I . Francis Bacon
(1561–1626)
an English lawyer, politician and philosopher. He was very successful in his early career and became Lord Chancellor to King James I in 1618, but he was later accused of accepting money illegally and sent to prison. He was released after only four days, but never returned to public service. Bacon’s books, including The Advancement of Learning (1605), show a scientific interest in the world which was new at that time.
Since 1856 some people have claimed that Francis Bacon is the real author of the plays of William Shakespeare , because they feel that Shakespeare’s education and social background were not good enough to have produced such great literature.
II . Francis Bacon
(1909–92)
an Irish painter who lived in England from 1928. He often painted people who were in pain or who were being treated in a cruel way, making their bodies look ugly and twisted in order to emphasize their pain. He destroyed any of his paintings that he was not satisfied with.
III . Roger Bacon
( c. 1214–92)
a Franciscan monk and philosopher who became known as ‘Doctor Mirabilis’, or ‘the Admirable Doctor’. He was unusual for his time in regarding mathematics and science as very important. His writings show that he was particularly interested in chemistry, optics (= the scientific study of sight and light) and astrology, and he seems to have understood the possibilities of gunpowder (= an explosive powder), the telescope, glasses and flying. In 1278 his work was declared to be heretical (= opposed to religious beliefs) and he was put in prison until just before his death.