The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

BOOK II. ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 2G7
and religion, we raise our imagination above our invented; or to retain that which is judged; or
reason; which is the cause why religion sought to deliver over that which is retained. So as the
ever access to the mind by similitudes, types, arts must be four; artof inquiry or invention; art
parables, visions, dreams. And again, in all of examination or judgment; art of custody or
persuasions that are wrought by eloquence, and memory; and art of elocution or tradition.
other impressions of like nature, which do paint Invention is of two kinds, much differing; the
and disguise the true appearance of things, the one, of arts and sciences; and the other, of speech
chief recommendation unto reason is from the im- and arguments. The former of these I do report
agination. Nevertheless, because I find not any deficient; which seemeth to me to be such a de
science that doth properly or fitly pertain to the ficience as if, in the making of an inventory touchimagination, I see no cause to alter the former di- ing the estate of a defunct, it should be set down,
vision. For as for poesy, it is rather a pleasure that there is no ready money. For as money will
or play of the imagination, than a work or duty fetch all other commodities, so this knowledge is
thereof. And if it be a work, we speak not now that which should purchase all the rest. And
of such parts of learning as the imagination pro- like as the WVest Indies had never been discover.
duceth, but of such sciences as handle and con- ed, if the use of the mariner's needle had not been
sider of the imagination; no more than we shall first discovered, though the one be vast regions
speak now of such knowledges as reason pro- and the other a small motion.; so it cannot be
duceth, for that extendeth to all philosophy, but found strange if sciences be no farther discovered,
of such knowledges as do handle and inquire of if the art itself of invention and discovery hath
the faculty of reason: so as poesy had its true been passed over.
place. As for the power of the imagination in That this part of knowledge is wanting, to my
nature, and the manner of fortifying the same, weI judgment standeth plainly confessed; for first,
have mentioned it in the doctrine ", De anima," logic doth not pretend to invent sciences, or the
whereunto it most fitly belongeth. And lastly,. axioms of sciences, but passeth it over with a
for imaginative or insinuative reason, which is the ",cuique, in sua, arte credendum." And Celsus
subject of rhetoric, we think it best to refer it to acknowledgeth it gravely, speaking of the emthe arts of reason. So therefore we content our-. pirical and dogmatical sects of physicians, 6" Thfat
selves with the former division, that Human Phi- medicines and cures were first found out, and
losQphy, which respecteth the faculties of the; thenafter the reasons-andccauses were discoursed;
mind of man, hath two parts, Rational and Moral. and not the. causes first found out, and by light
The part of Human, Philosophy which is ra-m from them the medicines and cures discovered."
tional is of all knowledges, to the most wits, thel And Plato, in his Theatetus, noteth well, "That
least delightful, and seemeth but a.net of subtilty particulars are infinite, and the higher generalities
and spinosity..For as it was truly said, that, give no sufficient direction; and that the pith of
knowledgeis ":.pabulumanimi;" soin the nature;:all sciences, which maketh the artsman differ
of men's appetite to this food, most men are of ifrom the inexpert, is in the middle propositions,
the taste and stomach of the Israelites-in the desert,. which in every particular knowledge are taken
that would fainhave returned " ad'ollas earnium,"!from tradition and experience." And therefore
and were weary of manna; which, though it were,l we see, that they which discourse of the inven
celestial seemed less: nutritive and! comfortable. Itions and originals of things., refer them rather tt
So generally men taste well knowledges that are, chance than to art, and rather to beasts, birds,
drenched in flesh and blood, civil-history, morality-, lfishes, serpents, than:to men,
policy, about the which men's affections, praises,., "Dictamnum genetrix Cretea-carpit ab Ida,
fortunes, do turn and are conversant: but thisc Puberibus carlern foliis, et flore comantem
same 6" lumen siccum" doth parch and offend most Purpuo: non illa feris incognita capris
men...s watery and softnature. But,(to- speak Gramina, cum tergo volucres haesere sagittae."
men's watery and soft natures, But,:to, speak;
truly of things as they are in worth, rationalSo that it was no marvel,the manner of antiquity
knowledges are the keys of all other arts;; for as Ibeing to consecrate inventors, that the._Egyptians
Aristotle saith aptly and elegantly, c"That the had so few human idols in. their temples, but al
hand is the instrument of instruments, and the most all brute.
mind is the form of forms:" so these be. truly "Omnigenumque Deum monstra, et latrator.Anubis,
said to be the art of arts: neither do -they only- Contra Neptunum,,et. Venerem, contraque Minervam," &c.
direct, but likewise confirm and strengthen.; even And if youlike better the tradition of the Grecians,
as the habit of shooting doth not only enable to and ascribe the-first inventions to men; yet you
shoot a nearer shoot, but alsoto, draw a stronger will rather believe that Prometheus first struck
bow. the flints, and.marvelled at the spark, than that
The arts intellectual are:four in number; -divid- when.he first struck the flints -he expected the,
ed according to the ends whereunto they-are re- spaTk: and therefore we see the West Indian
ferred: for man's labour is to invent that which is Prometheus had no intelligence with the European,
sought or propounded; or to judge that which is because of the rareness with -them of flint, that