SIR FRANCIS BACON - SHAKESPEARE - AND THE ART OF TRANSFORMATION

Dedicated to the M.A.S.K.

WARNING: Confirmation bias.

‘THIS COMPENDIUM OF THE UNIVERSE I MADE IN MY LIFETIME TO BE MY TOMB’

Fama Fraternitatis Rosae Crusis 1614

Hypothesis: That Sir Francis Bacon wrote a compendium of the universe

- I shall call it a ‘Tabulae Inveniendi’ ‘for the glory of the Creator and the relief of man’s estate’

including: Tabulae of the Rose Cross and restored Freemasonry,

-a practical and spiritual device. Tabulae of Philosophy,

-a device for the establishment of wisdom and advancement in learning. Tabulae of Science,

-a device for the interpretation of nature; for the foundation of knowledge gained through his new method.

Tabulae of Poetry and Plays (including the works of Shakespeare), –a reflective device for the interpretation of the self.

Bacon was the guiding hand,

who, along with his worthy companions, secretly produced the works attributed to William Shakespeare

in the completion of his design.

I

Fra. F.B. M.P.A.

He described four illusions or‘Idols’ that distort reason and obstruct‘the advancement of learning’:

IDOLS OF THE TRIBE

–erroneous concepts arising from the perceptions of sense and mind - the working of thought itself,

IDOLS OF THE CAVE –beliefs and tendencies of the individual,

IDOLS OF THE MARKET –accepted words and phrases,

IDOLS OF THE THEATRE –sophistry and received knowledge from false authority,

- creating false worlds.

These idols would be replaced by the mastery of true causes and true knowledge.

LET ALL IDOLS BE DISSOLVED.

LET ALL IDOLS BE DISSOLVED

What do we conceal? We are concealed.

What does he reveal? He reveals the art of finding new arts. (1)

The first Tabulae

All in all, Bacon’s greatest gift to the world, as he saw it, is his Art of Discovery. By careful analysis and following the clues that he gives, it is possible to discover that Bacon’s Art of Discovery is a method of discovering all things and building a golden age on earth by means of poetry and the arts. In other words Bacon, who was pre-eminently a poet and an artist, saw Creation—the universe and all nature—as a living work of art, with God as the poet-artist. Since mankind is made in the likeness of God, Bacon reasoned, we should therefore imagine and act like God. As God is the great poet and artist, then we should also be poets and artists in all that we create. As God is all love, then we should do so in loving ways. Bacon’s great gift to the world was his ability not only to see the promised Golden Age as a work of art but also to both devise and inaugurate a particular method using the arts by which it might be more certainly achieved. He referred to his new method as the Art of Discovery, and conceived the Great Instauration as being comprised of six stages of work leading to a final seventh stage of peace, illumination and joy—the state of paradise, the state of a golden age. The creation or building of this golden age is a work of art—a poetic, artistic work of the imagination, with good science and technology, laws and culture. To understand this is to understand Bacon and what he is trying to teach us and encourage us to do

In light of this understanding, he revealed that with Divine Providence

and by mastery of true causes and with true knowledge gained through the application of his devices,

man and the world could escape the dungeon and rise up, by degrees, through the pyramid to its illuminated apex.

‘Invest me in my Motley; give me leave

To speak my Mind, and I will through and through Cleanse the foul body of th’infected world,

If they will patiently receive my medicine.’ ………..As You Like It.

The second Tabulae He saw mankind in a state of darkness and narrowness of mind

(not unlike a cave or dungeon) at the foot of a pyramid of natural systems and degrees of learning;

powerless to escape the influence of the ‘Idols’.

The third Tabulae

He revealed a new scientific method for the interpretation of nature - a process of inductive reasoning and observation

using factual data to arrive at axioms, for the establishment of true knowledge in an‘Intellectual Globe’

free of‘idols’(superstitions, generalizations and assumed knowledge).

Working with nature to regain equanimity in a ‘New Atlantis’.

‘Nature to be commanded must be obeyed’(2)

Intellectual Globe

Not My will, O Father! but Thine be done

He secretly revealed a device for the trafficking of ‘divine commodities’,

by which, in ‘actual models’, the employment of virtue,

and the workings of the idols and their results could be seen ‘set as it were before the eyes’.

TRAGEDIES. The Tragedy of Coriolanus. Titus Andronicus. Romeo and Juliet. Timon of Athens. The Life and death of Julius Caesar. The Tragedy of Macbeth. The Tragedy of Hamlet. King Lear Othello the Moore of Venice. Anthony and Cleopater. Cymbeline King of Britaine.

COMEDIES. The Tempest. The two Gentlemen of Verona. The Merry Wives of Windsor. Measure for Measure. The Comedy of Errours. Much ado about Nothing. Loves Labour lost. Midsommer Nights Dreame. The Merchant of Venice. As you like it. The Taming of the Shrew. All is well, that Ends well. Twelfe-Night, or what you will. The Winters Tale.

HISTORIES. The Life and Death of King John. The Life & death of Richard the Second. The First part of King Henry the fourth. The Second part of K. Henry the fourth. The Life of King Henry the Fift. The First part of King Henry the Sixt. The Second part of King Hen. The Sixt. The Third part of King Henry the Sixt. The Life & Death of Richard the Third. The Life of King Henry the Eight.

The fourth Tabulae

The application of the first Tabulae.

Why are we concealed? To protect the knowledge that is revealed.

What is revealed? The knowledge of the glory of the Creator,

and the knowledge of the application of the devices.

"The glory of God is to conceal a thing, but the glory of the king is to find it out;" as if, according to the innocent play

of children, the Divine Majesty took delight to hide His works, to the end to have them found out; and as if kings

could not obtain a greater honour than to be God's playfellows in that game.’

The application of the second Tabulae

THE TRANSFORMATION OF MAN

‘I have held up a light in the obscurity of Philosophy, which will be seen centuries after I am dead. It will be seen amidst the erection of Tombs, Theatres, Foundations, Temples of Orders and Fraternities for

nobility and obedience – the establishment of good laws as an example to the World. For I am not raising a Capitol or Pyramid to the Pride of men, but laying a foundation in the human understanding for a holy Temple after

the model of the World.

The application of the third Tabulae. THE CRUCIAL EXPERIMENT

- takes ‘off the mask and veil from natural objects’(4)

‘Man, being the servant and interpreter of Nature, can do and understand so much and so much only as he has observed in fact or in thought of the course of nature. Beyond this he neither

knows anything nor can do anything.’(5)

‘Many will pass through and knowledge will be increased.’

Page from The Book of I

Man’s estate enlightened by the application of the fourth Tabulae.

THE THEATRE OF ADVANCEMENT ‘the entire process of the mind and the whole fabric and order of invention

from beginning to the end’(6)

‘And let us, ciphers to this great account, On your imaginary forces work.’

….Henry V.

The application of the fourth Tabulae Inveniendi ‘set, as it were, before the eyes’

FRANCIS BACON’S THEATRE OF ADVANCEMENT (turning lead into gold)

A process by which humanity’s corrupt and baser instincts may be, by degrees, raised and purified by witnessing.

THEATRE OF ADVANCEMENT UNMASKED – Part of his Great Instauration (compiled in six parts)

- part four he called ‘THE LADDER OF THE INTELLECT’(in full) ‘And now that we have surrounded the intellect with faithful helps and guards, and got together with most careful selection a regular army of divine works, it may seem that we have no more to do but to proceed to philosophy itself. And yet in a matter so difficult and doubtful there are still some things which it seems necessary to premise, partly for convenience of explanation, partly for present use. Of these the first is to set forth examples of inquiry and invention according to my method, exhibited by anticipation in some particular subjects; choosing such subjects as are at once the most noble in themselves among those under inquiry, and most different one from another; that there may be an example in every kind. I do not speak of those examples which are joined to these several precepts and rules by way of illustration (for of these I have given plenty in the second part of the work); but I mean actual types and models, by which the entire process of the mind and the whole fabric and order of invention from beginning to the end, in certain subjects, and those various and remarkable, should be set as it were before the eyes. For I remember that in the mathematics it is easy to follow the demonstration when you have a machine beside you; whereas without that help all appears involved and more subtle than it really is. To examples of this kind -being in fact nothing more than an application of the second part in detail and at large– the fourth part of the work is devoted.’(6).

– DESCENDING ‘But, to speak the real truth,the poets and writers of history are the best doctors of this knowledge, where we may find painted forth and dissected to the life, how affections are to be stirred up and kindled, how stilled and laid asleep, how again contained and refrained, that they break forth not into act? Likewise how they disclose themselves though repressed and secreted? What operations they produce? What turns they take? How they are enwrapped one with the other? How they fight and encounter one with another.’ …….Advancement of Learning.De Augmentis book 7. Chap. 3. ‘Ascend his throne, descending now from him,’...‘Richard II. The time is out of joint. O cursèd spite, That ever I was born to set it right!

Virtue is chok’d with foul ambition.

Stars, hide your fires;

Let not light see my black

and deep desires.

Ascend his throne,

descending now from him

God hath given you one face,

and you make yourself

another.

All is the fear and nothing is

the love

Hell is empty and all the

devils are here

Some rise by sin, and some

by virtue fall

– DESCENDING ‘But, to speak the real truth, the poets and writers of history are the best doctors of this knowledge, where we may find painted forth with great life and dissected, how affections are kindled and exited, and how pacified and restrained, and how again contained from act and further degree; how they disclose themselves, though repressed and concealed; how they work; how they vary; how they are enwrapped one within another; how they fight and encounter one with another…..’(7).

aI pray you, do not fall in love with me, For I am falser

than vows made in wine

One may smile, and smile,

and be a villain

All is the fear and nothing is the love; As little is the wisdom, where the flight So runs against all reason

The Rose, the Globe and the Swan.

(from The Book of I.)

‘O for the muse of fire that would ascend

The brightest heaven of invention!’…..Henry V.

As there comes light from heaven and words from breath, As there is sense in truth and truth in virtue

‘O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here!

How beautious mankind is! O brave new world, That hath such people in’t!’…The Tempest.

Love talks with better knowledge, and knowledge with dearer love. “Of all knowledge, the wise and good seek mostly to know themselves.

– ASCENDING ‘ Dramatical, or Representative Poesy, which brings the World upon the stage, is of excellent use, if it were not abused. For the Instructions, and Corruptions, of the Stage, may be great; but the corruptions in this kind abound, the Discipline is altogether neglected in our times. For although in modern Commonwealths, Stage-plays be but esteemed a sport or pastime, unless it draw from the Satire, and be mordant; yet the care of the Ancients was, that it should instruct the minds of men unto virtue. Nay, wise men and great Philosophers, have accounted it, as the Archet, or musical Bow of the Mind. And certainly it is most true, and as it were, a secret of nature, that the minds of men are more patent to affections, and impressions, congregate, than solitary.’………Advancement and proficience of Learning, book 2 chap. 13. (1640)

But, soft!

what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun

Doubt that the stars are fire,

Doubt that the sun doth move his aides,

Doubt truth to be a liar,

But never doubt I love

Ignorance is the curse of God;

knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven

To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day,

thou canst not then be false to any man.

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin

- ASCENDING ‘ Dramatical, or Representative Poesy, which brings the World upon the stage, is of excellent use, if it were not abused. For the Instructions, and Corruptions, of the Stage, may be great; but the corruptions in this kind abound; the Discipline is altogether neglected in our times. For although in modern Commonwealths, Stage-plays be but esteemed a sport or pastime, unless it draw from the Satire, and be mordant; yet the care of the Ancients was, that it should instruct the minds of men unto virtue. Nay, wise men and great Philosophers, have accounted it, as the Archet, or musical Bow of the Mind. And certainly it is most true, and as it were, a secret of nature, that the minds of men are more patent to affections, and impressions, congregate, than solitary.’(8)

I

‘Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.’

KJV Bible…Ephesians.

‘O for the muse of fire that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention!’…..Henry V

‘Still, many persons will be led to inquire into the real meaning and highest use of these writings, and to find the key to their interpretation, and thus more ardently desire, in some degree at least, to acquire the new aspect of nature which such a key will

reveal. But he intends, yielding neither to his own personal aspirations nor to the wishes of others, but keeping steadily in view the success of his undertaking, having shared these writings with some, to withhold the rest until the treatise intended for the

people shall be published.’(9) ……..Shakespeare’s First Folio – his collected works of 36 plays,

containing 18 plays never before seen was published in 1623.

‘The spirit of man is as the lamp of God,

Wherewith he searcheth the inwardness of all secrets.’

‘Still, many persons will be led to inquire into the real meaning and highest use of these writings, and to find the key to their interpretation, and thus more ardently desire, in some degree at least, to acquire the new aspect of nature which such a key will reveal. But he intends, yielding neither to his own personal aspirations nor to the wishes of others, but keeping steadily in view the success of his undertaking, having shared these writings with some, to withhold the rest until the treatise intended for the people shall be published.’…Omitted passage from Cogitata et Visa, (Thoughts and Life, 1607). ‘Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.’ KJV Bible…Ephesians.

‘But when these Tabulae Inveniendi have been put forth and seen, he does not doubt that the more timid wits will shrink almost in despair from imitating them with similar productions with other

materials or on other subjects; and they will take so much delight in the specimen given that they will miss the precepts in it.’

- Manuscript of 1607.

‘O for the muse of fire that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention!’…..Henry V.

The Rose, the Globe and the Swan.

(from The Book of I.)

‘O for the muse of fire that would ascend

The brightest heaven of invention!’…..Henry V.

‘All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players’..

…As You Like It. ‘But when these Tabulae Inveniendi have been put forth and seen, he does not doubt that the more timid wits will shrink almost in despair from imitating them with similar productions with other materials or on other subjects; and they will take so much delight in the specimen given that they will miss the precepts in it.’(9)

LET ALL IDOLS BE DISSOLVED

I

S WORK

‘Obscuris vera involvens, sic fulget in umbras’(10)

‘But he who knows forms grasps the unity of nature beneath the surface of materials which are very unlike. Thus is he able to

identify and bring about things that have never been done before, things of the kind which neither the vicissitudes of nature, nor hard experimenting, nor pure accident could ever have actualised, or human thought dreamed of. And thus from the discovery of the forms flows true speculation and unrestricted operation.’ (11)

‘LA SAGESSE MYSTERIEUSE’

CONCLUSION

This well-known hypothesis conceals a mystery perhaps worthy of Shakespeare’s stage! A mystery that requires no less than the

transformation of the content of human thought – a change of mind! The example provided is intended to generate ‘true speculation and

unrestricted operation’; indeed, it is only a starting point for the development of a truth ‘beneath the surface of materials’, which

may in time be revealed to all those that pierce the veil.

…….. ‘Solomon the king, although he excelled in the glory of treasure and magnificent buildings, of shipping and navigation, of service and attendance, of fame and renown, and the like, yet he maketh no claim to any of those glories, but only to the glory of inquisition of truth; for so he saith expressly, “The glory of God

is to conceal a thing, but the glory of the king is to find it out”; as if, according to the innocent play of children, the Divine Majesty took delight to hide his works, to the end to have them found out; and as if kings could not obtain a greater honour than to be God's

playfellows in that game.’(12)

Darkness and Narrowness of Mind

But he who knows forms grasps the unity of nature beneath the surface of materials which are

very unlike. Thus is he able to identify and bring about things that have never been done before, things of the kind which neither the vicissitudes of nature, nor hard experimenting, nor pure

accident could ever have actualised, or human thought dreamed of. And thus from the discovery of the forms flows true speculation and unrestricted operation (aphorism 3

‘O wonder!

How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That hath such people in’t!’…The Tempest

‘LET ALL COMPOUNDS BE DISSOLVED.’ By the understanding of true causes.

-All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players Induction interpretation Instances with Special Powers

IN CONCLUSION

This framed hypothesis reveals a mystery perhaps worthy of the stage. Each of the forms provided are intended to eventually extrapolate a truth beyond the present content of thought,

although it is clear such a goal is only approachable by degrees. Indeed, this hypothesis is only the starting point from which can be refined our conception of a truth which may in time be revealed

to the future descendants of Solomon’s House for

‘Solomon the king, although he excelled in the glory of treasure and magnificent buildings, of shipping and navigation, of service and attendance, of fame and renown, and the like, yet he maketh no

claim to any of those glories, but only to the glory of inquisition of truth; for so he saith expressly, The glory of God is to conceal a thing, but the glory of the king is to find it

out; as if, according to the innocent play of children, the Divine Majesty took delight to hide his works, to the end to have them

found out; and as if kings could not obtain a greater honour than to be God's playfellows in that game.’(11)

IN CONCLUSION

This hypothesis reveals a mystery perhaps worthy of the stage! The examples provided are intended to generate ‘true speculation and unrestricted operation’, although it’s clear such a goal is only attainable by degrees. Indeed, this well-known hypothesis is only a starting point from which can be refined our understanding

of a truth, which may in time be revealed to the future descendants of Solomon’s House, for..

‘Solomon the king, although he excelled in the glory of treasure and magnificent buildings, of shipping and navigation, of service and attendance, of fame and renown, and the like, yet he maketh no

claim to any of those glories, but only to the glory of inquisition of truth; for so he saith expressly, The glory of God is to conceal a thing, but the glory of the king is to find it

out; as if, according to the innocent play of children, the Divine Majesty took delight to hide his works, to the end to have them found out; and as if kings could not obtain a greater honour than

to be God's playfellows in that game.’(11)

FB (1561-1626). If you seek his monument

–look all around (or in Stratford-upon-Avon).

‘HONORIFICABILITUDINITATIBUS’ Shakespeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost - Act 5.

N

S

E W FB

Notes (1) Francis Bacon and the 1753 Leyland Manuscript, Mather Walker.

(2) FB, Novum Organum. (3) FB, Advancement of Learning, Book 2

(4) FB, Preparative towards a Natural and Experimental History. (5) FB, Aphorism 1.First Book of Aphorisms, Novum Organum.

(6) FB, The Ladder of the Intellect, Plan of works – Fourth part of The Instauratio Magna (1620) [my emphasis]

– Translation by Spedding, Ellis and Heath (1863). (7) FB, Advancement of Learning – Book 7, Chap.3.

(8) FB, Advancement of Learning - Book 2, Chap 13.- Translation J.Dennis? (9) Omitted passage from Cogitata et Visa, (Thoughts and Life, 1607).

Extracts from ‘Francis Bacon and the Muse of Tragedy’, Edwin Reed 1898.. - Here Bacon uses the unusual term ‘Tabulae Inveniendi’.

(10) FB From the title page (Peter Dawkins FBRT) of ‘The Wisdom of the Ancients’ (1641)

(11) FB Novum Organum – Aphorisms Concerning the Interpretation of Nature and the Kingdom of Man, Book II, Aphorism 3.

(12) FB, Advancement of Learning - Introduction. (Quoting Prov. 25:2). – Translation by Spedding, Ellis and Heath.

A.Noone March 2016.

http://themethought.weebly.com/more.html