Francis Bacon- Prose writer of Elizabethan age

FRANCIS BACON

The Elizabethan age is called The Golden Age of English poetry and drama, it should also be regarded as a glorious age of English prose, for English prose was set on the track of glory by such great prose writers as Bacon, Richard Hokker, sir Philip Sidney, sir Walter Raleigh, John Fox, Camden, knox and Thomas North with Sir Philip Sidney on the forefront. almost all Elizabethan prose is the nearness of their prose to poetry. It is colorful, blazing, rhythmic, indirect, prolix, and convoluted. The Renaissance spirit of humanism, liberalism and romanticism found full play in the growth and development of English prose in the Elizabethan Age  .

About Bacon:

Francis Bacon was born on 22nd January 1561 at York House near Strand in London. He was the son of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord keeper of the seal and of the learned Ann Cook (second wife of Nicholas), sister-in-law of Lord Burleigh, greatest of the queen statesmen. 

Francis Bacon was an English Renaissance statesman and philosopher, best known for his promotion of the scientific method.

Francis Bacon had four idols and they are the four main fallacies or falsehoods that prevent people from gaining true knowledge and becoming the best versions of themselves. They consequently stop civilizational progress. These four idols are those of the Tribe, the Cave, the Marketplace, and the Theater. 

Bacon stated that he had three goals: to uncover truth, to serve his country, and to serve his church. Sir Francis Bacon is called the Father of Empiricism(the theory that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses). He believed in scientific knowledge that was based on experimentation and interaction rather than simple logical argumentation. He is, therefore, credited with developing the scientific method of study.

Bacon's education:

Biographers believe that Bacon was educated at home in his early years owing to poor health, which would plague him throughout his life. He received tuition from John Walsall, a graduate of Oxford with a strong leaning toward puritanism. He went to Trinity College, at the University of Cambridge at the age of 12, studying for three years he Came to the belief that the method and results of Science as then practiced were erroneous. His reverence for Aristotle conflicted with his rejection of Aristotle philosophy, which seemed to him barren, disputatious and wrong in its objectives.

It Was at Cambridge that Bacon first met Queen Elizabeth who was impressed by his precocious intellect and was accustomed to calling him “the young Lord keeper.” Next year in order to continue his education he accompanied the English Ambassador to France where he is said to have busied himself chiefly with the practical studies of statistics and diplomacy.

The sudden death of his father in February 1579 prompted Bacon to return to England. Sir Nicholas had laid up a considerable sum of money to purchase an estate for his youngest son but he died before doing so, and Francis was left with only a fifth of that money. Having borrowed money, Bacon got into debt. To support himself he took up his residence in law at Gray's Inn in 1579, his income being supplemented by the Grant from his mother.

Bacon in work:
Bacon stated that he had three goals: to uncover truth, to serve his country, and to serve his church. He sought to further these ends by seeking a prestigious post. In 1580, through his uncle, Lord Burghley, he applied for a post at court that might enable him to pursue a life of learning, but his application failed. Bacon then took up the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1582. That he had not lost his philosophy in the measures of the law. As a lawyer he became immediately successful; his knowledge and power of pleading became widely known. The publication of his essays added greatly to his Fame; but Bacon was not content. His head was buzzing with huge schemes - the pacification of unhappy Ireland, the simplification of English Law, the Reform of the church, the study of nature, the establishment of new philosophy, Meanwhile, sad to say, he played the game of politics for his personal advantage. He devoted himself to Essex, the young and dangerous favorite of the queen, won his friendship and then used him skillfully to better his own position.

During Elizabeth's reign Bacon head sought repeatedly for high office, but had been blocked by Burleigh and perhaps also by the Queen's own shrewdness in judging men. With the advent of James I one Bacon devoted himself to the new ruler and rose rapidly in favor. He was knighted. and soon afterwards obtained another object of his ambition in marrying a Rich wife. In 1613 he was made attorney-general, and speedily made Enemies by using the office to increase his personal ends. He justified himself in his course by his devotion to the king's cause and by the belief that the higher his position and the more ample his means the more he could do for science.

In 1617 he was appointed to his father's office, Lord keeper of the seal, and the next year to the high office of Lord chancellor.

End of Working:
Bacon did not long enjoy his Political Honors. The storm which had been long gathering against James’s government broke suddenly upon Bacon's head. When Parliament assembled in 1621, it vented its distrust of James and his favorite Villiers by striking unexpectedly at the chief advisor. Bacon was sternly accused of accepting bribes, and the evidence was so great that he confessed that there was much political corruption abroad in the land, that he was personally guilty of some of it, and he threw himself upon the mercy of his judges. Parliament at that time was in no mood for Mercy. Bacon was deprived of his office and was sentenced to pay the enormous fine of 40000 pounds, to be imprisoned during the king's pleasure, and thereafter to be banished forever from Parliament and court. Though the imprisonment lasted only a few days and the fine was largely remitted, Bacon’s hopes and schemes for Political Honors were ended; and it is at this point of appalling adversity that the nobility in the men's nature asserts itself strongly.

Bacon now withdrew permanently from public life and devoted his splendid ability to literary and scientific work.

Death:

In 1626, Sir Francis returned to England. It was a snowy day when Francis was on his way home when he suddenly thought of doing some experiments with the properties of snow. It was during this experiment that Sir Francis caught pneumonia and eventually died at Arundel mansion outside London on 9th April 1626.

Francis Bacon’s Works:
Francis through his work provided for a method of developing philosophy. In 'De Augmentis Scientiarum'(1623) (It is an enlarged translation into Latin of Bacon's The advancement of learning). Francis makes a distinction between the duty to community and duty to God. His famous work 'the Novum Organum' was published in 1620.

The title of Francis Bacon’s work is a reference to Organon, Aristotle’s work. In Novum Organum, Francis talks about a system of logic far more superior than the old methods of syllogism. This work shows the beginning of the Baconian(scientific) method. It can be therefore said that Bacon was one of the most intellectual and powerful mind ever possessed by a man.

Francis Bacon Essays:
Francis Bacon’s Essays is a collection of the essays written by the philosopher on a wide variety of subjects, such as mathematics, language, travel, history, truth, superstition, marriage and many more. He chose a vast range of topics in order to encourage people to think for deeply and analytically about everything. His essays cover a wide variety of topics and styles, ranging from individual to societal issues and from commonplace to existential. Bacon’s essays were received at the time with great praise, adoration, and reverence (Potter). From “Truth” to “Of Superstition” and “Marriage and Single Life”, Bacon covers a wide range of intriguing topics in order to challenge the human mind to think deeply; as he himself writes: “Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider”

Through his essays, Bacon not only provided a solid framework for the modern genre of the essay but also provided his readers with a standard code of living free from superstitions and wrong notions.

Conclusion:

Bacon, during the enlightenment era, now, and forever, is a symbol for science and rational thought. Bacon's work spread and inductive methods for scientific analysis became more prominent. These methods, known as Baconian method, were intended to replace the methods of Aristotle.

Some Quotes by Bacon:

• Knowledge is power
• Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.
• Money makes a good servant, but a bad master.
• Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper.

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