The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

INTERPRETATION OF NATURE. 549
analogy of knowledge, and the truth from the Confide and give thyself to me, my son, that I
section of an idol. The former is constant and may restore thee to thyself.
indefinitely germinous, the latter discordant and
solitary. Which happens also in works. Gun-,powder, if it had been invented by conduct, not
chance (as they speak) and accident, would not ACCOUNTING myself born for the use of manhave come forth solitary, but with great frequence kind, and judging the case of the commonweal
of noble inventions, (which fall under the same me- to be one of those things which are of public
ridian.) So also the rest, both works and principles, right, and like water or air lie open to all; I
Wherefore I admonish thee, if perhaps any idol sought what might be of most advantage to men,
of any of these hath in any point determined my and deliberated what I was most fitted for by natruth, that is, the truth of things, not to think ture. I discovered that nothing is of such estimore highly of them, or less of me, since it is mation towards the human race, as the invention
sufficiently apparent from their ignorance of the and earnest of new things and arts, by which
rest, that those things themselves they have not man's life is adorned. For I perceive that, even
said from the analogy of knowledge. But thou in old times among rude men, the inventors and
still urgest, my son: would you, therefore, order teachers of things rude were consecrated and
all their writings to be converted into wrappings chosen into the number of the gods; and I noted
for incense and perfumes l That I should not that the deeds of heroes who built cities, or were
have said. For there remains yet a short while legislators, or exercised just authority, or subsome use of them, slight and narrow, and far dued unjust dominations, were circumscribed by
different from that which they were destined for, the narrowness of places and times. But the inand now usurp, but still some. Add to this that vention of things, though it be a matter of less
there are many other writings obscurer in fame, pomp, I esteemed more adapted for universality
but more excellent in use. The morals of Aris- and eternity. Yet above all, if any bring forth
totle and of Plato many admire; yet Tacitus no particular invention, though of much utility,
breathes more livinc observations of manners. but kindleth a light in nature, which from the
But at length in the proper place I shall say, what very beginning illuminates the regions of things,
utility can be derived from writings, and which which lie contiguous to things already invented,
are superior in utility to the rest, and which afterwards being elevated lays open and brings to
smallest part of them are gifts of those things view all the abstrusest things; he seems to me a
which contribute to the interpretation of nature. propagator of the empire of man over the universe,
Lastly, my son, I hear thee inquiring: dost thou a defender of liberty, a conqueror of necessities.
suffice thyself in place of all these l I shall reply, But I found myself constructed more for the conand that not dissemblingly, but from my inmost templations of truth than for aught else, as having
sense. I, dearest son, will confirm to thee a a mind sufficiently mobile for recognising (what
sacred, chaste, and legitimate marriage with things is most of all) the similitude of things, and suffithemselves. From which intercourse (above all ciently fixed and intent for observing the subtlewishes of marriage songs) thou shalt beget a most ties of differences, and possessing love of inblessed progeny of heroes, who shall subdue the vestigation, patience in doubting, pleasure in
infinite necessities of man, more fatal than all meditating, delay in asserting, facility in returngiants, and monsters, and tyrants; and for your I ing to wisdom, and neither affecting novelty, nor
affairs procure a placid and festal security and admiring antiquity, and hating all imposture.
plenteousness. But were I, my son, to commit Wherefore I judged my nature to have a kind of
thee to the giddy intricacies of experience with a familiarity and relationship with truth. Yet seemind unpurged of idols, verily thou wouldst soon ing by rank and education I was trained to civil
desire a leader. Yet by my simple precepts, affairs, and, like a youth, sometimes staggered in
without the knowledge of things, thou canst not, my opinions, and conceived I owed my country
however much thou mayest wish it, divest thyself I something peculiar, and not equally pertaining to
of idols. In tables, unless you erase what has all other parts, and hoped, if I obtained any hobefore been written, you can write nothing else. nourable 4egree in the commonwealth to perform
But in the mind, on the contrary, unless you with greater help of ingenuity and industry what
inscribe something else, you cannot erase what has I had intended; I both learned civil arts, and with
before been written. And although this may be all ingenuousness and due modesty, commended
done, although thou mayest put off the idols of myself to my friends who had some power. And
friendship, yet indeed, being uninitiated, there is in addition to this, because those things of whatdanger that thou mayest be overwhelmed by the ever kind penetrate not beyond the condition and
idols ofthe way. Thou hasttoomuch accustomed culture of this life, the hope occurred that I, born
thyself to a leader. At Rome, tyranny being once in no very prosperous state of religion, might, if
established, the oath in the name of the Roman called to civil offices, contribute somewhat to the
senate and peQple was ever afterwards vain, safety of souls. But when my zeal was imputed