Francis Bacon and his secret society - Grand Lodge of Colorado

AND HIS SECRET SOCIETY. 235
can, maintain their proper nature; and if compelled to move,
they, nevertheless, seem always intent on recovering their state
of rest, and moving no more. While thus engaged, indeed, they
show themselves active, and struggle for it with agility and swiftness
enough, as weary and impatient of all delay. . . . Of the motions
I have set forth, some are invincible, some are stronger than
others, fettering, curbing, arranging them; some carry further
thanothers; some outstrip others in speed; somecherish, strengthen,
enlarge, and accelerate others. " *
How lifelike all this is ! Surely, it might be supposed that we
were reading of two-legged or four-legged creatures instead of
particles of matter.
In the same vein the philosopher-poet tells
of opiates and kindred medicaments, which put the spirits utterly
to flight by their malignant and hostile nature.^ How, if taken
internally, their fumes, ascending to the head, disperse in all
directions the spirits contained in the ventricles of the brain, and
these spirits, thus withdrawing themselves, and unable to escape
into any other part, are . . . sometimes utterly choked and extinguished.
Rosewater, on the other hand, " cherishes » the spirits.
^Ye read, too, of Continuance as the, steward or almoner of
Nature; 3 of Heat and Cold as the hands by which she works.
Cold as an enemy to growth, and bad air an enemy to health; of
the west wind friendly to plants, and of strife and friendship in
nature. Bodies, 'at the touch of a body that is friendly, . . .
1 Nov. Or", i. 47. Compare with the preceding sentences "Passion invites me."
Twelfth Night, ii. 2. "A spirit too delicate . . . refusing [the foul witch's]
grand hests." Temp. i. 2. "All hail, great master: 1 lb. " Her nwre potent
ministers, lb. "My potent master." lb. iv. 1. " Curb this cruel devil of his
will " Her. Ven. iv. 1, and Ham. iii. 4. "Tame the savage spirit of wild war.
John v 2. " The delighted spirit to bathe in fiery floods." Meas. for Meas. 111. 1.
' More spirit chased than enjoyed." Mer. Ven. if. fi. "The air smells vomnghi
here" Macb.i.6. "Nature doth abhor to make his bed," etc. Cymh.iv. 4. "Wight's
swift dragons cut clouds full fast . . . damned spirits, all . . . all gone, and must
for aye consort with black-browed night." Midsummer Night's Dream, 111. 2., etc.
2 See Nov. Org. ii. 48, 50. Hist. Winds, Qualities, 27. Hist. Heavy and Light,
Cog. Naturae, vi., etc.
3 " The gifts of Nature." Twelfth Night, i. 3; Ham. i. 5, etc. " Frugal nature;
" iv i. "Our foster nurse of nature is repose" "Poison and treason
are the hands of sin." Pericles, i. 1. " Care's an enemy to life." Twelfth Night,
i, 2. " Nature is thy friend." Merry Wives, iii. 3.