So far as Bacon's own mind was concerned, he was a firm believer in divine revelation (see his Confes- sion of Faith; Prayers; Character of a Christian; Works, ed. Montague, vol. vii). Theology, as science, he held to rest on data given by inspiration, just as metaphysics must rest on postulates. On this last point the following passage is pregnant: "Where- fore, whatever primitive matter is, together with its influence and action, it is sui generis, and admits of no definition drawn from perception, and is to be taken just as it is found, and not to be judged of from any preconceived idea. For the mode of it, if it is given to us to know it, cannot be judged of by means of its cause, seeing that it is, next to God, the cause of causes, itself without cause. For there is a certain real limit of causes in nature, and it would argue levi- ty and inexperience in a philosopher to require or im- agine a cause for the last and positive power and law of nature, as much as it would not to demand a cause in those that are subordinate" (Fable of Cupid, Works, ed. Montague, xv, 45). As to theology, his language is: "Omnis enim scientia duplicem sortitur informa- i tionem. Una inspiratur divinitus ; alter oritur a sen-
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su. Partiemur, igitur, scientiam in theologian) et philoscphiam. Theologiam hie intelligimus inspira- tam, iion naturalem" (/' Augmentis, iii, 1). In book ix of the same work be expressly sots religion in op- position, so far as its Bource is concerned, totbe induc- tive sciences, inasmuch as in religion the first princi- ples are independent and self-subsistent {per si subsis- •Let u.s conclude," he says, "that sacred theology ought to be drawn from the word and oracles of God, not from the light of nature or the dictates of reason. For it is written, the heavens declare the glory of God, but not the heavens declare the will of God." See also his striking prayer in the preface to the In- stauratio Magna. Bacon's own position, then, is clear- ly defined, although De Maistre, in his Soirees de St. j\ I, rsbourg, seeks to deprive him not only of all merit with regard to the science of induction, but also al- most of the name of Christian. It is another question how far the influence of the Baconian system, confined as it is to the material sciences, has tended to generate a materialist and rationalist way of thinking. On this point, see Rationalism; Philosophy.
The greatest of the philosophical works of Bacon is the Novum Orgamim (Lond. 1620, translated in Bonn's Scit iithic library, Lond.). The most important among the other works of Bacon are: (1) Essays, or Counsels Civil and Moral (Lond. 1597, augment, edit. 1012 and 1624), the best known and most popular of his works. A new edition, with an introduction and many valua- ble notes, has been published by archbishop Whately (Lond. 1857 ; Boston, I860) : — (2) A treatise On the Advancement of Learning (Lond. 1605). This work, revised and enlarged, was afterward translated by Ben Jonson, George Herbert, and other friends of Ba- con, into Latin, and published under the title De Avg- mentis Scientiarum ( Lond. 1623). The works Be Sa- pientia Veterum, Sylva Sylvarum, Nova Atlantis, are likewise highly valued. Complete editions were pub- lished by Rawley (Amsterd. 1663, 6 vols.); Mallet (Lond. 1740); Stephens, Locker, and Birch (Lond. 1765, 5 vols. 4to); Basil Montagu (Lond. 1825-34, 17 vols. 8vo); Spedding, Ellis, and Heath (Lond. 1857 sq.) ; American ed., Boston, 1*63-65. A biography of Bacon may be found at the head of every complete edition of his works ; that by Montagu is especially valued (reprinted in Bacon's Works, Fhila. 3 vols. 8vo). See also Bouillet, Les (Euvres Philos. de B. (Paris, 1834 35); De Maistre, Examen de, la Philos.de /;. i Paris, 1836, 2 vols.) ; Remusat, Bacon,sa Tieetson fajuenct (Paris, 1857); Tenison, Baconicma (167!)); Macaulay, in Edinburgh Review, July, 1837 ; Methodist Quarterly, Jan. 1848, p. 22; April, 1851, art. 1 ; Jan. 1859, art. 1 ; April, 1851, art. 1 ; Princeton Review, xii, 350; xv, 1^1 ; Am. Bib. Repository, 3d series, iii, 127; Qu. Christian Spectator, iv, 528; Encyclop. Brit. (1st and 3d Prelim. Diss, by Stewart and I'layfair); K. Fisher, Bacon von Verulam (Leipz. 1856, tr. by Oxen- ford, Lond. 1*57); Dixon, Personal History of Bacon
(L 1.1860); l-ini/li.-h Cf/e/nprdi,i ; Morell, History of
Philosophy, pt. i, oh. i, § 1 ; Lewes, Biog. Hist. ofPhi- los. vol. iii, epoch. 1.
Bacon, John, an English writer of the fourteenth centurj . born at Baconthorp, in Norfolk, and styled "the Resolute Doctor" i Doctor Resolutw). He took the degrees of doctor of canon and civil law and of divinity at Paris, and became so strongly attached to the opinion- of the Averroists that he was looked upon as their head. In 1829 he was elected provincial of the < larmelite order, which he had out. rod in his youth, and died at London in 1346. He wrote Commentaria tuper quatuor libros sententiarum i Paris, 1484, fol., often reprinted), and many other works. See Dupin, //is/.
Eccl. Writers, I lth cent. ; Landon, Eccl. Diet, i, 192.
Eacon, Roger, the greatest of English philoso- phers before the time of Ins namesake. Lord Bacon, was born near [lchester, in Somersetshire, about 1214.