PREFACE.

Manuscripts original: "MSS." (2156). It contains the first book and part of the second of the General Principles of Mathematics original: "Communia Mathematicae". Attention was called to it both by Brewer and by Charles, and occasional references to it have been made in the present edition.

Yet a third fragment is the elementary work on Greek grammar in the possession of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, which was sent to the Bodleian The Bodleian is the primary research library of the University of Oxford. for my perusal. An imperfect copy, in seventeenth century handwriting, apparently made from the Corpus manuscript original: "MS.", is contained among the Baconian manuscripts original: "MSS." of University College.

Bacon’s commentary on The Secret of Secrets original: "Secretum Secretorum"; a medieval treatise attributed to Aristotle, covering topics from statecraft to alchemy and health. (Tanner manuscripts 116) has also been examined. It throws light on the astrological side of his work.

Among the books consulted for this edition, far the most important are those of Professors Brewer and Émile Charles, already spoken of. It is unfortunate that two such assiduous and able investigators should have worked simultaneously and without communication. Several not unimportant errors might have been avoided, had either of them known of the other’s work. Charles had a far more extensive knowledge than Brewer of Bacon’s unpublished works; and his extracts from them are so copious as to render it desirable that his monograph, which has already become extremely rare, should be republished. He makes, however, the erroneous statement (p. 62) that the missing portion of The Greater Work original: "Opus Majus" (here printed for the first time) had been published in Dublin; and he does not appreciate the distinction, so clearly demonstrated by Professor Brewer, between The Third Work original: "Opus Tertium" (which is at once an introduction and a supplement to The Greater Work), and the far vaster Treatise original: "Scriptum"