This critique of Francis Bacon, written between 1814 and 1816, is a vigorous attack on the materialism and scientism that Joseph de Maistre believed characterized the thought of the French "philosophes". Richard Lebrun's annotated translation includes Maistre's complete text, an extensive introduction that places the work in context and provides a critical exposition and assessment of Maistre's criticisms of Bacon, biographical notes on persons cited or mentioned by Maistre, and a bibliography. Differences between Maistre's manuscript and the printed text, first published 15 years after the author's death, are noted, and Maistre's numerous citations have been identified, verified and translated.