The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

2 EDITOR'S PREFACE.
arts and method; from which time commonly sciences receive small or no augmentation. But as
young men, when they knit and shape perfectly, do seldom grow to a further stature; so knowledge,
while it is in aphorisms and observations, it is in growth; but when it once is comprehended in exact
methods, it may perchance be further polished and illustrated, and accommodated for use and practice,
but it increaseth no more in bulls and substance."'
Again: 66 And as for the overmuch credit that hath been given unto authors in sciences, in maling
them dictators, that their words should stand, and not consuls, to give advice; the damage is infinite
that sciences have received thereby, as the principal cause that hath kept them low, at a stay, without growth or advancement. For hence it hath come, that in arts mechanical the first devisor comes
shortest, and time addeth and perfecteth; but in sciences the first author goeth farthest, and time
leeseth and corrupteth. So, we see, artillery, sailing, printing, and the like, were grossly managed
at the first, and by time accommodated and refined: but contrariwise, the philosophies and sciences
of Aristotle, Plato, Democritus, Hippocrates, Euclides, Archimedes, of most vigour at the first, and by
time degenerate and embased; whereof the reason is no other, but that in the former many wits and
industries have contributed in one; and in the latter many wits and industries have been spentabout
the wit, of some one, whom many times they have rather depraved than illustrated. For as water
will not ascend higher than the level of the first spring-head from whence it descendeth, so knowledge derived from Aristotle, and exempted from liberty of examination, will not rise again higher
than the knowledge of Aristotle." This was the reason why the Sylva Sylvarum was published in
Aphorisms, as "6 he knew well, that there was no other way open to unloose men's minds, being
bound, and, as it were, maleficiate, by the charms of deceiving notions and theories, and thereby
imade impotent for generation of works."
With respect to some of the experiments being vulgar and trivial, Lord Bacon says in the Novum
Organullmn 6 Quod vero ad rerum utilitatem attinet, vel etiam turpituidinem, quibus (ut ait Plinius)
honoes prafandus est: eme res, non minus quam lautissimr et pretiosissimwe, in Historiam Naturalem
recipiendn sunt. Neque propterea polluitur Naturalis Historia: Sol enim Meque palatia et cloacas
ingreditur, neque tamen polluitur. Nos autem non Capitolium aliquod aut Pyramidem hominum
superbiwc dedicamus aut condimus, sed Templum sanctum ad exemplar mundi in intellectu humano
fundamus. Itaque exemplar sequimur. Nam quicquid essentia dignum est, id etiam scientia diglcum; qure est essential image. At vilia zeque substitunt ac lauta. Quinetiam, ut e quibusdam
putridis materiis, veluti Musco et Zibetho, aliquando optimi odores generantur; ita et ab instantiis
vilibus et sordidis, quandoque eximia lux et informatio emanant. Verum de hoc nimis multa; cum
hoc genus fastidii sit plane puerile et effceminatum."3
And again, "6 with relation to this contempt of natural history, on account of its containing things
th:l.t are vulgar, ignoble, subtile, or useless in their origins, we should here consider, as an oracle,
the saying o. the poor woman to the haughty prince, who rejected her petition as a thing below his
dignity to take notice of; then cease to reign; for it is certain, that whoever will not attend to matters of this kind, as if they were too minute or trifling, shall never obtain command or rule over
nature."
These two objections stated by Rawley were anticipated by Lord Bacon in the Novum Organum,4
where he mentions a third objection which is, even at this day, repeatedly urged against the Sylva
Sylvarum. "; Some," he says, "without doubt, upon reading our history and tables of invention,
will meet with experiments not well verified, or even absolutely false; and may thence, perhaps,
be apt to suspect, that our inventions are built upon doubtful principles, and erroneous foundations.
But this is nothing: for such slips must necessarily happen in the beginning. It is but as if here
and there a letter should be misplaced, or mistaken, in a writing, or printed book; which does not,
usually, much interrupt the reader: as such errors are easily corrected, from the sense of the place.
In the same manner let men observe, that experiments may be falsely believed, and received in natural
history; and yet soon after be expunged and rejected, when causes and axioms are discovered.
Though, it is true, that if there should be many, and frequent, and continued errors, in a natural and
experimental history, they cannot be corrected by any felicity of art or genius: and therefore, if in
our Natural History, which is collected, and examined, with so much diligence, so rigorous, and, as
t were, with so religious a severity, there should sometimes happen any falsity, or mistake, with rePage 173 of the first volume. 2 Article 120.
" LBuet for unpolite, or even sordid particulars, which as Pliny observes, require an apology for being mentioned; even
these ought to be received into a Natural History, no less than the most rich and delicate; for Natural History is not defiled
by them, any more than the sun, by shining alike upon the palace and the privy. And we do not endeavour to build a Capitol, or erect a paramid, to the glory of manklind; but to found a temple, in imitation of the world, and consecrate it to the
human understanding: so that we must frame our model accordingly. For whatever is worthy of existence, is worthy of
our knowledge, which is the image of existence: but ignoble things exist, as well as the noble. Nay, as some excrementitious matters, for example, musk, civet, &c. sometimes produce excellent odours; so sordid instances sometimes afford
great light and information. But enough of this; as such a delicacy is perfectly childish and effeminate."
4 Article 119.