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1 8 FRANCIS BACON'S CRYPTIC RHYMES
in its nudity, but to elevate it to a higher sphere, into
one which, while it
corresponds to truth, at the same
time transfigures
it.
Dramatic Poesy, Bacon continues, which has the
theatre for its world, is of excellent use, if well directed.
For the stage
is
capable of no small influence both of
discipline and corruption. It has been regarded by
learned men and great philosophers as a kind of
"Plectrum" (musician's bow, Jack), by which men's
minds may be played upon.
And the third kind !of poesy, the parabolical or
allusive poesy, what about that? Is it really one
which we may separate
from narrative or dramatic
poesy ? Never. We consider it impossible to do so.
For parabolical poesy, i.e., parabolical "feigned his
tory" (Bacon speaks of no other), must be either
narrative or dramatic ;
what else can it be? It must
either, as a story, treat of the past, or must present
the events as dramatic history. It cannot hover in
mid-air. Francis Bacon would appear to have pur
posely afforded us but a veiled description of the
position which parabolical poesy holds, in order to
be allowed to avoid speaking of that which he had
most at heart, of Parabolico-dramatic Poesy.
Let us hear his own words on this third kind of
poesy. To him parabolical poesy appears as an inten
sified quality of poesy he calls it a History in
;
Types, which presents mental images to the senses,
rendering them visible, audible, tangible (Historia
cum Typo, quae
I ntellectualia deducit ad Sensum).
This parabolical or allusive poesy, Bacon says, is
employed for two several purposes. It is resorted to,
on the one hand, to infold things, which must or may