Francis Bacon and his secret society - Grand Lodge of Colorado

190 FRANCIS BACON
In the Anatomy of Melancholy, the author (Bacon, as we
believe) says that "poetry and beggary are Gemini, twin- born
brats, inseparable companions.
"And to this day is every scholar poor:
Gross gold from thein runs headlong to the boor."
And now we come to dramatic poesy, a section which Bacon
seems carefully to have omitted in the English edition of the
Advancement of Learning. That edition would, during bis own
lifetime, be chiefly read by his own* countrymen, and might
draw attention to his connection with the dran\a and stage
plays, arts which, as we have seen, he held to be of the highest
value and importance, although in his time corrupt, degraded,
plainly neglected, and esteemed but as toys.
" Dramatic poesy, which has the theatre for its world, would
be of excellent use ificell directed. For the stage is capable of
no small influence, both of discipline and of corruption. Now.
of corruptions in this kind we have had enough; but the discipline
has, in our times, been plainly neglected. And though
in modern states play-acting is esteemed but as a toy, exec] it
when it'is too satirical and biting, yet among the ancients it was
used as a means of educating men's minds to virtue. Nay, it
has been regarded by learned men and great philosophers as a
kind of musician's bow, by which men's minds may be pla\ ed.
upon. And certainly it is most true, and one of the great
secrets of nature, that the minds of men are more open to
impressions and affections when many are gathered together,
than when they are alone." 1
He returns to the subject later on, in connection with rhetoric
and other arts of transmitting knowledge:
" It will not be amiss," he says, " to observe that even mean
faculties, when they fall into great men or great matters, work
great and important effects. Of this I will bring forward an
example worthy to be remembered, the more so because the
Jesuits appear not to despise this kind of discipline, therein
judging, as I think, well.
It is a thing indeed, if practised professionally,
of low repute; but if it be made a part of discipline
it is of excellent use. I mean stage playing — an art which
,f 1 1\ r.gthens the memory, regulates the tone and effect of the
IDeAug. ii. 13.