Valerius Terminus: Of the Interpretation of Nature

Name: Valerius Terminus: Of the Interpretation of Nature
Author: Bacon, Francis

Bacon, Francis

Science -- Methodology

| manuscript by Bacon's hand, are
                                           | to throw a light as by a star
                                           | (STELLA). Now 'star' is the
                                           | symbol used by Bacon in the
                                           | GESTA GRAYORUM, the ADVANCEMENT
                                           | OF LEARNING, and the DE
                                           | AUGMENTIS to represent the
                                           | sovereign. And the significance
                                           | which he attaches to the word
                                           | 'Hermes' is evident from his
                                           | address to King James in the
                                           | Introduction to the ADVANCEMENT
                                           | OF LEARNING. 'There is met in
                                           | your Majesty, says Bacon, 'a
                                           | rare conjunction as well of
                                           | divine and sacred literature as
                                           | of profane and human; so as
                                           | your Majesty standeth invested
                                           | of that triplicity which in
                                           | great veneration was ascribed
                                           | to the ancient Hermes; the
                                           | power and fortune of a King,
                                           | the knowledge and illumination
                                           | of a Priest, and the learning
                                           | and the universality of a
                                           | Philosopher.' Bacon is, or
                                           | pretended to be, greatly
                                           | impressed by James's learning:
                                           | 'To drink indeed', he says, 'of
                                           | the true fountains of learning,
                                           | nay to have such a fountain of
                                           | learning in himself, in a king,
                                           | and in a king born, is always a
                                           | miracle.' And it would appear
                                           | that he hopes at the beginning
                                           | of James's reign--long before
                                           | he suffers disillusionment
                                           | respecting his sovereign's
                                           | interest in the advance of
                                           | 'solid' knowledge--that,

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Valerius Terminus: Of the Interpretation of Nature

No reviews yet