Roger's death, his illustrious namesake, Francis Bacon, was
formulating his Inductive Philosophy, and with complete
cock-sureness was teaching mankind all about everything. Let
us look at some of his utterances which may help to throw light
on the way he regarded the problem we are dealing with.

"It is reported," Francis Bacon writes, "that the Leucacians in
ancient time did use to precipitate a man from a high cliffe
into the sea; tying about him, with strings, at some distance,
many great fowles; and fixing unto his body divers feathers,
spread, to breake the fall. Certainly many birds of good wing
(as Kites and the like) would beare up a good weight as they
flie. And spreading of feathers, thin and close, and in great
breadth, will likewise beare up a great weight, being even laid
without tilting upon the sides. The further extension of this
experiment of flying may be thought upon."

To say the least, this is hardly mechanical. But let us next
follow the philosopher into the domain of Physics. Referring
to a strange assertion, that "salt water will dissolve salt put
into it in less time than fresh water will dissolve it," he is
at once ready with an explanation to fit the case. "The salt,"
he says, "in the precedent water doth by similitude of
substance draw the salt new put in unto it." Again, in his
finding, well water is warmer in winter than summer, and "the
cause is the subterranean heat which shut close in (as in
winter) is the more, but if it perspire (as it doth in summer)
it is the less." This was Bacon the Lord. What a falling
off--from the experimentalist's point of view--from Bacon the
Friar! We can fancy him watching a falcon poised motionless in