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refused his appeal； and ordered him for immediate executionone
of the judges saying； that 〃the Republic had no need of
philosophers。〃 In England also； about the same time； Dr。
Priestley； the father of modern chemistry； had his house burnt
over his head； and his library destroyed； amidst shouts of 〃No
philosophers！〃 and he fled from his native country to lay his
bones in a foreign land。
The work of some of the greatest discoverers has been done in the
midst of persecution； difficulty； and suffering。 Columbus； who
discovered the New World and gave it as a heritage to the Old； was
in his lifetime persecuted； maligned； and plundered by those whom
he had enriched。 Mungo Park's drowning agony in the African river
he had discovered； but which he was not to live to describe；
Clapperton's perishing of fever on the banks of the great lake； in
the heart of the same continent； which was afterwards to be
rediscovered and described by other explorers； Franklin's
perishing in the snowit might be after he had solved the long…
sought problem of the North…west Passageare among the most
melancholy events in the history of enterprise and genius。
The case of Flinders the navigator； who suffered a six years'
imprisonment in the Isle of France； was one of peculiar hardship。
In 1801； he set sail from England in the INVESTIGATOR； on a voyage
of discovery and survey； provided with a French pass； requiring
all French governors （notwithstanding that England and France were
at war） to give him protection and succour in the sacred name of
science。 In the course of his voyage he surveyed great part of
Australia； Van Diemen's Land； and the neighbouring islands。 The
INVESTIGATOR； being found leaky and rotten； was condemned； and the
navigator embarked as passenger in the PORPOISE for England； to
lay the results of his three years' labours before the Admiralty。
On the voyage home the PORPOISE was wrecked on a reef in the South
Seas； and Flinders； with part of the crew； in an open boat； made
for Port Jackson； which they safely reached； though distant from
the scene of the wreck not less than 750 miles。 There he procured
a small schooner； the CUMBERLAND； no larger than a Gravesend
sailing…boat； and returned for the remainder of the crew； who had
been left on the reef。 Having rescued them； he set sail for
England； making for the Isle of France； which the CUMBERLAND
reached in a sinking condition； being a wretched little craft
badly found。 To his surprise； he was made a prisoner with all his
crew； and thrown into prison； where he was treated with brutal
harshness； his French pass proving no protection to him。 What
aggravated the horrors of Flinders' confinement was； that he knew
that Baudin； the French navigator； whom he had encountered while
making his survey of the Australian coasts； would reach Europe
first； and claim the merit of all the discoveries he had made。 It
turned out as he had expected； and while Flinders was still
imprisoned in the Isle of France； the French Atlas of the new
discoveries was published； all the points named by Flinders and
his precursors being named afresh。 Flinders was at length
liberated； after six years' imprisonment； his health completely
broken； but he continued correcting his maps； and writing out
his descriptions to the last。 He only lived long enough to
correct his final sheet for the press； and died on the very
day that his work was published！
Courageous men have often turned enforced solitude to account in
executing works of great pith and moment。 It is in solitude that
the passion for spiritual perfection best nurses itself。 The soul
communes with itself in loneliness until its energy often becomes
intense。 But whether a man profits by solitude or not will mainly
depend upon his own temperament； training； and character。 While；
in a large…natured man； solitude will make the pure heart purer；
in the small…natured man it will only serve to make the hard heart
still harder： for though solitude may be the nurse of great
spirits； it is the torment of small ones。
It was in prison that Boetius wrote his 'Consolations of
Philosophy；' and Grotius his 'Commentary on St。 Matthew；' regarded
as his masterwork in Biblical Criticism。 Buchanan composed his
beautiful 'Paraphrases on the Psalms' while imprisoned in the cell
of a Portuguese monastery。 Campanella； the Italian patriot monk；
suspected of treason； was immured for twenty…seven years in a
Neapolitan dungeon； during which； deprived of the sun's light； he
sought higher light； and there created his 'Civitas Solis；' which
has been so often reprinted and reproduced in translations in most
European languages。 During his thirteen years' imprisonment in
the Tower； Raleigh wrote his 'History of the World；' a project of
vast extent； of which he was only able to finish the first five
books。 Luther occupied his prison hours in the Castle of Wartburg
in translating the Bible； and in writing the famous tracts and
treatises with which he inundated all Germany。
It was to the circumstance of John Bunyan having been cast into
gaol that we probably owe the 'Pilgrim's Progress。' He was thus
driven in upon himself； having no opportunity for action； his
active mind found vent in earnest thinking and meditation； and
indeed； after his enlargement； his life as an author virtually
ceased。 His 'Grace Abounding' and the 'Holy War' were also
written in prison。 Bunyan lay in Bedford Gaol； with a few
intervals of precarious liberty； during not less than twelve
years； （7） and it was most probably to his prolonged imprisonment
that we owe what Macaulay has characterised as the finest
allegory in the world。
All the political parties of the times in which Bunyan lived；
imprisoned their opponents when they had the opportunity and the
power。 Bunyan's prison experiences were principally in the time
of Charles II。 But in the preceding reign of Charles I。； as well
as during the Commonwealth； illustrious prisoners were very
numerous。 The prisoners of the former included Sir John Eliot；
Hampden； Selden； Prynne （8） （a most voluminous prison…writer）； and
many more。 It was while under strict confinement in the Tower；
that Eliot composed his noble treatise； 'The Monarchy of Man。'
George Wither； the poet； was another prisoner of Charles the
First； and it was while confined in the Marshalsea that he wrote
his famous 'Satire to the King。' At the Restoration he was again
imprisoned in Newgate； from which he was transferred to the Tower；
and he is supposed by some to have died there。
The Commonwealth also had its prisoners。 Sir William Davenant；
because of his loyalty； was for some time confined a prisoner in
Cowes Castle； where he wrote the greater part of his poem of
'Gondibert'： and it is said that his life was saved principally
through the generous intercession of Milton。 He lived to repay
the debt； and to save Milton's life when 〃Charles enjoyed his ow