Francis Bacon and his secret society - Grand Lodge of Colorado

AND HIS SECRET SOCIETY. 373
trusts and then despises itself; first, will not believe that any
such thing can be found out, and, when it is found out, cannot
understand how the world should have missed it so long. " Far
from being discouraged, be repeats that he takes all this as a
ground for hope, and there is yet another. " Let men but think
of their infinite expenditure of understanding, time, and means,
or matters of pursuit of much less value, whereof, if but a small
part were directed to sound and solid studies, there is no difficulty
that might not be overcome."
Does any one suggest that the interpretations of the papermarks
are " arbitrary " or " speculative," the attempted explanations
of doubtful matters erroneous or incomplete ? Let him
turn to the beginning of this book and see again that these
things are offered, not as perfect fruits, but as some of the best
which we have been able to reach or pick up. They are, for
the most part, a humble "collection," such as Francis Bacon
instructed his disciples to make for examination and consideration;
though some are the products of real research and examination,
and of a simple but effective process of " putting two
and two together.
Should more accurate information be forthcoming, better suggestions
be offered, we shall heartily greet them from whatever
quarter they may come, rejoicing if we may in any degree have
cleared the way for the advance of truth, or inspired others to
better work than we are capable of doing. All that is asked,
and this earnestly, is that these things may be fairly discussed,
pressed home, and thoroughly looked into. It is in vain " to
wave them courteously aside " in the prescribed Freemason
fashion, or to thrust them churlishly out of sight as trivialities,
matters of course, mere curiosities for the book-worm or the
" crank.
It is surely wrong as well as vain to attempt to quench the
true spirit of inquiry by endeavouring to make the inquirer appear
contemptible, and his researches childish and silly. Such
devices must in the end return upon the heads of those who
practice them, and, although they may delay and harass the
advance of knowledge, they cannot stop it; for "nothing is