Francis Bacon and his secret society - Grand Lodge of Colorado

AND HIS SECRET SOCIETY. 189
delight, but to magnanimity and morality. Whence it may
fairly be thought to partake somewhat of a divine nature, because
it raises the mind aloft, accommodating the shows of
things to the desires of the mind, not (like reason and history)
buckling and bowing down the mind to the nature of things." l
" By these charms and that agreeable congruity which it has
with mau's nature, accompanied also with music, to gain more
sweet access, poesy has so won its way as to have been held in
honour even iu the rudest ages and among barbarous people,
when other kinds of learning were utterly excluded." 2
Can it be doubted that he intended so to use it in his own age,
still so rude, though so self-satisfied? In a previous chapter
he has described Minerva as " forsaken," and he proposes " to
make a hymn to the muses, because it is long since their rites
were duly celebrated. 3
Years before this he said the same in
the Device of Philautia, which was performed before the Queen
A hermit is introduced, who, in his speech, exhorts the squire
to persuade his master to offer his services to the muses. " It is
long since they received any into their court. They give alms
continually at their gate, that many come to live upon, but few
have they ever admitted into their palace." Elsewhere he
speaks of " the poverty of experiences and knowledge," 4 " the
poverty and scantiness 11 of the subjects which till now have
occupied the minds of men." 5
And so in the Midsummer Night 1 s Dream (v. 1) we find
" The thrice-three muses mourning for the death
Of Learning, late deceas'd in beggary."
And the Princess in Love's Labours Lost (v. 2), exclaims,
when the King and his masque and musicians depart:
" Are these the breed of wits so wondered at ?
Well-liking wits they have ;
gross, gross ; fat fat.
O poverty in wit, kingly-poor flout !
And Biron says the study of
" Slow arts entirely keep the brain*,
And, therefore, finding barren practisers,
Scarce show a harvest of their heavy toil."
1 De Aug. ii. 13.
2 De Aug. ii. 13. "Aye, much is the force of heaven-bred poesy."—Tw G
Ver. hi. 2. 3 Advt. L. i. * Int. Nat. 10. 5 Nov. Org. i. 85.