modern Prometheus, that brought down Fire and Light from Heaven, and to its noiseless builders "the Highly-Wise and God-Beloved R. C." In the "Novum Organum" Bacon hints at what was in progress. "Let us begin from God, and show that our pursuit from its exceeding goodness clearly proceeds from Him, the Author of good and Father of Light. Now, in all divine works the smallest beginnings lead assuredly to some result, and the remark in spiritual matters that the kingdom of God cometh without observation,' is also found to be true in every great work of Divine Providence, so that everything glides quietly on without confusion or noise, and the matter is achieved before men either think or perceive that it is commenced. Nor should we neglect to mention the prophecy of Daniel, of the last days of the world, ' Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased,' thus plainly hinting and suggesting that fate (which is Providence) would cause the complete circuit of the globe (now accomplished or at least going forward by means of so many distant voyages), and the increase of learning to happen at the same epoch."1 Match the master-work you've done, When shall he rejoice agen As come forward one to ten To the Song on your bugles blown, England Down the years on your bugles blown ?"1 Bacon has been described as " Aurora's harbinger." In the "Confessio Fraternitatis R. C." we find a prophecy of the Dawn he heralded. "Now there remains that in a short and swiftly approaching time the World shall have slept away the intoxication of her poisoned and stupyfying chalice, and with an open heart, bare head and naked feet shall merrily and joyfully go forth to meet the Sun rising in the morning." . . 1 W. E. Henley, "Poems." Fig. 45a. IMPRINT FROM "THE WORKS OF SIR FRANCIS BACON," LONDON, 1704. This illustration, being reproduced from a bookbinder's block, the lights and shadows are reversed. It will, however, serve to show the designer's intention, namely, to connect Sir Francis Bacon with the Dawn of Learning. UNIV. OF APPENDIX A "MASON-MARKS" IN OLD CHURCHES T HE author of "Sir Francis Bacon and His Secret Society," states that "when a Rosicrucian died he was to be quietly and unostentatiously buried. His grave was either to be left without a tombstone, or, if his friends chose to erect a monument in his honour, the inscription upon it was to be ambiguous." This seems to accord in a remarkable manner with what we find to be the case. There is, for instance, no record whatever of Bacon's funeral. In accordance with his expressed wish it was "obscure." Ben Jonson's grave was unmarked until, so tradition tells us, an admirer paid a few pence to a passing stonemason to carve the epitaph : "O rare Ben Jonson." For a long list of eminent Englishmen, whose tombs are inconspicuous by reason of a similar mysterious reticence, the reader is referred to an article in "Baconiana," No 3, November, 1893. In continental churches we find somewhat similar obscurities. Spinoza is buried at the Hague beneath |