New Atlantis

“This scroll was signed with a stamp of cherubim: wings, not spread, but hanging downwards; and by them a cross.” 

The cherubim and the cross are only two of the many Christian symbols Bacon uses throughout the work. Given that perhaps the most visible role of the cherubim in the Bible is that they are the guardians of the Garden of Eden, it makes sense that they would feature prominently in the iconography associated with Bensalem, a utopian society hidden from the rest of the world. What is less clear is the extent to which these and other Christian symbols are merely co-opted by Bacon as he conveys an ostensibly secular political theory. The role of religion and Christianity in Bacon’s ideal society is a matter of academic debate, with some scholars pointing out that a common theme across Bacon’s work is that science and religion are complementary concepts, not adversarial ones. Others, however, argue that Bacon subverts Christian symbols in his depiction of a utopia in which the great works of Salomon’s House are aimed at fulfilling citizens’ material needs as opposed to their spiritual needs.

“What? twice paid!” 

This common refrain spoken by Bensalem officials conveys Bacon’s contempt toward corrupt government agents. Whenever