The New Atlantis
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Sir Francis Bacon >> The New Atlantis
"We have also perspective-houses, where we make demonstrations of all
lights and radiations; and of all colours: and out of things
uncoloured and transparent, we can represent unto you all several
colours; not in rain-bows, (as it is in gems, and prisms,) but of
themselves single. We represent also all multiplications of light,
which we carry to great distance, and make so sharp as to discern
small points and lines. Also all colourations of light; all delusions
and deceits of the sight, in figures, magnitudes, motions, colours all
demonstrations of shadows. We find also divers means, yet unknown to
you, of producing of light originally from divers bodies. We procure
means of seeing objects afar off; as in the heaven and remote places;
and represent things near as afar off; and things afar off as near;
making feigned distances. We have also helps for the sight, far above
spectacles and glasses in use. We have also glasses and means to see
small and minute bodies perfectly and distinctly; as the shapes and
colours of small flies and worms, grains and flaws in gems, which
cannot otherwise be seen, observations in urine and blood not
otherwise to be seen. We make artificial rain-bows, halo's, and
circles about light. We represent also all manner of reflexions,
refractions, and multiplications' of visual beams of objects.
"We have also precious stones of all kinds, many of them of great
beauty, and to you unknown; crystals likewise; and glasses of divers
kinds; and amongst them some of metals vitrificated, and other
materials besides those of which you make glass. Also a number of
fossils, and imperfect minerals, which you have not. Likewise
loadstones of prodigious virtue; and other rare stones, both natural
and artificial.
"We have also sound-houses, where we practise and demonstrate all
sounds, and their generation. We have harmonies which you have not,
of quarter-sounds, and lesser slides of sounds. Divers instruments of
music likewise to you unknown, some sweeter than any you have,
together with bells and rings that are dainty and sweet. We represent
small sounds as great and deep; likewise great sounds extenuate and
sharp; we make divers tremblings and warblings of sounds, which in
their original are entire. We represent and imitate all articulate
sounds and letters, and the voices and notes of beasts and birds. We
have certain helps which set to the ear do further the hearing greatly.
We have also divers strange and artificial echoes, reflecting the
voice many times, and as it were tossing it: and some that give back
the voice louder than it came, some shriller, and some deeper; yea,
some rendering the voice differing in the letters or articulate sound
from that they receive. We have also means to convey sounds in trunks
and pipes, in strange lines and distances.
"We have also perfume-houses; wherewith we join also practices of
taste. We multiply smells, which may seem strange. We imitate smells,
making all smells to breathe outs of other mixtures than those that
give them. We make divers imitations of taste likewise, so that they
will deceive any man's taste. And in this house we contain also a
confiture-house; where we make all sweet-meats, dry and moist; and
divers pleasant wines, milks, broths, and sallets; in far greater
variety than you have.
"We have also engine-houses, where are prepared engines and
instruments for all sorts of motions. There we imitate and practise
to make swifter motions than any you have, either out of your muskets
or any engine that you have: and to make them and multiply them more
easily, and with small force, by wheels and other means: and to make
them stronger and more violent than yours are; exceeding your greatest
cannons arid basilisks. We represent also ordnance and instruments of
war, and engines of all kinds: and likewise new mixtures and
compositions of gun-powder, wild-fires burning in water, and
unquenchable. Also fireworks of all variety both for pleasure and use.
We imitate also flights of birds; we have some degrees of flying in
the air. We have ships and boats for going under water, and brooking
of seas; also swimming-girdles and supporters. We have divers curious
clocks, and other like motions of return: and some perpetual motions.
We imitate also motions of living creatures, by images, of men, beasts,
birds, fishes, and serpents. We have also a great number of other
various motions, strange for equality, fineness, and subtilty.
"We have also a mathematical house, where are represented all
instruments, as well of geometry as astronomy, exquisitely made.
"We have also houses of deceits of the senses; where we represent all
manner of feats of juggling, false apparitions, impostures, and
illusions; and their fallacies. And surely you will easily believe
that we that have so many things truly natural which induce admiration,
could in a world of particulars deceive the senses, if we would
disguise those things and labour to make them seem more miraculous.
But we do hate all impostures, and lies; insomuch as we have severely
forbidden it to all our fellows, under pain of ignominy and fines,
that they do not show any natural work or thing, adorned or swelling;
but only pure as it is, and without all affectation of strangeness.
"These are (my son) the riches of Salomon's House.
"For the several employments and offices of our fellows; we have
twelve that sail into foreign countries, under the names of other
nations, (for our own we conceal); who bring us the books, and
abstracts, and patterns of experiments of all other parts. These we
call Merchants of Light.
"We have three that collect the experiments which are in all books.
These we call Depredators.
"We have three that collect the experiments of all mechanical arts;
and also of liberal sciences; and also of practices which are not
brought into arts. These we call Mystery-men.
"We have three that try new experiments, such as themselves think good.
These we call Pioneers or Miners.
"We have three that draw the experiments of the former four into
titles and tables, to give the better light for the drawing of
observations and axioms out of them. These we call Compilers.
"We have three that bend themselves, looking into the experiments of
their fellows, and cast about how to draw out of them things of use
and practise for man's life, and knowledge, as well for works as for
plain demonstration of causes, means of natural divinations, and the
easy and clear discovery of the virtues and parts of bodies. These we
call Dowry-men or Benefactors.
"Then after divers meetings and consults of our whole number, to
consider of the former labours and collections, we have three that
take care, out of them, to direct new experiments, of a higher light,
more penetrating into nature than the former. These we call Lamps.
"We have three others that do execute the experiments so directed, and
report them. These we call Inoculators.
"Lastly, we have three that raise the former discoveries by
experiments into greater observations, axioms, and aphorisms. These
we call Interpreters of Nature.
"We have also, as you must think, novices and apprentices, that the
succession of the former employed men do not fail; besides, a great
number of servants and attendants, men and women. And this we do also:
we have consultations, which of the inventions and experiences which
we have discovered shall be published, and which not: and take all an
oath of secrecy, for the concealing of those which we think fit to
keep secret: though some of those we do reveal sometimes to the state
and some not.
"For our ordinances and rites: we have two very long and fair
galleries: in one of these we place patterns and samples of all manner
of the more rare and excellent inventions in the other we place the
statues of all principal inventors. There we have the statue of your
Columbus, that discovered the West Indies: also the inventor of ships:
your- monk that was the inventor of ordnance and of gunpowder: the
inventor of music: the inventor of letters: the inventor of printing:
the inventor of observations of astronomy: the inventor of works in
metal: the inventor of glass: the inventor of silk of the worm: the
inventor of wine: the inventor of corn and bread: the inventor of
sugars: and all these, by more certain tradition than you have. Then
have we divers inventors of our own, of excellent works; which since
you have not seen, it were too long to make descriptions of them; and
besides, in the right understanding of those descriptions you might
easily err. For upon every invention of value, we erect a statue to
the inventor, and give him a liberal and honourable reward. These
statues are some of brass; some of marble and touch-stone; some of
cedar and other special woods gilt and adorned; some of iron; some of
silver; some of gold.
"We have certain hymns and services, which we say daily, of Lord and
thanks to God for his marvellous works: and forms of prayers,
imploring his aid and blessing for the illumination of our labours,
and the turning of them into good and holy uses.
"Lastly, we have circuits or visits of divers principal cities of the
kingdom; where, as it cometh to pass, we do publish such new
profitable inventions as we think good. And we do also declare
natural divinations of diseases, plagues, swarms-of hurtful creatures,
scarcity, tempests, earthquakes, great inundations, comets,
temperature of the year, and divers other things; and we give counsel
thereupon, what the people shall do for the prevention and remedy of
them."
And when he had said this, he stood up; and I, as I had been taught,
kneeled down, and he laid his right hand upon my head, and said; "God
bless thee, my son; and God bless this relation, which I have made. I
give thee leave to publish it for the good of other nations; for we
here are in God's bosom, a land unknown." And so he left me; having
assigned a value of about two thousand ducats, for a bounty to me and
my fellows. For they give great largesses where they come upon all
occasions.
[The rest was not perfected.]