of his attempts to find out the philofopher's ftone, as it has been called, or the art of converting bafer fubftances into gold, it is certain he went as far that way as any man; and, in the profecution of his main fubject, ftruck out a multitude of important truths. Several of his principles and pofitions have been fince approved and confirmed by the most intelligent and curious philofophers; and Boerhaave speaks of him with peculiar honour. The laft inftance we fhall mention of Roger Bacon's vaft proficiency, as an alchemist, is his tincture of gold for the prefervation of life, in his invention and defcription of which, he has afforded manifeft proofs how well he was acquainted with the powers of nature. The medicine itself, indeed, will be looked upon as whimsical, but the investigation of it led him to many valuable enquiries and discoveries. When we reflect upon the course of his chemical studies, we cannot wonder, that he applied to medicine in general. To this we are indebted for his admirable treatife on avoiding the infirmities of age, of which an account has already been given. He wrote, likewife, other pieces in the fame science. While Roger Bacon employed himself in the most abftrufe and fublime fpeculations and pursuits-while he eultivated several kinds of knowledge, in which he was without a rival; one would imagine that he could have had no time to attend to the common literature of the age. This chiefly included logic and metaphyfics, and confifted of a thousand fubtle queftions and diftinctions which the schoolmen had lately introduced. However, if the fashionable learning was entitled to the leaft degree of praise, our friar understood it in all its extent, as is evident from his works; and his reputation in it was equal to that of the best of his contemporaries. With regard to ethics, as we have formerly obferved, his merit was very diftinguished; or so just and enlarged were his fentiments of moral philofophy, that he confidered it as the end and perfection of human wisdom, as the fame with divinity, and the foundation of revealed religion. 1783. C To To crown the whole, he was fo far from neglecting the peculiar business of his profeffion, that he rendered all his! enquiries fubfervient to it, and feems to have had nothing in` view, but the honour of the fupreme Being, and the weltare of mankind. He entertained the utmost veneration for the Scriptures, urged the study of them in their original languages, and thought that all other parts of literature would contribute to make them better understood. To evince this was the grand purpose of his writings, and particularly of his laft performance, the Compendium of Theology; the. publication of which would probably be extremely useful, and throw much light on a variety of fubjects. Nay, ex-' traordinary, and furprifing as his character appears, there is reafon to believe it would be deemed ftill more amazing, if all his manufcripts were collected from the duft of libraries, where fome of them have long lain forgotten, and were brought into open day. Such was friar Roger Bacon; and therefore it is no wonder, that he was called Doctor Mirabilis, a title well deferved, while the other authors of his time had no juft pretenfions to the pompous appellations which were bestowed upon them. His works have been read with aftonishment by the best modern writers, and will ever be admired, fo long as the leaft love of science and learning remains in Britain. We hope that none of our readers will be difpofed to think' lefs honourably of him, because he did not, in all refpects, difcard the errors of the times. This is fo far from affording caufe of blame, that the matter of furprite is how, in fo dark a period, and under fuch prodigious difadvantages, he was capable of ftriking out the light he did. As to his. fentiments concerning Ariftotle, though he looked upon his performances as the foundation of knowledge, let it be remembered, that this was the prevailing, the indifputable opinion of the age. Let it alfo be remembered, that our monk did not take that philofopher in the wretched tranflaions then received, did not confine himfelf to his difcoveries, but dared to differ from him, where he faw reafon; for no - one had a higher fenfe of the poffibility and importance of tranfcending the limits of ancient wildom. With regard, likewife, likewife, to his favourable notion of judicial aftrology, an attachment to it was the general miftake of the day; a miftake which continued in much more enlightened times. Befides, he did not imagine, that the difpofition of the stars abfolutely controlled the coufe of events, or broke in upon moral agency, and human liberty. We need not fay, that the charge of his being addicted to magic was founded on the groffeft ignorance; or attempt to refute the ridiculous ftory of the brazen head, which has been applied to several other eminent men. The more we confider the attainments of Roger Bacon, amidst the greatest obstructions, and under a long and fevere perfecution, the more we fhall admire the vigour of his mind, the fteadiness of his application, and the progrefs he made. Nor can we too much revere the virtues of his heart, his zeal for the public good, the freedom with which he communicated his inventions, and his rendering them all fubfervient to the bett purpofes. That fuch a man should be fo harshly and injurioufly treated, fills us with the highest indignation; but thus hath the ungrateful world often used its nobleft benefactors. The injuftice fhewn to the perfon of our friar, extended alfo to his works. The odium caft upon his character, together with other concurring circumftances, had the unhappy influence of occafioning his writings to be fo much neglected, that there was a danger of their being wholly loft; and Leland complains, that it would be easier to collect the Sybils leaves, than the titles of the books he compofed. If they had not been almoft entirely unknown, mankind could not have continued to iong ignorant of the valuable difcoveries they contain. Late, very late it was, before his merit was fet in a full light; and we are under great obligations to those who have rescued his name and productions from oblivion. Our acknowledgements are particulaaly due to Dr., Jebb, and the authors of the Biographia Britannica, whole excellent labours have enabled us to fee, that Roger Bacon, all things confidered, was, perhaps, the brightest genius which Britain, or the world, hath produced. BRITISH |