The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

FABLE OF CUPID. 437
darkness; and let us see what light the parable mostly present to the human understanding which
can throw upon it. And here I am aware that it most imbibes, and with which itself is most
opinions of this sort the most incredible have moved. Hence it is that forms, as they are called,
entered men's mind. Certainly was this danger seem to exist more than either matter or action,
incurred here by the philosophy of Democritus because the one is hid, the other glides before us;
itself upon atoms, which, from its seeming acute- the one is not so strongly impressed, the other
ness and profundity, and for its remoteness from constantly inheres. Butforms, on the other hand,
common notions, was childishly entertained by are deemed evident and lasting, so that the primithe vulgar, but unsettled, and nearly overthrown tive and common matter seems as it were an
by the arguments of other philosophies which accessory, and to be in the place of a support to
came nearer to the vulgar comprehension: and yet them; but every sort of action only an emanation
he was the admiration of his age, and was styled from the form, and forms, therefore, to be in every
Pentathlus for his multifarious erudition, and was respect worthy of the higher rank. And hence,
deemed by universal consent the greatest of also, seems to be derived the kingdom of forms
natural philosophers, and obtained the name of a and ideas in essences, by the addition of a kind
wise man. Nor could even the opposition of of fantastic matter. Some things moreover have
Aristotle (who, like the Ottomans, could not feel grown out of this superstition; (from want of
firm upon his throne until he had murdered his judgment having, as might have been expected,
brother philosophers; and who was solicitous, as followed this error;) abstract ideas and their powers
appears from his own words, that posterity should have been introduced with such confidence and
not doubt his dogmas) effect by his violence, nor authority, that this troop of dreamers had nearly
the majesty of Plato effect by reverence the derno- overpowered the more sober class of thinkers.
lition of this philosophy of Democritus. But But these follies have for the most part disapwhilst the dicta of Aristotle and Plato were cele- peared, although one person in our age, with more
brated with applause and professorial ostentation daring than advantage, made it his endeavour to
in the schools, the philosophy of Democritus was raise and prop them up when they were of themin great repute amongst the wiser sort, and those selves on the decline. I think, however, that it
who more closely gave themselves to the depths can to an unprejudiced person be easily shown
and silence of contemplation. It kept its ground how, contrary to reason, abstract matter was made
and was approved in the era of Roman letters; into an element. It arose thus; men supposed
for Cicero everywhere makes mention of him that forms endued with action subsisted by themwith perfect approbation; and soon after we read selves, but none thought that matter thus subsisted
the panegyric of the poet, who appears to echo by itself; not even those who considered it an
after the manner of the poets the sentiment of his element; and it seemed unreasonable and contrary
times, whose wisdom shows that in a land of to the nature of an inquiry upon the elements of
dulness and beneath a Bceotian sky, the greatest things to make entities out of mere imaginations
and the most illustrious men can spring up. And it is not our object to search how we can
(Juv. Sat. 10, v. 48.) most conveniently conceive of the nature of enNeither Aristotle, therefore, nor Plato, but tities or distinguish them, but what are in truth
Genseric, Attila, and the barbarians were the the first and simplest possible of all entities, from
ruin of this philosophy. For, then, after that which all others are derived. But the first ones
human learning had suffered shipwreck, those ought no less to possess a real existence than
records of the Aristotelian and Platonic philo- those which flow from it; rather more. For it
sophy, as being lighter and more inflated matter, has its own peculiar essence, and from it come all
were preserved and came down to our times, the rest. But the assertions that have been made
whilst the more solid sank and went into oblivion. respecting abstract matter are as absurd as it
I cannot but consider, on the other hand, the would be to say that the universe and nature were
philosophy of Democritus worthy of being rescued made out of categories and such dialectic notions,
from neglect, especially since it agrees in most as out of elements. For the difference is by no
things with the authority of antiquity. In the means important between asserting that the world
first place, then, Cupid is described as a certain sprang from matter and form and privation, and
person, and to him are attributed infancy, wings, asserting that it arose out of substance and the
arrows, and other attributes, concerning which contrary qualities. But almost all the ancients,
we will afterward speak separately. But this Empedocles, Anaxagoras, Anaxirnenes, Heracliwe assume in the mean while, that the ancients tus, Democritus, though disagreeing in other
laid down the primitive matter (such as can be respects upon the prime matter, joined in this,
the origin of things) with a form and properties, that they held an active matter with a form, both
not abstract, potential, and informal. And cer- arranging its own form and having within itself
tainly that matter which is stripped and passive the principle of motion. Nor can any one think
seems altogether an invention of the human mind, otherwise without leaving experience altogether.
mrnd to have sprung thence. for those things are All these, then, submitted their mind to nature,
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