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at that point, a slight and gradual increase in dimensions takes place, until the freezing point is attained, and this fact creates a necessity for revising the axiom; itself, in its renewed condition, continuing the ever faithful index, by the aid of which persevering observation and experiment must be conducted.

Now, on comparing the old and the new systems of philosophy, will there be a difference of opinion as to which is that one which leads to truth, in its immediate results, and to the advancement of human civilisation in its consequences? The outlines of the two systems need only be presented to the unbiased decisions of common sense, and the "method of induction" will at once be declared to be that whose true foundation is nature and natural ordinances. Speculation and hypothesis may amuse, delight, and surprise mankind ; and in former days, fame and honour would have been their handmaids but the time is now gone by, and every one who would reap the reward, must be industrious at seed-time. And here we will again quote, from the "Novum Organum," an aphorism regarding the evidences of true philosophy:-"Signs are also to be taken from the progress and increase of philosophies and the sciences; for things planted in nature, will grow and enlarge; but things founded in opinion, will differ and not thrive. And, therefore, if the ancient doctrines had not been like plants plucked up and severed from their roots, but still adhered to the womb of nature, and were fed by her, that could not have happened which we see has happened for these two thousand years; the sciences still remaining where they are, and almost in the same condition, without any considerable improvement; nay, they rather flourish most in their original authors, and afterwards declined. On the contrary, the mechanic arts which are founded in nature and the light of experience, and remaining preg. nant, as it were, with spirit, so long as they continue to please, are ever upon their increase and growth; being first rude, then fashioned, and, lastly, polished and perpetually improved."

So much for the merits of the philosopher, as presented by Mr. Noble. In this relation, we will merely add the following words of Professor Playfair:-"The power and compass of the mind which could form such a plan beforehand, and trace not merely the outline, but many of the most minute ramifications of sciences which did not yet exist, must be an object of admiration to all succeeding ages.”

We are now to view him in his professional capacity, and estimate his legal acquirements. To show his excellence as a lawyer, we will content ourselves with the following extract from an authentic history" When a student at Gray's Inn, he divided his time between law and philosophy; and nothing can be more false than

the fustian of some of his biographers about his genius being too lofty for the dry and thorny paths of legal investigation. He was early a proficient in law; and the knowledge which he attained, could only have been acquired by a bent of mind suited to its investigations. On the 27th of June, 1582, he was called to the bar. His practice soon became considerable. In 1586, four years after, he was made a bencher. In his 28th year he became counsel extraordinary to the queen. In 1588, he was appointed a reader to his Inn; and again, in 1600, the lent double reader; appointments which showed the opinions of his professional acquirements held by those who were best able to judge of them, since the duty of reader was generally discharged by men of eminence in the profession, and seldom by persons so young as Bacon, in years and practice, when he first received the honour. His double reading on the Statute of Uses has been republished several times, first in 1642; and in 1804 it was edited by William Henry Rowe, as a work of high authority on the difficult subject which it investigates." Such is the evidence of his legal abilities.

We will now endeavour to prove, what may appear rather more difficult, his pre-eminence as an orator. This would be in no small degree embarrassing, but that we are fortunately in possession of the opinions of two of his cotemporaries, equally distinguished for their great learning and general knowledge, critical acumen, taste, and judgment. We allude to the accomplished Sir Walter Raleigh and Ben Jonson. Sir Walter entertained the most exalted opinions of Bacon's oratorical powers. He thought him the only man of his day who equally excelled as a speaker and writer. Ben Johnson esteemed his eloquence of a much higher order still, and compared it with that of the great Grecian. But he has so graphically described in Bacon what we may imagine to have been the splendor and power of Demosthenes, and given so true a picture of the very highest order of oratory, that we will present it in his own words. "There happened in my time one noble speaker, who was full of gravity in his speaking. His language, when he could spare or pass by a jest, was nobly censorious. No man ever spake more neatly, more precisely, more weightily, or suffered less emptiness, less idleness in what he uttered; no member of his speech but consisted of its own graces; his hearers could not cough or look aside from him without loss. He commanded when he spoke; and his judges were pleased or angry at his devotion. No man had their affections more in his power. The fear of every man that heard him was lest he should make an end. Cicero is said to be the only wit that the people of Rome had equaled in their empire. Ingenium par

imperis. We have had many, and in their several ages (to take in but the former age). Sir Thomas Moore, the Elder Wiat, Henry Earl of Surrey, Chaloner, Smith, Cliot, Bishop Gardiner, were for their times admirable, and the more because they began their eloquence with us. Sir Nicholas Bacon, (the father of Sir Francis Bacon,) singular and almost alone in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's time. Sir Philip Sidney and Mr. Hooker, (in different matters,) grave, great masters of wit and language, and in whom all vigour of invention and strength of judgment met. The Earl of Essex, noble and high, and Sir Walter Raleigh, not to be contemned for judgment or style; Sir Henry Saville, grave and truly lettered; Sir Edward Sands, excellent in both; Lord Egerton, the chancellor, a grave and great orator, and best when he was provoked. But his learned and able, though unfortunate successor, is he who hath filled up all numbers; and performed that in our own tongue which may be com. pared or preferred either to insolent Greece or haughty Rome; in short, within his view, and about his time, were all the wits born that could honour a language or help a study. Now things daily fall; wits grow downwards, eloquence grows backward, so that he may be named and stand as the mark and axμn of our language.” The reader cannot require better testimony than this, coming as it does from one who had often listened to Bacon, and experienced the impressions which he describes, and who was an accomplished scholar, as well as one of the severest critics of his age.

But there is one organ very distinctly marked in the likeness of Bacon, and strongly manifested in his life and writings, to which we have not alluded. Will any professor, who still walks in the groves of old metaphysics, or affects the porch or lyceum, tell us what is that principle of humanity which adorns alike philosophy and poetry, and yet is strictly neither the one nor the other ?—which cannot be resolved into either beauty of language, harmony of numbers, pathetic description, nor into any of the splendid results of scientific investigation? That charming quality of which, in spite of his rare judgment, choice expression, and a modulation sweet and harmonious even to cloying, we find so little in the poetry of Pope, and so much amid the rougher measures of Byron and Shelley-that nameless grace which enchains the study of Plato, and allures him on through long and obscure labyrinths of mystic speculation, heedless of the aim and drift, and only conscious of peculiar pleasure-which in the Novum Organum enlivens even the abstractions of logic, and gilds each link of the inductive chain? It is the chief source of the artist's pleasure, and of his most refined emotions. It irradiates all it touches, whether it be art or science, poetry or philosophy.

It

delights the eye in the efforts of the old painters, and thrills us in the sublime outpouring of impassioned eloquence. It enchants the ear in the compositions of Mozart and Beethoven, charms us in the matchless grace and airy movements of Taglioni, and gleams with no fitful light in the page of inspired song. What can it be? We cannot find it in the classifications of Locke or Reid, nor very distinctly perceive it in those of Brown or Stewart. It cannot be imagination, in the common acceptation of the term, for this is known to be a mode of action of all the intellectual faculties. It must be an independent primitive power in man. Phrenology has discovered and analysed that power, distinguished it by a name alike descriptive and beautiful, and has called it Ideality. Of this quality, Bacon possessed an unusual endowment. The organ is nearly as large in his head as in that of Shakspeare. Compare his likeness, in this respect, with that of his great cotemporary, Coke, and then compare the "Advancement of Learning," or the Novum Organum, with the "Institutes of Law." Coke appears to have been no less deficient in taste and philosophical acumen, than he was profound in his favourite science. His want of all taste, is sufficiently evinced in his Commentaries upon Littleton, which is, indeed, a literary curiosity in the way of pedantry and scholastic affectation. He seems not to have understood or appreciated the Novum Organum; and in his copy of that great work which the author presented to him, he wrote the following insulting lines, expressive both of his spleen and envy, and of a mind that could perceive nothing worthy of attention beyond the pale of his own profession :

"Auctori consilium

Instaurare paras veterum documenta sophorum
Instaura leges justiamque prius."

As Bacon's great work was variously estimated in his day, and by some utterly condemned, it may perhaps induce the reader to put more confidence in Ben Jonson's opinion, which we cited above to show his judgment upon a production concerning the merits of which there is now scarce any difference of opinion. "Though by the most of superficial men, who cannot get beyond the table of nominals, it is not penetrated nor understood, it really openeth all defects of learning whatsoever. My conceit of his person was never increased towards him by his place or honours. But I have, and do, reverence him for the greatness that was only proper in himself, and in that he seemed to me ever, by his work, one of the greatest men, and most worthy of admiration, that has been in many ages." We have thus shown the very intimate connection between his phrenological conditions and

the manifestations of his mind, and his varied excellence in philosophy, law, and eloquence. Upon his moral character, we are loth to dwell. It is painful to contemplate the shade that tarnishes the lustre of genius. And when the stain is found blurring the escutcheon of one who consecrated to the advancement of his race in knowledge and wisdom all the choicest products of his wonderful and creative spirit, who pointed out the noblest heights of science and of truth, and led the way through the unexplored alps of new discoveries-a benefactor of mankind, in the highest sense of the word-we experience a painful revulsion of our best feelings, we are inexpressibly shocked, and fain would efface for ever the unsightly spot that stains and sullies his otherwise perfect and consistent beauty. But envy of intellectual greatness is quick and ready to see every thing that depreciates, while it often remains blind to what redeems or adorns. The records of genius are full to abundance with the most minute details of its weaknesses, its follies, and its vices. The chronicle which has so faithfully preserved the fact that Shakspeare was a deer stealer, and fled from his native place in disgrace, is enriched with very few of the delightful and instructive incidents of his youth for which we would now be so grateful, but for which we must search in vain. We want in biography more of what distinctly characterises men of brilliant and original powers, and less of that which they share in common with all their race. If genius be the theme, let us know, at least, something of its true attributessomething of its young hopes and fears, its impatient yearnings and wild aspirations-something of its apparent contradictions, but real consistency with its own ideals-of that modesty which falls abashed before its own unattainable standards, but becomes bold and daring amid the models of the world-of its constant wrestlings with its own mismanaged sensibilities-of the gradual unfolding of its hidden powers, and of its proud but slowly acquired consciousness of its own strength.

As Bacon's conduct towards his patron, Essex, has considerably increased the odium with which his name has been surrounded, and as every one must wish to see any charge against him mitigated, if it can be done with truth, we present the following passage from a work which appears to have derived its materials from the most authentic sources. "The friendship of Bacon for this nobleman was not one of mere interest. Bacon's zeal in attaching his elder brother to the interests of Essex, and braving the opposition of his own powerful relations in his cause, proves that, in this instance at least, selfish feelings did not influence his conduct. A coldness came over their friendship, owing to difference of policy and opinion. Bacon in

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