The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

544 INTERPRETATION OF NA TURE.
striking him. Let him, as it were, with one eye there remains such store of works most fruitful
scan the natures of things; with the other, the and altogether unknown, that they have not
uses of mankind. Of words let him distinctly before this time, or now suddenly, been discoknow the mixed nature, which especially partakes vered; at the same time thou inquirest what they
of advantage and of inconvenience. Let him are by name, and promisest to thyself immortalidetermine that with inventions the art of invent- ty, or freedom from pain, or transporting pleasure.
ing grows. Also, let him not be vain in conceal- But thou bestowest liberally upon thyself, my
ing or in setting forth the knowledge which he son, and wilt hunt after hope from knowledge, as
hath obtained, but ingenuous and prudent, and from ignorance thou didst begin to hunt despair.
let him commend his inventions, not ambitiously Is it also by art, that the work must be adopted.
or spitefully, but first in a manner most vivid and Yet, as far as may be, I shall satisfy thy doubt,
fresh, that is, most fortified against the injuries and obey thee. That these things are suddenly
of time, and most powerful for the propagation known, my son, is no wonder. Knowledge is of,
of science, then least capable of begetting errors, quick, time of tardy birth. Also the noble things
and, above all, such as may procure him a legiti- which were invented before these, were not by
nate reader. the light of former knowledge gradually invented,
but by chance, (as they say,) abundantly. But
in things mechanical there is a certain extension
10. Thus qualified and prepared, let the inter- of what is already invented, which yet deserves
preter, proceed in this way. He will consider not the name of new invention. The way is not
the condition of man, and remove the impedi- long, my son, but ambiguous. Yet, when I say
ments of interpretation; then, girded up for his that these things have not come to view before
work, he will prepare a history and regular series.this time, hast thou ascertained, how much was
of tables, at the same time appointing their uses, known to all antiquity, or in all countries, or
co-ordinations, occurrences, and appendages. He even to single individuals. But I almost agree
will exhibit the solitude of things and their with thee, nmy son, and will lead thee higher by
resemblance of each other. Hle will also make a the hand. Thou doubtest not but that if men
selection of things, and those which are most had never existed, many of the things which are
primitive or instant, that is, conduce especially to made by art (as they say) would have been
the invention of other things, or to -human wants, wanting, as marble statues, clothes. But now, and.
he will place first in order. He will also observe men, have not they too their motions which they
tihe pre-eminences of instances, which can do obey? Truly, my son, more subtle, and more
much to shorten his work. And thus furnished, difficult to comprehend by knowledge, yet equally
he will at length maturely and happily undertake certain. Indeed, you will say, men obey their
and complete rearrangements and new tables, and will. I hear, but this is nothing. Such a cause
the interpretation itself now easy and following as fortune is in the universe, such is the will in
spontaneonsly, nay, almost as if snatched away man. If any thing therefore is produced, yet not
from the mind. Which, when he shall have without man, and lies also beyond the ways of
accomplished, he will immediately perceive and aman, is it not equal to nothing S Man lights
number, in their pure and native light, the true, upon certain inventions which, as it were, present
eternal, and simplest motions of nature, from the themselves, others he attains to by foreseeing the
ordinate and well adjusted progress of which end and knowing the means. The knowledge
arises all this infinite variety, both of the present of the means however he derives from things oband of all ages. And meanwhile from the begin- vious. In which number then shall be placed
fling of his worlk he will not fail to receive con- those inventions which from things obvious re.
stantly, as interest, for human affairs many things ceive neither obvious effect nor method and light
and unknown. But from hence again, altogether of operations? Such works are called Epistedirecting himself to and intent upon the uses of mides, or daughters of science, which do not
mankind, and the present state of things, he will, otherwise come into action than by knowledge
in diverse ways, dispose and arrange the whole and pure interpretation, seeing they contain
for action. To natures the most secret he will nothing obvious. But between these and the
assign others explanatory, and to the most absent obvious now many degrees tbinkest thou are
others superinductory. And then at last, like a numbered? Receive, my son, and seal.
second nature, he will institute generalities, the 12. In the last place, my son, I counsel thee,
errors of which may be accounted monsters, as is especially necessary, with an enlightened
yet also saving to himself the prerogative of and sober mind to distinguish the interpretation
his art. of things divine and things natural, and not to
COf the Provision of Tihingsu. suffer these in any way to be mingled together.
Errors enough there are in this kind. Nothing is
11. But thou receivest these things with lan- learned here unless by the similitudes of things to
gu'd hope and zeal, my son, and wonderest, if each other: which, though they seem most dis