 Title page of the 1628 edition of Bacon's New Atlantis | |
| Author | Francis Bacon |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Utopian novel |
Publication date | 1626 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 46 pp |
New Atlantis is an incomplete utopian novel by Sir Francis Bacon, published posthumously in 1626. It appeared unheralded and tucked into the back of a longer work of natural history, Sylva Sylvarum (forest of materials). In New Atlantis, Bacon portrayed a vision of the future of human discovery and knowledge, expressing his aspirations and ideals for humankind. The novel depicts the creation of a utopian land where "generosity and enlightenment, dignity and splendour, piety and public spirit" are the commonly held qualities of the inhabitants of the mythical Bensalem. The plan and organisation of his ideal college, Salomon's House (or Solomon's House), prefigured the modern research university in both applied and pure sciences.