The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

FILUM LABYRINTHI. 97
saw plainly, that opinion of store was a cause of faith, the greatest number of wits have been emwant; and that both works and doctrines appear ployed, and the greatest helps and rewards have
many, and are few. been conferred, upon divinity. And before-time
4. He thought also, that knowledge is uttered likewise, the greatest part of the studies of philoto men in a form, as if every thing were finished; sophers was consumed in moral philosophy, which
for it is reduced into arts and methods; which in was as the heathen divinity. And in both times
their divisions do seem to include all that may be. a great part of the best wits betook themselves to
And how weakly soever the parts are filled, yet law, pleadings, and causes of estate; specially in
they carry the show and reason of a total; and the time of the greatness of the Romans, who by
thereby the writings of some received authors go reason of their large empire needed the service of
for the very art: whereas antiquity used to deliver all their able men for civil business. And the
the knowledge which the mind of man hath time amongst the Grecians, in which natural phigathered, in observations, aphorisms, or short and losophy seemed most to flourish, was but a short
dispersed sentences, or small tractates of some space; and that also rather abused in differing
parts that they had diligently meditated and sects and conflicts of opinions than profitably
laboured; which did invite men, both to ponder spent. Since which time, natural philosophy
that which was invented, and to add and supply was never any profession, nor never possessed
further. But now sciences are delivered to be any whole man, except perchance some monk in
believed and accepted, and not to be examined a cloister, or some gentleman in the country, and
and further discovered; and the succession is be- that very rarely; but became a science of passage,
tween master and disciple, and not between in- to season a little young and unripe wits, and to
ventor and continuer or advancer: and therefore serve for an introduction to other arts, especially
sciences stand at a stay, and have done for many physic and the practical mathematics. So as he
ages, and that which is positive is fixed, and that saw plainly, that natural philosophy hath been
which is question is kept question, so as the co- intended by few persons, and in them hath occulumns of no further proceeding are pitched. And pied the least part of their time, and that in the
therefore he saw plainly men had cut themselves weakest of their age and judgment.
off from further invention; and that it is no mar- 7. He thought also, how great opposition and
vel, that that is not obtained which hath not been prejudice natural philosophy had received by
attempted, but rather shut out and debarred. superstition, and the immoderate and blind zeal
5. He thought also, that knowledge is almost of religion; for he found that some of the Gregenerally sought either for delight and satisfac- cians, which first gave the reason of thunder, had
tion, or for gain or profession, or for credit and been condemned of impiety; and that the cosornament, and that every of these are as Atalanta's mographers, which first discovered and described
balls, which hinder the race of invention. For the roundness of the earth, and the consequence
men are so far in these courses from seeking to thereof touching the antipodes, were not much
increase the mass of knowledge, as of that mass otherwise censured by the ancient fathers of the
which is they will take no more than will serve Christian church; and that the case is now much
their turn: and if any one amongst so many seek- worse, in regard of the boldness of the schooleth knowledge for itself, yet he rather seeketh to men and their dependences in the monasteries,
know the variety of things, than to discern of the who having made divinity into an art, have altruth and causes of them; and if his inquisition most incorporated the contentious philosophy of
be yet more severe, yet it tendeth rather to judg- Aristotle into the body of Christian religion: and
ment than to invention; and rather to discover generally he perceived in men of devout simplicity
truth in controversy, than new matter; and if his this opinion, that the secrets of nature were the
heart be so large as he propoundeth to himself secrets of God; and part of that glory whereinto
further discovery or invention, yet it is rather of the mind of man, if it seek to press, shall be opnew discourse and speculation of causes, than of pressed; and that the desire in-men to attain to so
effects and operations. And as for those that great and hidden knowledge, hath a resemblance
have so much in their mouths, action and use and with that temptation which caused the original
practice, and the referring of sciences thereunto; fall; and on the other side, in men of a devout
they mean it of application of that which is policy, he noted an inclination to have the people
known, and not of a discovery of that which is depend upon God the more, when they are less
unknown. So he saw plainly, that this mark, acquainted with second causes; and to have no
namely, invention of further means to endow the stirring in philosophy, lest it may lead to an innocondition and life of man with new powers or vation in divinity, or else should discover mattei
works, was almost never yet set up and resolved of further contradiction to divinity. But in this;n man's intention and inquiry. part, resorting to the authority of the Scriptures,
6. He thought also, that, amongst other know- and holy examples, and to reason, he rested not
l:(dges, natural philosophy hath been the least satisfied alone, but much confirmed. For first,
fullowed and laboured. For since the Christian he considered that the knowledge of nature, by
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