Francis Bacon and Scientific Method

Abstract

I. FRANCIS BACON, who died on April 9, 1626, and whose tercentenary is to be celebrated at Cambridge on October 5 of the present year, was born at York Place, Strand, on January 22,1560/61. His father was Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper to Queen Elizabeth, and his mother was Anne Cook, daughter of Sir Antony Cook, who had been tutor to Edward VI. Bacon went to Trinity College, Cambridge, at a very early age; he was only fifteen when he finally went down in 1575. He was sent to France by his father, who died while he was there, leaving Bacon ill provided for. He decided to follow the career of a lawyer, and was admitted to Gray's Inn on November 21, 1576. During Elizabeth's reign Bacon had much legal work to do, and received many promises of preferment, but he was not greatly rewarded either in money or in offices. Under James I. his advancement was rapid. He rose to be Lord Chancellor and Baron Verulam in 1618 and Viscount St. Albans in 1620–21.