indeed of the spirit of his grandfather; but all his other distinguishing qualifications seemed vast ly inferior to the lady, whose cha racter I have sincerely represented as it has long appeared to S. S. Character of Sir Francis Bacon, Lord High Chancellor of England, by Monsieur d'Alembert. ON N considering attentively the sound, intelligent, and extensive views of this great man, the multiplicity of objects his piercing wit had comprehended within its sphere, the elevation of his style, that every where makes the boldest images to coalesce with the most rigorous precision, we should be tempted to esteem him the greatest, the most universal, and the most eloquent of philosophers. His works are justly valued, perhaps more valued than known, and therefore more deserving of our study than elogiums. Bacon, born amidst the obscurity of the most profound night, perceived that philosophy did not yet exist, though many had undoubtedly flattered themselves for having excelled in it; for, the more an age is gross and ignorant, the more it believes itself informed of all that can be possibly known. He began by taking a general view of the various objects of all natural sciences; he divided those sciences into different branches, of which he made the most exact enumeration; he examined into what was already known as to each of those objects, and he drew up an immense catalogue of what remained to be discovered. This was the aim and subject of his admirable work, on the dignity and augmentation of natural knowledge. In his new organ of Sciences, he perfects the views he had pointed out in the first work ; he carries them farther, and shews the necessity of experimental physics, which was not yet thought of. An enemy to systems, he beholds. philosophy as only that part of our knowledge, which ought to contribute to make us better or more happy. He seems to limit it to the science of useful things, and every where recommends the study of nature. His other writings are formed on the same plan. Every thing in them, even their titles, is expressive of the man of genius, of the mind that sees in great. He there collects facts; he there compares experiments, and indicates a great number to be made. He invites the learned to study and perfect the arts, which he deems as the most illustrious and most essential part of human knowledge. He exposes with a noble simplicity his conjectures and thoughts on different objects worthy of interesting men; and he might have said, as the old gentleman of Terence, that nothing affecting humanity was foreign to him. Science of Nature, Morality, Politics, Oeconomics, all seemed to be within the stretch of that luminous and profound wit ; and we know not which most to admire, the richness he diffuses over all the subjects he treats of, or the dignity with which he speaks of them. His writings cannot be better compared than to those of Hippocrates on Medicine; and they would be neither less admired nor less read, if the culture of the mind was as dear to mankind as the preservation of their, health. But there are none but the chiefs of sects of all kinds whose works can have a certain splendor. Bacon was not of the number, and the form of his philosophy was against it. It was too good to fill any one with astonishment. The Scholastic Philosophy, which had gained the ascendant in his time, could not be overthrown but by bold and new opinions; and there is no probability that a philosopher, who only intimates to men, This We is the little you have learned, this is what remains for your enquiry,' is calculated for making much noise among his contemporaries. might even presume to hazard some degree of reproach against the Lord Chancellor Bacon for having been perhaps too timid, if we were not sensible with what reserve, and as it were with what superstition, judgment ought to be passed on so sublime a genius. Though he confesses that the scholastic philosophers had enervated the sciences by the minutiae of their questions, and that sound intellects ought to have made a sacrifice of the study of general beings to that of particular objects, he seems notwithstand ing, by the frequent use he makes of school-terms, and sometimes also by the adopting of scholastic principles, and by the divisions and sub-divisions then much in vogue, to have shewed too much deference for the predominant taste of his age. This great man, after breaking the shackles of so many irons, was still entangled by some chains, which he either could not, or dared not to break asunder. Some Account of the celebrated Sir John Tradescant. Extracted from VOL. XVI. a Memoir written by Dr. Ducarel, F.R. S. and F. S. A. in the 63d Vol. of the Philosophical Transactions. OHN Tradescant was, accord ing to Anthony Wood, a Fleming or a Dutchman. We are informed by Parkinson, that he had travelled into most parts of Europe, and into Barbary; and from some emblems remaining upon his monument in Lambeth church-yard, it plainly appears, that he had visited Greece, Egypt, and other eastern countries. In his travels he is supposed to have collected not only plants and seeds, but most of those curiosities of every sort, which after his death were sold by his son to the famous Elias Ashmole, and deposited in his museum at Oxford. When he first settled in this kingdom cannot at this distance of time be ascertained. Perhaps it was at the latter end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, or the beginning of that of King James the First. His print, engraven by Hollar before the year 1656, which represents him as a person very far advanced in years, seems to countenance this opinion. He lived in a great house at South-Lambeth, where there is reason to think his museum was frequently visited by persons of rank, who became benefactors thereto : among these were King Charles the First, (to whom he was gardener) Henrietta Maria his queen, Archbishop Laud, George Duke of Buckingham, Robert and William Cecil Earls of Salisbury, and many other persons of distinc tion. 1 thing that was curious in natural history, viz. minerals, birds, fishes, insects, &c. He had also a good collection of coins and medals of all sorts, besides a great variety of uncommon rarities. A catalogue of these, published by his son, contains an enumeration of the many plants, shrubs, trees, &c. growing in his garden, which was pretty extensive. Some of these plants are (as I am informed) if not totally extinct, at least become very uncommon even at this time: though this able man, by his great industry, made it manifest, in the very infancy of botany, that there is scarce any plant extant in the known world that will not, with proper care, thrive in this kingdom. When his house at South-Lambeth, then called Tradescant's Ark, came into Ashmole's possession, he added a noble room to it, and adorned the chimney with his arms, impaling those of Sir William Dugdale, whose daughter was his third wife, where they remain to this day. This house belongs at present to John Small, Esq. who, about twelve years ago, purchased it of some of Ashmole's descendants; and my house, once a part of Tradescant's, is adjoining thereto. It were much to be wished, that the lovers of botany had visited this once famous garden, before, or at least in, the beginning of the present century. But this seems to have been totally neglected till the year 1749, when yourself* and the late Dr. Mitchel, favoured the Royal Society with the only account now extant of the remains of Tradescant's garden. When the death of John Tradescant happened I have not been able to discover, no mention being made thereof in the register-book of Lambeth church. A singular monument was erected in the south-east part of Lambeth church-yard in 1662, by Hester, the relict of John Tradescant the son, for himself and the rest of this family, which is long since extinct. This once beautiful monument hath suffered so much by the weather, that no just idea can now, on inspection, be formed of the north and south sides. But this defect is happily supplied from two fine drawings preserved from Mr. Pepy's library at Cambridge. We see On the east side, Tradescant's arms. On the west, a hydra, and under it a skull. On the south, broken columns, Corinthian capitals, &c. supposed to be ruins in Greece, or some other eastern countries. On the north, a crocodile, shells, &c. and a view of some Egyptian buildings. Various figures of trees, &c. in relievo, adorn the four corners of this monument. The following remarkable epitaph, preserved at Oxford, and printed in Mr. Aubrey's Antiquities of Surry, p. 11, was intended for, but never placed upon, this monument. Know stranger, e'er thou pass, bensath this stone Lie John Tradescant, grandsire, father, son. As by their choice collections may appear, This Memoir is addressed to William Watson, M. D. 1 And fire shall purge the world, these hence shall rise, And change their garden for a paradise. Before I conclude, I must beg 1. Sir John Tradescant, senior. A three-quarter piece, ornamented with fruits, flowers, and garden roots. 2. Ditto. After his decease. 3. A small three quarter piece. Water-colours. entering the room, and Sir John is shaking him by the hand. AND. COLTEE DUCAREL. Some Account of Mac-Murchard, an RICHARD was at length prevailed on to march against leave to add a list of the portraits of the Tradescant family, now in the enemy commanded by Art. the Ashmolean museum. I cannot Mac-Murchard,who,notwithstandhowever conceive why both father ing the pensions he had received, and son are therein called Sir John, and the submissions he had lately as it does not appear either of them made, was still the inveterate enewere ever knighted. But so it is my of the English; and in the in the Oxford list, communicated violence of national pride, ento me some time since by the late flamed by the prospect of success, worthy and learned Mr. William vowed the most desperate vengeHuddesford, keeper of the Ashmo- ance against his invaders. To selean library. cure himself from the superior numbers of the enemy he retired to his woods; and, at their approach, appeared at the head of three thousand men so well armed and appointed, and with such an appearance of determined valour, as were perfectly astonishing to the English who had been taught to despise their rude and undisciplined violence. The royal army was drawn out in order of battle, expecting a vigorous attack; but the Irish forces, who thought of nothing less than a regular engagement in the field, suddenly disappeared; and Richard, elevated by this retreat, ordered the adjacent villages and houses to be set on fire, and the royal standard to be advanced, under which he created several knights, and among these the young Lord Henry of Lancaster, afterwards the illustrious King Henry the fifth, who on this occasion gave the first proofs of his distinguished valour. 4. A large piece, of his wife, son, and daughter. Quarter length. 5. Sir John Tradescant, jun. in his garden. Half length. A spade in his hand. 6. Ditto, with his wife, in one piece. Half length. 7. Ditto, with his friend Zythepsa of Lambeth; a collection of shells, &c. upon a table before them. A large quarter piece, inscribed to Sir John Tradescant's second wife and son. These pictures have no date nor painter's name, as I can yet find. They are esteemed to be good portraits. Who the person was, called in the picture Zythepsa, I never could learn. He is painted as if To facilitate the pursuit of an enemy who appeared to fly, a large body of peasants was employed to open a passage through the woods, which the Irish had by every means endeavoured to render impassable. As the King's army marched through all the difficulties of an encumbered road, perpetually impeded, and sometimes plunged into deep and dangerous morasses, the enemy frequently assailed them with loud and barbarous ululations; cast their darts with such force as no armour could withstand, slaughtered their detached parties, retired, and advanced with astonishing agility, so as continually to annoy and harass the English forces, though they could not be brought to a general engagement. Some of the Irish lords, less penetrating than their subtile chieftain, and among those his uncle, were indeed terrified by the numbers of the King's forces, and with all the marks of humiliation submitted to Richard. They appeared before him with halters round their necks, fell at his feet, imploring peace and forgiveness, and were graciously received. Art. Mac - Murchard was summoned to make the like submissions; and, to prevail upon him to accept of grace, and return to his allegiance, Richard was weak enough to promise large rewards, territories, and castles in Leinster. The Irishman, who well knew the difficulties to which the King's army was reduced, and the impossibility of their subsisting for any time in their present situation, returned a haughty answer of defiance, and declared his resolution of opposing the King of England to the utmost. Richard had the mortification to find that the distress A few of his soldiery, which had encou Mac-Murchard, however, amidst the |