The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

AP H 0OR I S M S
ON THE FORMATION OF THE FIRST HISTORY.
APHORISMS. time, be derived from their narrative, but that
I. NATURE is placed in three situations, and they must collect and prepare such and so varied
subject to a threefold government. For she is a supply of things, as may be sufficient for the
either free, and left to unfold herself in a regular forming of genuine axioms. If they thus reflect,
course, or she is driven from her position by the they will themselves lay down their own method
obstinacy and resistance of matter, and the vio- for such a history, for the end governs the means.
lence of obstacles, or she is constrained and III. But by as much as this is a matter remoulded by human art and labour. The first state quiring great pains and labour, by so much the
applies to the specific nature of bodies; the second less should it be unnecessarily burdened. There
to monsters; the third to artificial productions, in are three points, then, upon which men should be
which she submits to the yoke imposed on her by warned to employ but scanty labour, inasmuch as
man, for without the hand of man they would not they infinitely increase the bulk of the work, and
have been produced. But from the labour and add but little or nothing to its value.
contrivance of man an entirely new appearance First, then, let them dismiss antiquity and quoof bodies takes its rise, forming, as it were, an- tations, or the suffrages of authors, all disputes,
other universe or theatre. Natural history, then, controversies, and discordant opinions, and, lastly,
is threefold, and treats either of the liberty, the all philological disquisitions. Let no author be
wanderings, or the fetters of nature; so that we quoted except on doubtful points, nor controvermay aptly divide it into the histories of generation, sies entered into except on matter of great impretergeneration, and arts; the latter of which portance; and as for the ornaments of language,
divisions we are also wont to call mechanic or and comparisons, and the whole treasury of eloexperimental. Yet would we not direct these quence, and the like puerilities, let them be wholly
three to be carried on separately, for why should renounced. Nay, let all which is admitted be
not the history of monstrosities in every species propounded briefly and concisely, so as to be
be combined with that of the species itself So, nothing less than words. For no one, who is
also, artificial subjects may sometimes properly preparing and laying by materials, for building
enough he treated of together with certain natural houses or ships, or the like, takes the trouble, as
species, though, at other times, it is better to they would in shops, of arranging them elegantly
separate them. Circumstances, therefore, must and showing them off to advantage, but rather
guide us, for too rigid a method admits of repeti- attends only to their being strong and good, and
tions and prolixity as much as no method. to their taking up as little room as possible in his
II. Natural history being, as we have observed, warehouse. Let the like be done here.
threefold relative to its subject, is twofold in its Secondly, There is not much real use in the
application. For it is employed either as ameans lavish abundance of descriptions, painted repreof arriving at the knowledge of the matters them- sentations of species, and collections of their vaselves which are consigned to it, or as the ele- rieties with which natural history is adorned.
mentary material for philosophy, and as the stock These trifling varieties are the mere sport and
or forest, as it were, from which to furnish forth wantonness of nature, and approximate to merely
genuine induction. The latter is its present ap- individual characteristics, affording a pleasant
plication; its present one, I observe, for it was digression, but a mean and superfluous sort of
never before so applied. For neither Aristotle, information as regards science.
nor Theophrastus, nor Dioscorides, nor Pliny, nor Thirdly, WXe must reject all superstitious narramuch less the moderns, ever proposed this as the tives, (I do not say prodigious, where faithful
object of natural history. And the principal point and probable accounts can be obtained, but superto be attended to is this, that those who shall stitious,) together with the experiments of natural
henceforth take charge of natural history, do per- magic. For we would not accustom philosophy
petually reflect, and impress upon their minds, in her infancy, whose very nurse is natural histhat they ought not to be subservient to the plea- tory, to old wives' tales. A time may come
sure or even benefit which may, at this present (after a deeper investigation of nature) when such
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