The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

196 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. Bo( I1.
little from antiquity, either in terms or opinions, provision; that they be handled as they have effas may stand with truth and the proficience of cacy in nature, and not logically. It appeareth
knowledge. And herein I cannot a little marvel likewise, that Natural Theology, which heretcat the philosopher Aristotle, that did proceed in fore hath been handled confusedly with metaphysuch a spirit of difference and contradiction to- sic, I have enclosed and bounded by itself. It is
wards all antiquity: undertaking not only to frame therefore now a question what is left remaining
new words of science at pleasure, but to confound for metaphysic; wherein I may without prejudice
and extinguish all ancient wisdom: insomuch as preserve thus much of the conceit of antiquity,
he never nameth or mentioneth an ancient author that physic should contemplate that which is
or opinion, but to confute and reprove; wherein inherent in matter, and therefore transitory; and
for glory, and drawing followers and disciples, he metaphysic that which is abstracted and fixed.
took the right course. For certainly there cometh And again, that physic should handle that which
to pass, and hath place in human truth, that supposeth in nature only a being and moving;
which was noted and pronounced in the highest and metaphysic should handle that which suptruth: "- Veni in nomine Patris, nec recipitis me; pcseth further in nature a reason, understanding,
si quis venerit in nomnine suo, eum recipietis.'5 and platform. But the difference, perspicuously
But in this divine aphorism, (considering to whom expressed, is most familiar and sensible. For as
it was applied, namely to Antichrist, the highest we divided natural philosophy in general into the
deceiver,) we may discern well that the coming inquiry of causes, and productions of effects; so
in a man's own name, without regard of antiquity that part which concerneth the inquiry of causes
or paternity, is no good sign of truth, although it we do subdivide according to the received and
be joined with the fortune and success of an " Eum sound division of causes; the one part, which is
recipietis." But for this excellent person Aris- physic, inquireth and handleth the material and
totle, I will think of him that he learned that efficient causes; and the other, which is metahumour of his scholar, with whom, it seemeth, i physic, handleth the formal and final causes.
he did emulate; the one to conquer all opinions, Physic, taking it according to the deriviation,
as the other to conquer all nations: wherein ne- and not according to our idiom for medicine, is
vertheless, it may be, he may at some men's hands, situate in a middle term or distance between nathat are of a bitter disposition, get a like title as tural history and metaphysic. For natural history
his scholar did: describeth the variety of things; physic, the
"Felix terrarum prredo, non utile mundo causes, but variable or respective causes; and
Editus exemplulm, &c." metaphysics the fixed and constant causes.
So, "Limus ut hic durescit, et hec ut cera liquescit,
"Felix doctrine prwdo." Uno eodemque igni:"
But to me, on the other side, that do desire as Fire is the cause of induration, but respective to
much as lieth in my pen to ground a sociable in- clay: fire is the cause of colliquation, but respectercourse between antiquity and proficience, it tive to wax; but fire is no constant cause either
seemeth best to keep away with antiquity, " us- of induration or colliquation: so then the physical
que ad aras;" and therefore to retain the ancient causes are but the efficient and the matter. Phtyterms, though I sometimes alter the uses and defi- sic hath three parts; whereof two respect nature
nitions, according to the moderate proceeding in united or collected, the third contemplateth nature
civil government; where although there be some diffused or distributed. Nature is collected either
alteration, yet that holdeth which Tacitus wisely into one entire total, or else into the same principles
noteth, "' eadem magistratuum vocabula." or seeds. So as the first doctrine is touching the
To return, therefore, to the use and acceptation contexture or configuration of things, as L' de
of the term Metaphysic, as I do now understand mundo, de universitate rerum." The second is
the word; it appeareth, by that which hath been the doctrine concerning the principles or originals
already said, that I intend "-philosophia prima," of things. The third is the doctrine concerning
Summary Philosophy and Metaphysic, which all variety and particularity of things; whether
heretofore have been confounded as one, to be two it be of the different substances, or their different
things. For, the one I have made as a parent or qualities and natures; whereof there needeth no
common ancestor to all knowledge; and the other enumeration, this part being but as a gloss, or
I have now brought in as a branch or descendant paraphrase, that attendeth upon the text of natural
of natural science. It appeareth likewise that I history. Of these three 1 cannot report any as
have assigned to Summary Philosophy the com- deficient. In what truth or perfection they are
mon principles and axioms which are promiscuous handled, I make not now any judgment: but they
and indifferent to several sciences: I have as- are parts of knowledge not deserted by the labour
signed unto it likewise the inquiry touching the of man.
operation of the relative and adventitious charac- For Metaphysic, we have assigned unto it theL
ters of essences, as quantity, similitude, diversity, inquiry of formal and final causes; which assigna.
possibility, and the rest: with this distinction and tion, as to the former of them, may seem to be