The New Atlantis of Francis Bacon

aside all spirit of emulation, all prejudice in favour of this

opinion or of that, and to join forces for the common good.

Freed by my help and guidance from the errors and obstacles

of the way, men must come forward themselves and take their

share of the labours that remain.’

Such was the New Age of which Bacon sought to make himself the trumpeter. But a world which is still filled with hunger, sickness, and ignorance, cannot yet claim to have responded to his call. Nor is it adequately served by critics like Professors Knights, Lewis, and Willey, who seem to me like three poppies on the edge of a field at harvest time shaking their heads together over the vulgarity of its load of corn.

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