lie displayed to intimate an acquaintance with almost every
ence, espeoaOy chemistry, and seemed to exert an aadiority so
unlimited, over almost every part of nature, that, oonfiinnably to
the general practice of those dark and barbarous ages, he was
ftccnaed of holding a secret correspondence with demons and the
powers of hell. On this accusation he was at the age of 64
sentenced to imprisonment in his cell, an impriscmment that
lasted ten years. He was released when JEROM DE ASCOLI
mounted the papal throne : but his release even tiien was not
obtained vnthout difficulty, for the Pontiff* was much importaned
before he sent an order for his enlargement. His worics that are
now extant are distingiushed by the following tides; J^dtttlm
BraerU ROGBRI B ACONIS detecretit Operibtu Artu et IkHmrmt
et de maUtate Magiae, Paris, 1543. Oput Majtu, 1733,
by Dr. JEBB. Thewunu Chemicut. Frankfort, 1603.
these woriu it appears to be certain, that he had discovered the
art of making gunpowder, though the invention has been gene-
rally ascribed to a German Priest, of the name of SCHWARTZ,
who explained it to the Venetians during their wars wiUi the
Genoese, almost two oenturies after the death of BACON.
NOTES TO CANTO IV. ^79



C— Page 63.
Great GALILEO, rvhoM inventive art
Shall curious optics to the roorld impart,

THIS celebrated philosopher was a native of Totcany, and
bom in the year 1564. He was not only deeply skilled in pby-
acs, but wrote with an elegance worthy of Athens in the days
of her gieatest refinement. COPERNICUS had some time be-
fore discovered, and published to Europe, the true system of the
wbiid. By explaining and illustrating this system, an under.
