The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-06
Lord bacon as "a Poet.

To the Editor OF The Times:
The Rev Mr. Bristol IS recently re-
ported as saying that Lord Bacon could
no more write poetry than I could" As a
statement this is equally frank as it is
faulty. That Mr. Bristol Is less a poet
than a theoIOgign Is evident. and not spe-
ciaily to be commended in either particu-
lar
This al captandum opinion is a com
panion piece TO famous Jack Bunsby 's-'-an
opinion as is an opinion" To show its
utter WorthIessnezs as a personal judg-
ment. contrast it with those who. as Ham
let says. know a hawk from a hand
saw" those who know what constitutes
poetry and who have written some OF the
best
Shelley says. Lord Bacon was u poet.
His language has sweet and majestic
rhythm which satisfies the sense. no less
than the almost superhuman wisdom Of
his philosophy satisfies the Intellect
Emerson quotes Thomas Moore as say
ing If Burke and Bacon were not poets
measured lines not being necessary TO
constitute oneD he did not know what
poetry meant"
Mr. II. G. Atkinson quotes Prof Fowler.
in his edition OF the --NQvum Organum. -
when speaking of the marvellous style and
power OF Bacon. as saying: No author
can be compared with him unless It be
Shakespeare"
In the Annals or Chronicle Of Eng
land by John Stow and Edmund Howes.
published in 1915. Is 10 be found the caIy
catalogue yet known OF the poets Of Queen
EIizabeth's reign. named exclusively as
poets. In this list Sir Francis Bacon fol-
lows Immediately after Sydney and Spea-
ser and before Jonson Chapman. Drayton.
Decker. Fletcher. MariOwe. ShakesDeare
Davies. Daniel. and others. This is con-
teuporaneous testimony Again. Ben jon
son. enUmerdting sixteen OF the greatest
wits OF his day. does not merton Shakes
peare. but says of Bacon that he may be
named and stand as the mark and acme
OF our language"
In Taine's History of English Litera-
ture" speaking of the EIizabeGhan age.
h says. Among this band of scholars.
philosophers and dreamerS is Francis Ra-
con. d great and luminous intellect. one OF
the finest Of this poetic progeny =
He has thought in the manner Of artists
and poets. Shakespeare and the
seers do not contain mors vigorous and
expressive CONVERSATIONS Of thought more
resembling inspiration. and in Bacon they
are TO be found everywhere
MacauIay says I'm Wit if by VIII he
meant the power Of perceivirg analogies
he never hal an equal The
pcatical faculty was powerful in Bacon's
mind. No imagination was ever
at once so strong and SO thoroughly sub
iugated Ths glance with which
he surveyed the Intellectual universe re-
sembled that which the archangeI from the
golden threshold Of heaven darted down
into the new creation"
Ana Addison says. One does not know
which 10 admire most in his writings the
strength of reason. force of style or
brightness Of Imagination
Nj Bristol seems to think that because
an all round. strongly gifted intellectual
man. when writing state papers legal de-
cisions. philosophical treatises or scien-
tiic problems does not express himself as
enc naturally is expected 10 in his love
letters. his lighter literary efforts. or his
works of recreation, that be is there
fore incapable of expressing himself in a
more poetic vein. or TO write at al in
tuneful measures.
in ire light Of the above quoted festi-
mony, which could be Indefinitely extended
how does the modeSty and concpit Of our
clerical critic known chiefly for mis- clever
commonplaces appear 10 the reader
GEO. B. ALLEN.