---
title: "The Letter Of Roger Bacon Concerning The Marvelous Power Of Art And Nature And The Nullity Of Magic"
chunk: 3/3
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Letter_Of_Roger_Bacon_Concerning_The_Marvelous_Power_Of_Art_And_Nature_And_The_Nullity_Of_Magic"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:28:39.069704+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

==== In German ====
A 1613 Basel edition and a 1750 Vienna edition appeared, followed by a 1776 translation by Hamberger.

==== In Russian ====
In 2005, Moscow published a translation of Opus Majus and the first eight chapters of the Letter, edited by Ivan Lupandin.

== Relevance of the book ==

The Letter has captivated researchers for eight centuries due to its harmonious coexistence of magic and science. It connects Bacon's works on mathematics, natural science, philosophy, and theology, establishing hierarchies and parallels, embodying the medieval struggle between magic, science, and religion. Historian John Rose names Bacon among the six greatest figures in history as a philosopher, theologian, scientist, and writer. However, early 21st-century scholars view Bacon's scientific contributions as limited due to their fragmentary nature.
The book's historical and scientific relevance lies in its empirical facts and philosophical reflections, including Bacon's concept of spiritual experience or intuition as part of scientific discovery, a precursor to heuristics and intuition in science.

The chapter "On the Wondrous Art of Instruments" anticipates Leonardo da Vinci's designs, predicting submarines, scuba gear, cars, and jacks. Bacon's famous quote, "Of the three ways by which people suppose they acquire knowledge of things—authority, reasoning, and experience — only the last can bring order to the mind", reflects his emphasis on empiricism.
Theses from Opus Majus on shipbuilding and navigation from Spain to India inspired Christopher Columbus, influencing his letter to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, contributing to the discovery of the Americas.
The 1914 University of California publication and Tenney L. Davis's 1923 work detail Bacon's evolving views from empiricism to intuition, his complex relationship with the Church, and aspects of his personality.

== Description of gunpowder in the Letter ==

According to James Partington, the most famous part of the Letter is the gunpowder formula in chapter 11. Brewer summarize it as a mix from saltpeter LURU VOPO VIR CAN UTRIET sulfur, that will make thunder and lightning, if a man knows the art.
A scholar Hime rearranged the anagram to RVIIPARTVNOUCORUVLET, interpreting it as a recipe VII PARTes, V NOVellae CORULi, V ET sulphuris, translating as an instruction of taking 7 parts saltpeter, 5 parts young charcoal, and 5 parts sulfur. Davis suggests using 6 parts saltpeter for consistency with earlier statements.
Clement interprets some letters differently, proposing "pulveris carbonum tritorum" (ground charcoal) Steele notes the 1542 edition by Oronce Finé struggled with illegible manuscript symbols. 
Partington suggests Bacon may have drawn gunpowder knowledge from Arabic sources.

== The Letter as the first European book on cryptography ==

The section "On Concealing the Secrets of Nature and Art" is significant as the first European written source on cryptography. It outlines seven encryption methods, including symbol substitution, figurative expressions, consonant-only writing, mixed alphabets, invented scripts, pictographic alphabets with hidden markers, and text abbreviation. Bacon's cryptography influenced speculation about his authorship of the Voynich Manuscript, though this was disproven by radiocarbon dating.

== Interpretation of Bacon's ideas in the 19th–20th centuries ==
In the 19th century, Bacon was seen as a visionary experimenter, as per Betham. Later research showed many of his facts were known earlier, and medieval Christians were not broadly anti-science, diminishing his scientific significance. His intuitive approach echoed Robert Grosseteste's verification methods. Bacon's call for reform, per Vinogradov and Power, was an apocalyptic appeal to the Pope to improve missionary training against the Antichrist.
Edmund Brehm compared Bacon's alchemical views to Tantric yoga, suggesting alchemy was a path to longevity and spiritual liberation, akin to Madhva's teachings. Bacon's work bridged ancient alchemical traditions and the 14th-century European hermetic revival.

== Notes ==

== References ==