among all writers, that 
he is at the fame time, the perfon who 
has opened the avenues .of fcience, and 
the moft boundlefs views of improvement 
for future ages, and who likewife pof- 
Sefled m the higheft degree whatever was 
great and beautiful in the writings and in- 
ventions ef former times. The mek 
Deferipiion of Mamburg. 
(Dec. ig 
ftriking events in antiquity, its moft bril- 
liant thoughts, its richeft and happielt 
expreflions, and moft ingenious fentiments 
were conftantly prefent to the memory of 
Bacon ; and his genius improved and em- 
bellithed thefe full more by introducing 
them in his works. The ancient mytho- 
logy had arnong its divinities, a god who 
was reprefented with two faces, one turn- 
ed towards paft ages, which he furveyed 
at one glance, and the other turned to- 
wards future times, which, though not yet 
in exiftence, were comprehended within 
his view ; we may fay with propricty 
that fuch a reprefentation is the image 
and emblem of the geniusof Bacon. 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
EXCURSION fo the NORTH of GERMANY. 
DESCRIPTION 0f HAMBURG. 
eee once a diftinguithed 
member of the Hanfeatic Confede- 
racy, fo celebrated in the annals of Eu- 
rope from the 13th to the clofe of the 15th 
century, is ftill one of the firft cities in 
Germany in wealth and population, and 
inferior to none in commercial impor- 
tance throughout the widely extended re- 
gions of the empire. It is fituated on the 
confines of Holftein, in north latitude 
53° 34”, and in longitude eaft of the me- 
ridian of Greenwich 9° 55%, about 7o 
miles from Cuxhaven and 80 from ‘the 
mouth of the Elbe. A very advantage- 
ous pofition on the banks of a navigable 
river, which equaily facilitates its com- 
munication with the interioy of Germa- 
ny and the North Sea, attraéied the atten- 
tion of mercantiJe adventurers in the 
dawn of civilization in the north of Eu- 
rope. Its earlieit fortifcations are attri- 
buted to the age of Charlemagne; im- 
portant privileges foftered the infancy of 
commerce, in a fomewhat later period ; 
and commerce foon rewarded the induftry 
of the inhabitants, and contributed to the: 
fplendour of the city. Hamburg rofe 
{till higher in power and opulence during 
the exiftence of the Hanfeatic alliance, and 
remained uninjured by the diffo!ution of 
that powerful league. Its profperity in- 
creaied with the extenficn of commercial 
intercourfe amongft the modern nations, 
nd its trade was generally augmested by 
the convulfions of the political world. 
The privileges of a free imperial city, 
encouraged the emulation of rival mer- 
chants; in times of the fierceft warfare the 
flag of Hamburg was conftantly refpeéted, 
and the Belligerents themfelves were bene- 
fited by the refources which ancutral port 
fupplied. Hamburg thus. became the 
great 
