Francis Bacon and his secret society - Grand Lodge of Colorado

314 FRANCIS BACON
What farther need have we of arguments to show that the
true history of our paper-marks, and their especial value and
importance, was perfectly well-known to the learned of two
generations ago 1 Are we prepared to believe that such accurate
knowledge is now lost? Surely not. The Freemasons, and
more particularly the Rosicrucians, could tell us all about it.
But, though they could if they might, they may not. Therefore,
let us persevere, and seek for ourselves to trace, classify,
and interpret the multitudinous paper-marks which are to be
found onward from the date at which Mr. Sotheby has thought
fit to cut off our supplies.
As to
other works, we have given the names of a few from
which, out of an infinite deal of nothing, we have picked a few
grains of valuable matter hidden in a bushel of chaff.
But, indeed,
the reader, if he " turns to the library, will wonder at the
immense variety of books which he sees there on our subjects,
and, after observing their endless repetitions, and how men are
ever saying what has been said before, he will pass from admiration
of the variety to astonishment at the poverty and scantiness
of the subjects; " and he will agree that " it is nowise
strange if opinion of plenty has been the cause of want ; ... for
by the crafts and artifices of those who have handled and transmitted
sciences, these have been set forth with such parade,
and brought them into the world so fashioned and masked as if
they were complete in all parts, and finished. . . . The divisions
seem to embrace and comprise everything which can belong to
the subject. And although these divisions are ill-filled and
empty cases, still, to the common mind they present the form of
a perfect science. " Bacon goes on to show how the most ancient
seekers after truth set to work in a different way by storing up
short opinions and scattered observations which did not profess
to embrace the whole art. " But as the matter now is, it is
nothing strange if men do not seek to advance in things delivered
to them as long since perfect and complete." *
The early paper-marks were very rude and irregular.
They
l.N T ov. Org. I. lxxxvi.