Earl of Essex； the favourite of Elizabeth； through whose support he； who as a younger son had to
see his paternal estate pass to his elder brother； soon attained to better circumstances； and was
elevated to a higher position。 Bacon； however； sullied his fame by the utmost ingratitude and
faithlessness towards his protector； for he is accused of having been prevailed upon by the
enemies of the Earl after his fall to charge him publicly with High Treason。 Under James I。； the
father of Charles I。； who was beheaded； a weak man； to whom he recommended himself by his
work De augmentis scientiarum； he received the most honourable offices of state by attaching
himself to Buckingham： he was made Keeper of the Great Seal； Lord Chancellor of England；
Baron Verulam。 He likewise made a rich marriage； though he soon squandered all his means； and
high though his position was； he stooped to intrigues and was guilty of accepting bribes in the most
barefaced manner。 Thereby he brought upon himself the ill…will both of people and of nobles； so
that he was prosecuted； and his case was tried before Parliament。 He was fined L40；000； thrown
into the Tower； and his name was struck out of the list of peers； during the trial and while he was
in prison he showed the greatest weakness of character。 He was； however； liberated from prison；
and his trial was annulled； owing to the even greater hatred of the king and his minister
Buckingham； under whose administration Bacon had filled these offices； and whose victim he
appeared to have been； for he fell earlier than his comrade Buckingham； and was deserted and
condemned by him。 It was not so much his innocence as the fact that those who ruined him had
made themselves hated to an equal degree through their rule； that caused the hatred and
indignation against Bacon to be somewhat mitigated。 But he neither recovered his own sense of
self…respect nor the personal esteem of others； which he had lost through his former conduct。 He
retired into private life； lived in poverty； had to beg sustenance from the king； occupied himself
during the remainder of his life with science only； and died in 1626。 （1）
Since Bacon has ever been esteemed as the man who directed knowledge to its true source； to
experience； he is； in fact； the special leader and representative of what is in England called
Philosophy； and beyond which the English have not yet advanced。 For they appear to constitute
that people in Europe which； limited to the understanding of actuality； is destined； like the class of
shopkeepers and workmen in the State； to live always immersed in matter； and to have actuality
but not reason as object。 Bacon won great praise by showing how attention is to be paid to the
outward and inward manifestations of Nature； and the esteem in which his name is thus held is
greater than can be ascribed directly to his merit。 It has become the universal tendency of the time
and of the English mode of reasoning； to proceed from facts； and to judge in accordance with
them。 Because Bacon gave expression to the tendency； and men require to have a leader and
originator for any particular manner of thinking； he is credited with having given to knowledge this
impulse towards experimental philosophy generally。 But many cultured men have spoken and
thought regarding what concerns and interests mankind； regarding state affairs； mind； heart；
external nature； &c。； in accordance with experience and in accordance with a cultured knowledge
of the world。 Bacon was just such a cultured man of the world； who had seen life in its great
relations； had engaged in state affairs； had dealt practically with actual life； had observed men； their
circumstances and relations； and had worked with them as cultured； reflecting； and； we may even
say； philosophical men of the world。 He thus did not escape the corruption of those who stood at
the helm of the state。 With all the depravity of his character he was a man of mind and clear
perception； he did not； however； possess the power of reasoning through thoughts and notions
that are universal。 We do not find in him a methodical or scientific manner of regarding things； but
only the external reasoning of a man of the world。 Knowledge of the world he possessed in the
highest degree： “rich imagination； powerful wit； and the penetrating wisdom which he displays
upon that most interesting of all subjects； commonly called the world。 This last appears to us to
have been the characteristical quality of Bacon’s genius。 。 。 It was men rather than things that he
had studied； the mistakes of philosophers rather than the errors of philosophy。 In fact he was no
lover of abstract reasoning；” and although it pertains to philosophy； we find as little as possible of
it in him。 “His writings are indeed full of refined and most acute observations； but it seldom requires
any effort on our part to apprehend their wisdom。” Hence mottoes are often derived from him。
“His judgments；” however； “are commonly given ex cathedra； or； if he endeavours to elucidate
them； it is by similes and illustrations and pointed animadversions more than by direct and
appropriate arguments。 General reasoning is absolutely essential in philosophy； the want of it is
marked in Bacon’s writings。” （2） His practical writings are specially interesting； but we do not
find the bright flashes of genius that we expected。 As during his career in the state he acted in
accordance with practical utility； he now； at its conclusion； likewise applied himself in a practical
way to scientific endeavours； and considered and treated the sciences in accordance with concrete
experience and investigation。 His is a consideration of the present； he makes the most of； and
ascribes value to it as it appears； the existent is thus regarded with open eyes； respect is paid to it
as to what reigns preeminent； and this sensuous perception is reverenced and recognized。 Here a
confidence on the part of reason in itself and in nature is awakened； it thinkingly applies itself to
nature； certain of finding the truth in it； since both are in themselves harmonious。
Bacon likewise treated the sciences methodically； he did not merely bring forward opinions and
sentiments； he did not merely express himself regarding the sciences dogmatically； as a fine
gentleman might； but he went into the matter closely； and established a method in respect of
scientific knowledge。 It is only through this method of investigation introduced by him that he is
noteworthy — it is in that way alone that he can be considered to belong to the history of the
sciences and of philosophy。 And through this principle of methodical knowledge he has likewise
produced a great effect upon his times； by drawing attention to what was lacking in the sciences；
both in their methods and in their content。 He set forth the general principles of procedure in an
empirical philosophy。 The spirit of the philosophy of Bacon is to take experience as the true and
only source of knowledge； and then to regulate the thought concerning it。 Knowledge from
experience stands in opposition to knowledge arising from the speculative Notion； and the
opposition is apprehended in so acute a manner that the knowledge proceeding from the Notion is
ashamed of the knowledge from experience； just as this again takes up a position of antagonism to
the knowledge through the Notion。 What Cicero says of Socrates may be said of Bacon； that he
brought Philosophy down to the world； to the homes and every…day lives of men （Vol。 I。 p。 389）。
To a certain extent knowledge from the absolute Notion may assume an air of superiority over this
knowledge； but it is essential； as far as the Idea is concerned； that the particularity of the content
should be developed。 The Notion is an essential matter； but as such its finite side is just as
essential。 Mind gives presence； external existence； to itself； to come to understand this extension；
the world as it is； the sensuous universe； to understand itself as this； i。e。； with its manifest； sensuous
extension； is one side of things。 The other side is the relation to the Idea。 Abstraction in and for
itself must determine and particularize itself。 The Idea is concrete； self…determining； it has the
principle of development； and perfect knowledge is always developed。 A conditional knowledge
in respect of the Idea merely signifies that the working out of the development has not yet
advanced very far。 But we have to deal with this development； and for this development and
determination of the particular from the Idea； so that the knowledge of the universe； of nature； may
be cultivated — for this； the knowledge of the particular is necessary。 This particularity must be
worked out on its own account； we must become acquainted with empirical nature； both with the
physical and with the human。 The merit of modern times is to have accomplished or furthered
these ends； it was in the highest degree unsatisfactory when the ancients attempted the work。
Empiricism is not merely an observing； hearing； feeling； etc。； a perception of the individual； for it
really sets to work to find the species； the universal； to discover laws。 Now because it does this； it
comes within the territory of the Notion — it begets what pertains to the region of the Idea； it thus
prepares the empirical material for the Notion； so that the latter can then receive it ready for its
use。 If the science is perfected the Idea must certainly issue forth of itself； science as such no
longer commences from the empiric。 But in order that this science may come into existence； we
must have the progression from the individual and particular to the universal — an activity which is
a reaction on the given material of empiricism in order to bring about its reconstruction。 The
demand of a priori knowledge； which seems to imply that the Idea should construct from itself； is
thus a reconstruction only； or what is in religion accomplished through sentiment and feeling。
Without the working out of the empirical sciences on their own account； Philosophy could not
have reached further than with the ancients。 The whole of the Idea in itself is science as perfected
and complete； but the other side is the