BACON; ROGER, known also by the appellation of the Admirable Doctor, was the greatest philosopher of the 13th century, and, in the estimation of some respectable writers, the brightest genius which mo dern Europe ever produced. He was born at Belies ter, in the year 1214, and, to the utmost verge of a long life, employed his versatile talents in cultivating the richest fields of science and literature. His early studies, at Oxford, were pursued with an eagerness and assiduity, which, at the same time, insured success, and earned the strongest marks of favour from his instructors. Transferring the scene of his education from England to France, in conformity with the usual practice of the times, he availed himself of the prelections delivered by the most distinguished pro fessors in the university of Paris. His extraordinary attainments, however, are to be attributed less to any advantages derived from scholastic tuition, than to his own intense and indefatigable application. If we form an estimate of the merits of his contemporaries from the voluminous remains of the applauded tri umvirate, Albertus, Aquinas, and Bonaventura, to whose irrefragable authorities almost every school paid implicit deference, whose names eclipsed the glories of all their rival doctors, we shall easily perceive how little Bacon owed to his preceptors, and how much may he ochieved by the well-directed labours of a sound and vigorous mind. His intimate knowledge of Oriental and Grecian learning was un rivalled, in an age when minute attentions to words constituted the whole of what was called erudition, and when frivolous philological distinctions were mis taken for the profundities of abstract science. But to his higher praise be it recorded, that, though long assailed by the rancour of prejudice, and ob structed by the vengeance of bigotry, lie was the first in modern times, who, spurning the trammels of veteran authorities, pointed out the true road to dis covery, and demonstrated the utility of his method, by exemplifying it in a brilliant train of successful investigations. At Paris he was advanced to the de gree of doctor in divinity ; and when he was twenty. six years of afe, he entered info the community of Friars-Minor, (or Grey Friars,) founded by St Fran cis ; a monastic order which was then rising into great influence. About this time he returned to Oxford, Where, having obtained a very extensive 'and valuable apparatus, he devoted himself chiefly to 'the study of mechanics, optics, astronomy, and che mistry. The mendicant brotherhood, to whose so
ciety he was unfortunately united, envious of his matchless honours, or fearful of his future ascendan cy, conspired to blast the reputation, and to defeat the liberal ambition of one whose aims, uncontami ,nated by secular views, were exclusively directed to the advancement of the highest and most useful branches of human knowledge. He was slanderous ly reported to be addicted to necromancy and the unholy communion of devils ;"—and so powerful. were the secret intrigues of his adversaries, that, though the heads of the university were friendly to his interest, it was deemed expedient, not only to prevent him from taking any share in the instruction of the youth, but even to condemn him to a rigorous confinement, aggravated by the harshest privations, and uncheered by the offices of friendship. It le said, that this hostility was inflamed by other pas sions not less cruel than jealousy. The monks and ecclesiastics Were exasperated by the just animad versions which Bacon had been heard to pass on the gross ignorance and errors of the religious orders, and by the indignant severity with which he had censured their prevalent vices. On the exaltation of Clement IV. to the papal dignity, he obtained a temporary respite from his persecutions; and this in. terval of unmolested quiet, was dedicated with fresh ardour to the favourite occupations which had never ceased to engage his mind. Clement enjoyed his dig nity only for three years; and his successor, X., was too much engrossed with the miseries of the Christians in Palestine, to bestow a single thought on the protection of a philosopher's retirement, or the redress of a philosopher's wrongs. It does not 'appear, however, that the personal liberty of Bacon was again abridged till the year 1278, when he was. seized and imprisoned in France ; and at the same time, an order was given by the guardian of the Fran ciscans, Jerome d'Ascoli, bishop of Palmstrina, after wards Nicolas IV., interdicting the perusal of his writings. He lingered in this captivity for more than tell years ; but at length he regained his free dom, and once more found his way to Oxford, where, at the venerable age of seventy-eight, death put a period to lus labours and vexations, in the year 1292.