PROS AND CONS OF THE CONTROVERSY
THE BI-LITERAL CYPHER OF SIR FRANCIS BACON.
Baconiana, London.
Elizabeth Wells Gallup.
Editor Baconiania:
From reading the January number of the Magazine, it would seem that I had at least furnished a new topic for discussion, and given a new impetus to the study of things Baconian, in the discovery that the Bi-literal Cipher of Francis Bacon was incorporated in the printing of his works, and that a secret story of the great Author was hidden in them. This in itself is a distinct gain for the study had seemed to languish for material upon which to feed until the opening of new channels of thought and research and comparison of ideas upon the new discovery. The object of the Society is investigation, First: of Bacon’s authorship of a much wider range of literature than has been accredited to him upon the title pages of the books of his time. Secondly: many have believed that Ciphers would be found that would present new phases of his life history which has seemed so mysterious, if only the right “key” could be touched. The limits of novelty in the discussion of all these things seemed to have been reached, however. Paralellisms in philosophy, language and thought had been urged until variety of phrases had been exhausted in comparing them, yet all arguments, while morally conclusive to the party urging them, were tinged with inconclusiveness in the lack of physical demonstration. The Ciphers found furnish the missing links which explain much, if not all.
Naturally the Ciphers and what they tell invite investigation and the pages ofBaconianiawould seem a not inappropriate forum for their discussion.
The understandings of different individuals concerning the same subject are almost as varied as the individuals themselves, hence we must expect a variety of opinions. Concourseof words has such different meanings to different people that we are compelled to believe that the brain is like a plastic matter of varying degrees of hardness, receiving but the faintest impression, or none, of some things, while others are deeply imprinted upon the recording tablets of memory. Then, too, the sources of information are so varied that the results of studying them are like looking through glasses of differing color and focus, and the individual receives and describes the impression from their own particular lense and confidently asserts that to be the only truth, hence investigation, comparison and discussion are needful in the clarifying process.
Investigation, however, does not mean rejection of that which is new or unpleasant or not in accord with our preconceived ideas, else my own labors upon old books would have stopped years ago, and I should not now be engaged in explaining what I have found, and the old beliefs would not have suffered the jar of a “Cipher discovery”.
Fully conscious of the absolute veracity of the work I have done, and my responsibility in the expression, Iknowthat the Bi-literal Cipher exists in the printing of Bacon’s works: Iknowthat others can follow over the same course, if they have the aptitude and patience for it, and can reach no other correct results. To those who have availed themselves of the opportunity carefully to study and follow my work, no argument is needed to convince them of my assertion. Doubts and objections come from those who have not had that opportunity or have given the work but slight attention.
There are those who seem to think the deciphered work as published is a creation of my own,—or that I am self-deceived. They do me too much honor,—ortoo little. It is an honor to be thought capable of such a production, through the gathering of historical facts, aided by a romantic imagination, and the power to express it all in the pure old English language of Francis Bacon. Did I possess such creative powers I would have devoted them to some more popular theme and spared eyes and brain from the nervous exhaustion of examining seven thousand pages of old English printing for the peculiarities of the Italic letters in them. I cannot aspire to the honor of such a “creation.”
On the other hand, it is not complimentary to my judgment, or that of my publishers, that I, or they, should go through the constant researches of the last seven years in libraries so widely scattered,—self deceived as to the resulting work, expending so much of time and strength and substance in developing something that was non-existent;—or if not that—and the Cipher has no reason for existence—what shall be said of so stupendous and brain-racking effort to deceive my readers with so purposeless a production.
It is urged that the Cipher disclosures do not accord with history. This is a field for the investigators. I can only record what I find as I find it. “The facts of history” is an elastic term and the deductions drawn from public records of the earlier ages vary greatly. The conviction is growing that much of interest was not recorded and it is certain that sources of information are too diverse and greatly scattered to be all brought together into an exact statement of facts. If the Cipher had a purpose, it was to record that which was being suppressed. It would have been a work of supererogation to put into Cipher the open records of the day.
Many inquiries have reached me asking “How is the Cipher worked?” and expressing disappointment that the writer had been unable after some hours of study, to grasp the system or its application.
It would be difficult, and hardly to be expected that an understanding of Greek or Sanscrit could be reached with the aid of a few written lines or with a few hours study. It is equally so with the Cipher. Deciphering the Bi-literal Cipher as it appears in Bacon’s works will be impossible to those who are not possessed of an eyesight of the keenest and perfect accuracy of vision in distinguishing minute differences in form, lines, angles and curves in the printed letters. Other things absolutely essential are unlimited time and patience, and aptitude, love for overcoming puzzling difficulties and, I sometimes think,inspiration. As not every one can be a poet, an artist, an astronomer or adept in other branches requiring special aptitude, so, and for the same reasons, not every one will be able to master the intricacies of the Cipher, for, in many ways it is most intricate and puzzling, not in thesystem itself, but in its application, as it is found in the old books. It must not be made too plain, lest it be discovered too quickly, nor hid too deep lest it never see the light of day, is the substance of the thought of the inventor, many times repeated in the work. The system has been recognized since the first publication ofDe Augmentis, but the ages since have waited to learn of its application to Bacon’s works; and yet the idea seems to be prevalent that “any one” should be able to do the work, once the bi-literal alphabet is known. This is as great a mistake as it would be to reject the translations of the character writings and hieroglyphics of older times which have been deciphered because we could not in a few hours master them ourselves. Ciphers are used to hide things, not to make them clear.