t
this time animated against the Whigs deserves to be called fiendish. The
servile Judges and Sheriffs of those evil days could not shed blood
as fast as the poets cried out for it. Calls for more victims, hideous
jests on hanging, bitter taunts on those who, having stood by the King
in the hour of danger, now advised him to deal mercifully and generously
by his vanquished enemies, were publicly recited on the stage, and, that
nothing might be wanting to the guilt and the shame, were recited by
women, who, having long been taught to discard all modesty, were now
taught to discard all compassion. [180]

It is a remarkable fact that, while the lighter literature of England
was thus becoming a nuisance and a national disgrace, the English genius
was effecting in science a revolution which will, to the end of time,
be reckoned among the highest achievements of the human intellect. Bacon
had sown the good seed in a sluggish soil and an ungenial season. He
had not expected an early crop, and in his last testament had solemnly
bequeathed his fame to the next age. During a whole generation his
philosophy had, amidst tumults wars, and proscriptions, been slowly
ripening in a few well constituted minds. While factions were struggling
for dominion over each other, a small body of sages had turned away with
benevolent disdain from the conflict, and had devoted themselves to the
nobler work of extending the dominion of man over matter. As soon
as tranquillity was restored, these teachers easily found attentive
audience. For the discipline through which the nation had passed had
brought the public mind to a temper well fitted for the reception of the
Verulamian doctrine. The civil troubles had stimulated the faculties of
the educated classes, and had called forth a restless activity and an
insatiable curiosity, such as had not before been known among us. Yet
the effect of those troubles was that schemes of political and religious
reform were generally regarded with suspicion and contempt. During
twenty years the chief employment of busy and ingenious men had been to
frame constitutions with first magistrates, without first magistrates,
with hereditary senates, with senates appointed by lot, with annual
senates, with perpetual senates. In these plans nothing was omitted. All
the detail, all the nomenclature, all the ceremonial of the imaginary
government was fully set forth, Polemarchs and Phylarchs, Tribes and
Galaxies, the Lord Arch