The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

SUMMARY OF THE SECOND PART,
DIGESTED IN APHORISMS.
APHORISMS ON THE INTERPRETATION 10. The subtilty of nature is far beyond that
OF NATURE AND THE EMPIRE OF MAN. of sense or of the understanding: so that the
1. MAN, as the minister and interpreter of na- specious meditations, speculations, and theories
ture, does and understands as much as his obser- of mankind, are but a kind of insanity, only there
vations on the order of nature, either with regard is no one to stand by and observe it.
to things or the mind, permit him, and neither 11. As the present sciences are useless for the
knows nor is capable of more. discovery of effects, so the present system of
2. The unassisted hand, and the understanding logic is useless for the discovery of the sciences.
left to itself, possess but little power. Effects 12. The present system of logic rather assists
are produced by the means of instruments and in confirming and rendering inveterate the errors
helps, which the understanding requires no less founded on vulgar notions, than in searching
than the hand. And as instruments either pro- after truth; and is therefore more hurtful than
mote or regulate the motion of the hand, so those useful.
that are applied to the mind prompt or protect the 13. The syllogism is not applied to the princiunderstanding. ples of the sciences, and is of no avail in inter3. Knowledge and human power are synony- mediate axioms, as being very unequal to the
mous, since the ignorance of the cause frustrates subtilty of nature. It forces assent, therefore,
the effect, For nature is only subdued by sub- and not things.
mission, and that which in contemplative philo- 14. The syllogism consists of propositions,
sophy corresponds with the cause, in practical propositions of words, words are the signs of
science becomes the rule. -:. notions. If, therefore, the notions (which form
4. Man, whilst operating, can only apply or the basis of the whole) be confused and carelesswithdraw natural bodies; nature, internally, per- ly abstracted from things, there is no solidity in
forms the rest. the superstructure. Our only hope, then, is in
5. Those who become practically versed in genuine induction.
nature, are the mechanic, the mathematician, the 15. We have no sound notions either in logic
physician, the alchymist, and the magician; but or physics; substance, quality, action, passion,
all (as matters now stand) with faint efforts and and existence are not clear notions; much less,
meagre success. weight, levity, density, tenuity, moisture, dryness,
6. It would be madness, and inconsistency, to generation, corruption, attraction, repulsion, ele~
suppose that things which have never yet been ment, matter, form, and the like. They are all
performed, can be performed without employing fantastical and ill defined.
some hitherto untried means. 16. The notions of less abstract natures, as
7. The creations of the mind and hand appear man, dog, dove; and the immediate perceptions
very numerous, if we judge by books and manu- of sense, as heat, cold, white, black, do not defactures: but all that variety consists of an ceive us materially, yet even these are sometimes
excessive refinement, and of deductions from a confused by the mutability of matter and the infew well known matters; not of a number of termixture of things. All the rest, which men
axioms. have hitherto employed, are errors; and impro8. Even the effects already discovered are due perly abstracted and deduced from things.
to chance and experiment, rather than to the 17. There is the same degree of licentiousness
sciences. For our present sciences are nothing and error in forming axioms, as in abstracting no.
more than peculiar arrangements of matters al- tions: and that in the first principles, which de.
ready discovered, and not methods for discovery, pend on common induction. Still more is this
or plans for new operations..the case in axioms and inferior propositions die9. The sole cause and root of almost every rived from syllogisms.
defect in the sciences is this; that whilst we 18. The present discoveries in science are such
falsely admire and extol the powers of the human as lie immediately beneath the surface of common
mind, we do not search for its real helps. notions. It is necessary, however, to penetrate
VoL. III.-44 345