The New Atlantis
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Sir Francis Bacon >> The New Atlantis
After the ceremony endeth the father or Tirsan retireth; and after
some time cometh forth again to dinner, where he sitteth alone under
the state, as before; and none of his descendants sit with him, of
what degree or dignity soever, except he hap to be of Salomon's House.
He is served only by his own children, such as are male; who perform
unto him all service of the table upon the knee; and the women only
stand about him, leaning against the wall. The room below the
half-pace hath tables on the sides for the guests that are bidden; who
are served with great and comely order; and towards the end of dinner
(which in the greatest feasts with them lasteth never above an hour
and an half) there is an hymn sung, varied according to the invention
of him that composeth it (for they have excellent posy) but the
subject of it is (always) the praises of Adam and Noah and Abraham;
whereof the former two peopled the world, and the last was the Father
of the Faithful: concluding ever with a thanksgiving for the nativity
of our Saviour, in whose birth the births of all are only blessed.
Dinner being done, the Tirsan retireth again; and having withdrawn
himself alone into a place, where he makes some private prayers, he
cometh forth the third time, to give the blessing with all his
descendants, who stand about him as at the first. Then he calleth
them forth by one and by one, by name, as he pleaseth, though seldom
the order of age be inverted. The person that is called (the table
being before removed) kneeleth down before the chair, and the father
layeth his hand upon his head, or her head, and giveth the blessing in
these words: Son of Bensalem, (or daughter of Bensalem,) thy father
with it: the man by whom thou hast breath and life speaketh the word:
the blessing of the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and the
Holy Dove, be upon thee, and make the days of thy pilgrimage good and
many. This he saith to every of them; and that done, if there be any
of his sons of eminent merit and virtue, (so they be not above two,)
he calleth for them again; and saith, laying his arm over their
shoulders, they standing; Sons, it is well ye are born, give God the
praise, and persevere to the end. And withall delivereth to either of
them a jewel, made in the figure of an ear of wheat, which they ever
after wear in the front of their turban or hat. This done, they fall
to music and dances, and other recreations, after their manner, for
the rest of the day. This is the full order of that feast.
By that time six or seven days were spent, I was fallen into straight
acquaintance with a merchant of that city, whose name was Joabin. He
was a Jew and circumcised: for they have some few stirps of Jews yet
remaining among them, whom they leave to their own religion. Which
they may the better do, because they are of a far differing
disposition from the Jews in other parts. For whereas they hate the
name of Christ; and have a secret inbred rancour against the people
among whom they live: these (contrariwise) give unto our Saviour many
high attributes, and love the nation of Bensalem extremely. Surely
this man of whom I speak would ever acknowledge that Christ was born
of a virgin and that he was more than a man; and he would tell how God
made him ruler of the seraphims which guard his throne; and they call
him also the Milken Way, and the Eliah of the Messiah; and many other
high names; which though they be inferior to his divine majesty, yet
they are far from the language of other Jews.
And for the country of Bensalem, this man would make no end of
commending it; being desirous, by tradition among the Jews there, to
have it believed that the people thereof were of the generations of
Abraham, by another son, whom they call Nachoran; and that Moses by a
secret Cabala ordained the Laws of Bensalem which they now use; and
that when the Messiah should come, and sit in his throne at Hierusalem,
the king of Bensalem should sit at his feet, whereas other kings
should keep a great distance. But yet setting aside these Jewish
dreams, the man was a wise man, and learned, and of great policy, and
excellently seen in the laws and customs of that nation.
Amongst other discourses, one day I told him I was much affected with
the relation I had, from some of the company, of their custom, in
holding the Feast of the Family; for that (methought) I had never
heard of a solemnity wherein nature did so much preside. And because
propagation of families proceedeth from the nuptial copulation, I
desired to know of him what laws and customs they had concerning
marriage; and whether they kept marriage well and whether they were
tied to one wife; for that where population is so much affected,' and
such as with them it seemed to be, there is commonly permission of
plurality of wives.
To this he said, "You have reason for to commend that excellent
institution of the Feast of the Family. And indeed we have experience
that those families that are partakers of the blessing of that feast
do flourish and prosper ever after in an extraordinary manner. But
hear me now, and I will tell you what I know. You shall understand
that there is not under the heavens so chaste a nation as this of
Bensalem; nor so free from all pollution or foulness. It is the
virgin of the world. I remember I have read in one of your European
books, of an holy hermit amongst you that desired to see the Spirit of
Fornication; and there appeared to him a little foul ugly AEthiop.
But if he had desired to see the Spirit of Chastity of Bensalem, it
would have appeared to him in the likeness of a fair beautiful
Cherubin. For there is nothing amongst mortal men more fair and
admirable, than the chaste minds of this people. Know therefore, that
with them there are no stews, no dissolute houses, no courtesans, nor
anything of that kind. Nay they wonder (with detestation) at you in
Europe, which permit such things. They say ye have put marriage out
of office: for marriage is ordained a remedy for unlawful
concupiscence; and natural concupiscence seemeth as a spar to marriage.
But when men have at hand a remedy more agreeable to their corrupt
will, marriage is almost expulsed. And therefore there are with you
seen infinite men that marry not, but chose rather a libertine and
impure single life, than to be yoked in marriage; and many that do
marry, marry late,, when the prime and strength of their years is past.
And when they do marry, what is marriage to them but a very bargain;
wherein is sought alliance, or portion, or reputation, with some
desire (almost indifferent) of issue; and not the faithful nuptial
union of man and wife, that was first instituted. Neither is it
possible that those that have cast away so basely so much of their
strength, should greatly esteem children, (being of the same matter,)
as chaste men do. So likewise during marriage, is the case much
amended, as it ought to be if those things were tolerated only for
necessity? No, but they remain still as a very affront to marriage.
The haunting of those dissolute places, or resort to courtesans, are
no more punished in married men than in bachelors. And the depraved
custom of change, and the delight in meretricious embracements, (where
sin is turned into art,) maketh marriage a dull thing, and a kind of
imposition or tax. They hear you defend these things, as done to
avoid greater evils; as advoutries, deflowering of virgins, unnatural
lust, and the like. But they say this is a preposterous wisdom; and
they call it Lot's offer, who to save his guests from abusing, offered
his daughters: nay they say farther that there is little gained in
this; for that the same vices and appetites do still remain and abound;
unlawful lust being like a furnace, that if you stop the flames
altogether, it will quench; but if you give it any.vent, it will rage.
As for masculine love, they have no touch of it; and yet there are
not so faithful and inviolate friendships in the world again as are
there; and to speak generally, (as I said before,) I have not read of
any such chastity, in any people as theirs. And their usual saying is,
That whosoever is unchaste cannot reverence himself; and they say,
That the reverence of a man's self, is, next religion, the chiefest
bridle of all vices."
And when he had said this, the good Jew paused a little; whereupon I,
far more willing to hear him speak on than to speak myself, yet
thinking it decent that upon his pause of speech I should not be
altogether silent, said only this; "That I would say to him, as the
widow of Sarepta said to Elias; that he was come to bring to memory
our sins; and that I confess the righteousness of Bensalem was greater
than the righteousness of Europe." At which speech he bowed his head,
and went on in this manner:
"They have also many wise and excellent laws touching marriage. They
allow no polygamy. They have ordained that none do intermarry or
contract, until a month be past from their first interview. Marriage
without consent of parents they do not make void, but they mulct" it
in the inheritors: for the children of such marriages are not admitted
to inherit above a third part of their parents' inheritance. I have
read in a book of one of your men, of a Feigned Commonwealth, where
the married couple are permitted, before they contract, to see one
another naked. This they dislike; for they think it a scorn to give a
refusal after so familiar knowledge: but because of many hidden
defects in men and women's bodies, they have a more civil way; for
they have near every town a couple of pools, (which they call Adam and
Eve's pools,) where it is permitted to one of the friends of the men,
and another of the friends of the woman, to see them severally bathe
naked."
And as we were thus in conference, there came one that seemed to be a
messenger, in a rich huke, that spake with the Jew: whereupon he
turned to me and said; "You will pardon me, for I am commanded away in
haste." The next morning he came to me again, joyful as it seemed,
and said; "There is word come to the Governor of the city, that one of
the Fathers of Salomon's House will be here this day seven-night: we
have seen none of them this dozen years. His coming is in state; but
the cause of his coming is secret. I will provide you and your
fellows of a good standing to see his entry." I thanked him, and told
him, I was most glad of the news.
The day being come, he made his entry. He was a man of middle stature
and age, comely of person, and had an aspect as if he pitied men. He
was clothed in a robe of fine black cloth, with wide sleeves and a
cape. His under garment was of excellent white linen down to the foot,
girt with a girdle of the same; and a sindon or tippet of the same
about his neck. He had gloves, that were curious,`' and set with
stone; and shoes of peach-coloured velvet. His neck was bare to the
shoulders. His hat was like a helmet, or Spanish montera; and his
locks curled below it decently: they were of colour brown. His beard
was cut round, and of the same colour with his hair, somewhat lighter.
He was carried in a rich chariot without wheels, litter-wise; with
two horses at either end, richly trapped in blue velvet embroidered;
and two footmen on each side in the like attire. The chariot was all
of cedar, gilt, and adorned with crystal; save that the fore-end had
panels of sapphires, set in borders of gold; and the hinder-end the
like of emeralds of the Peru colour. There was also a sun of gold,
radiant, upon the top, in the midst; and on the top before, a small
cherub of gold, with wings displayed. The chariot was covered with
cloth of gold tissued upon blue. He had before him fifty attendants,
young men all, in white satin loose coats to the mid leg; and
stockings of white silk; and shoes of blue velvet; and hats of blue
velvet; with fine plumes of diverse colours, set round like hat-bands.
Next before the chariot, went two men, bare-headed, in linen garments
down the foot, girt, and shoes of blue velvet; who carried, the one a
crosier, the other a pastoral staff like a sheep-hook; neither of them
of metal, but the crosier of balm-wood, the pastoral staff of cedar.
Horsemen he had none, neither before nor behind his chariot: as it
seemeth, to avoid all tumult and trouble. Behind his chariot went all
the officers and principals of the companies of the city. He sat
alone, upon cushions of a kind of excellent plush, blue; and under his
foot curious carpets of silk of diverse colours, like the Persian, but
far finer. He held up his bare hand as he went, as blessing the
people, but in silence. The street was wonderfully well kept: so that
there was never any army had their men stand in better battle-array
than the people stood. The windows likewise were not crowded, but
every one stood in them as if they had been placed.
When the shew was past, the Jew said to me; "I shall not be able to
attend you as I would, in regard of some charge the city hath laid
upon me, for the entertaining of this great person." Three days after
the Jew came to me again, and said; "Ye are happy men; for the Father
of Salomon's House taketh knowledge of your being here, and commanded
me to tell you that he will admit all your company to his presence,
and have private conference with one of you, that ye shall choose: and
for this hath appointed the next day after to-morrow. And because he
meaneth to give you his blessing, he hath appointed it in the forenoon.
We came at our day and hour, and I was chosen by my fellows for the
private access. We found him in a fair chamber, richly hanged, and
carpeted under foot without any degrees to the state. He was set upon
a low Throne richly adorned, and a rich cloth of state over his head,
of blue satin embroidered. He was alone, save that he had two pages
of honour, on either hand one, finely attired in white. His under
garments were the like that we saw him wear in the chariot; but
instead of his gown, he had on him a mantle with a cape, of the same
fine black, fastened about him. When we came in, as we were taught,
we bowed low at our first entrance; and when we were come near his
chair, he stood up, holding forth his hand ungloved, and in posture of
blessing; and we every one of us stooped down, and kissed the hem of
his tippet. That done, the rest departed, and I remained. Then he
warned" the pages forth of the room, and caused me to sit down beside
him, and spake to me thus in the Spanish tongue.
"God bless thee, my son; I will give thee the greatest jewel I have.
For I will impart unto thee, for the love of God and men, a relation
of the true state of Salomon's House. Son, to make you know the true
state of Salomon's House, I will keep this order. First, I will set
forth unto you the end of our foundation. Secondly, the preparations
and instruments we have for our works. Thirdly, the several
employments and functions whereto our fellows are assigned. And
fourthly, the ordinances and rites which we observe.
"The end of our foundation is the knowledge of causes, and secret
motions of things; and the enlarging of the bounds of human empire, to
the effecting of all things possible.
"The Preparations and Instruments are these. We have large and deep
caves of several depths: the deepest are sunk six hundred fathom: and
some of them are digged and made under great hills and mountains: so
that if you reckon together the depth of the hill and the depth of the
cave, they are (some of them) above three miles deep. For we find,
that the depth of a hill, and the depth of a cave from the flat, is
the same thing; both remote alike, from the sun and heaven's beams,
and from the open air. These caves we call the Lower Region; and we
use them for all coagulations, indurations, refrigerations, and
conservations of bodies. We use them likewise for the imitation of
natural mines; and the producing also of new artificial metals, by
compositions and materials which we use, and lay there for many years.
We use them also sometimes, (which may seem strange,) for curing of
some diseases, and for prolongation of life in some hermits that
choose to live there, well accommodated of all things necessary, and
indeed live very long; by whom also we learn many things.
"We have burials in several earths, where we put diverse cements, as
the Chineses do their porcellain. But we have them in greater variety,
and some of them more fine. We have also great variety of composts"
and soils, for the making of the earth fruitful.
"We have high towers; the highest about half a mile in height; and
some of them likewise set upon high mountains; so that the vantage of
the hill with the tower is in the highest of them three miles at least.
And these places we call the Upper Region; accounting the air
between the high places and the low, as a Middle Region. We use these
towers, according to their several heights, and situations, for
insolation, refrigeration, conservation; and for the view of divers
meteors; as winds, rain, snow, hail; and some of the fiery meteors
also. And upon them, in some places, are dwellings of hermits, whom
we visit sometimes, and instruct what to observe.
"We have great lakes, both salt, and fresh; whereof we have use for
the fish and fowl. We use them also for burials of some natural
bodies: for we find a difference in things buried in earth or in air
below the earth, and things buried in water. We have also pools, of
which some do strain fresh water out of salt; and others by art do
turn fresh water into salt. We have also some rocks in the midst of
the sea, and some bays upon the shore for some works, wherein is
required the air and vapor of the sea,. We have likewise violent
streams and cataracts, which serve us for many motions: and likewise
engines for multiplying and enforcing of winds, to set also on going
diverse motions.
"We have also a number of artificial wells and fountains, made in
imitation of the natural sources and baths; as tincted upon" vitriol,
sulphur, steel, brass, lead, nitre, and other minerals. And again we
have little wells for infusions of many things, where the waters take
the virtue quicker and better, than in vessels or basins. And amongst
them we have a water which we call Water of Paradise, being, by that
we do to it made very sovereign for health, and prolongation of life.
"We have also great and spacious houses where we imitate and
demonstrate meteors; as snow, hail, rain, some artificial rains of
bodies and not of water, thunders, lightnings; also generations of
bodies in air; as frogs, flies, and divers others.
"We have also certain chambers, which we call Chambers of Health,
where we qualify the air as we think good and proper for the cure of
divers diseases, and preservation of health.
"We have also fair and large baths, of several mixtures, for the cure
of diseases, and the restoring of man's body from arefaction: and
others for the confirming of it in strength of sinewes, vital parts,
and the very juice and substance of the body.
"We have also large and various orchards and gardens; wherein we do
not so much respect beauty, as variety of ground and soil, proper for
divers trees and herbs: and some very spacious, where trees and
berries are set whereof we make divers kinds of drinks, besides the
vineyards. In these we practise likewise all conclusions of grafting,
and inoculating as well of wild-trees as fruit-trees, which produceth
many effects. And we make (by art) in the same orchards and gardens,
trees and flowers to come earlier or later than their seasons; and to
come up and bear more speedily than by their natural course they do.
We make them also by art greater much than their nature; and their
fruit greater and sweeter and of differing taste, smell, colour, and
figure, from their nature. And many of them we so order, as they
become of medicinal use.
"We have also means to make divers plants rise by mixtures of earths
without seeds; and likewise to make divers new plants, differing from
the vulgar; and to make one tree or plant turn into another.
"We have also parks and enclosures of all sorts of beasts and birds
which we use not only for view or rareness, but likewise for
dissections and trials; that thereby we may take light what may be
wrought upon the body of man. Wherein we find many strange effects;
as continuing life in them, though divers parts, which you account
vital, be perished and taken forth; resuscitating of some that seem
dead in appearance; and the like. We try also all poisons and other
medicines upon them, as well of chirurgery, as physic. By art
likewise, we make them greater or taller than their kind is; and
contrariwise dwarf them, and stay their growth: we make them more
fruitful and bearing than their kind is; and contrariwise barren and
not generative. Also we make them differ in colour, shape, activity,
many ways. We find means to make commixtures and copulations of
different kinds; which have produced many new kinds, and them not
barren, as the general opinion is. We make a number of kinds of
serpents, worms, flies, fishes, of putrefaction; whereof some are
advanced (in effect) to be perfect creatures, like bests or birds; and
have sexes, and do propagate. Neither do we this by chance, but we
know beforehand, of what matter and commixture what kind of those
creatures will arise.
"We have also particular pools, where we make trials upon fishes, as
we have said before of beasts and birds.
"We have also places for breed and generation of those kinds of worms
and flies which are of special use; such as are with you your
silk-worms and bees.
"I will not hold you long with recounting of our brewhouses,
bake-houses, and kitchens, where are made divers drinks, breads, and
meats, rare and of special effects. Wines we have of grapes; and
drinks of other juice of fruits, of grains, and of roots; and of
mixtures with honey, sugar, manna, and fruits dried, and decocted;
Also of the tears or woundings of trees; and of the pulp of canes.
And these drinks are of several ages, some to the age or last of forty
years. We have drinks also brewed with several herbs, and roots, and
spices; yea with several fleshes, and white-meats; whereof some of the
drinks are such, as they are in effect meat and drink both: so that
divers, especially in age, do desire to live with them, with little or
no meat or bread. And above all, we strive to have drink of extreme
thin parts, to insinuate into the body, and yet without all biting,
sharpness, or fretting; insomuch as some of them put upon the back of
your hand will, with a little stay, pass through to the palm, and yet
taste mild to the mouth. We have also waters which we ripen in that
fashion, as they become nourishing; so that they are indeed excellent
drink; and.many will use no other. Breads we have of several grains,
roots, and kernels; yea and some of flesh and fish dried; with divers
kinds of leavenings and seasonings: so that some do extremely move
appetites; some do nourish so, as divers do live of them, without any
other meat; who live very long. So for meats, we have some of them so
beaten and made tender and mortified,' yet without all corrupting, as
a weak heat of the stomach will turn them into good chylus; as well as
a strong heat would meat otherwise prepared. We have some meats also
and breads and drinks, which taken by men enable them to fast long
after; and some other, that used make the very flesh of men's bodies
sensibly' more hard and tough and their strength far greater than
otherwise it would be.
"We have dispensatories, or shops of medicines. Wherein you may
easily think, if we have such variety of plants and living creatures
more than you have in Europe, (for we know what you have,) the simples,
drugs, and ingredients of medicines, must likewise be in so much the
greater variety. We have them likewise of divers ages, and long
fermentations. And for their preparations, we have not only all
manner of exquisite distillations and separations, and especially by
gentle heats and percolations through divers strainers, yea and
substances; but also exact forms of composition, whereby they
incorporate almost, as they were natural simples.
"We have also divers mechanical arts, which you have not; and stuffs
made by them; as papers, linen, silks, tissues; dainty works of
feathers of wonderful lustre; excellent dies, and, many others; and
shops likewise, as well for such as are not brought into vulgar use
amongst us as for those that are. For you must know that of the
things before recited, many of them are grown into use throughout the
kingdom; but yet, if they did flow from our invention, we have of them
also for patterns and principals.
"We have also furnaces of great diversities, and that keep great
diversity of heats; fierce and quick; strong and constant; soft and
mild; blown, quiet; dry, moist; and the like. But above all, we have
heats, in imitation of the Sun's and heavenly bodies' heats, that pass
divers inequalities, and (as it were) orbs, progresses, and returns,
whereby we produce admirable effects. Besides, we have heats of dungs;
and of bellies and maws of living creatures, and of their bloods and
bodies; and of hays and herbs laid up moist; of lime unquenched; and
such like. Instruments also which generate heat only by motion. And
farther, places for strong insulations; and again, places under the
earth, which by nature, or art, yield heat. These divers heats we use,
as the nature of the operation, which we intend, requireth.