The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

AND EXPERIMENTAL HISTORY. 4d29
weaving, carpentry, architecture, mill and clock- tice. The exact return and distances of the
work, and the like; although the latter are by no planets, therefore, in the history of the heavens,
means to be neglected, both on account of their the circumference of the earth, and the extent of
frequently presenting circumstances tending to its surface compared with that of water, in the
the alteration of natural bodies, and also on ac- history of the earth and sea, the quantity of comcount of the accurate information they afford of pression which the air will suffer without any
translatitious motion, a point of the greatest im- powerful resistance, in the history of air, the
portance in many inquiries. quantity by which one metal exceeds another in
One thing, however, is to be observed and well weight, in that of metals, and a number of like
remembered in this whole collection of arts, points are to be thoroughly investigated and denamely, to admit not only those experiments tailed. WThen, however, the exact proportions
which conduce to the direct object of the art, but cannot be obtained, recourse must be had to those
also those which indirectly occur. For instance, which are estimated or comparative. Thus, if we
the changing of the lobster or a crab when cooked distrust the calculations of astronomers as to disfrom a dark to a red colour has nothing to do with tances, it may be stated that the moon is within
cookery, yet this instance is not a bad one in in- the shadow of the earth, and Mercury above the
vestigating the nature of redness, since the same moon, &c. If mean proportions cannot be had,
thing occurs in baked bricks. So, again, the let extremes be taken, as that the feeblest magnet
circumstance of meat requiring less time for salt- can raise iron of such a weight compared with
ing in winter than in summer, is not only useful its own, and the most powerful sixty times as
information to the cook for preparing his meat, much as its own weight, which I have myself
but is also a good instance to point out the nature observed in a very small armed magnet. For we
and effect of cold. He therefore will be wonder- know very well that determinate instances do not
fully mistaken, who shall think that he has satis- readily or often occur, but must be sought after
fled our object when he has collected these expe- as auxiliary, when chiefly wanted, in the very
riments of the arts for the sole purpose of im- course of interpretation. If, however, they casuproving each art in particular. For, although we ally occur, they should be inserted in natural hisdo not by any means despise even this, yet our tory, provided they do not too much retard its
firm intention is to- cause the streams of every progress.
species of mechanical experiment to flow from all VIII. With regard to the credit due to the
quarters into the ocean of philosophy. The choice matters admitted into our history, they must
of the most important instances in each (such as either be certain, doubtful, or absolutely false.
should be most abundantly and diligently search- The first are to be simply stated, the second to be
-ed and, as it were, hunted out) must be governed noted with "' a report states," or, "c they say," or,
by the prerogative instances.,; I have heard from a person worthy of credit,"
VI. aVe must here allude to that which we have and the like. For it would be too laborious to
treated more at length in the ninety-ninth, one enter into the arguments on both sides, and would
hundred and nineteenth, and one hundred and too much retard the author, nor is it of much contwentieth aphorisms of the first book, and need sequence towards our present object, since (as
now only briefly urge as a precept, namely, that we have observed in the hundred and eighteenth
there be admitted into this history, 1. The most aphorism of the first book) the correctness of the
common matters, such as one might think it super- axioms will soon discover the errors of experifluous to insert from their being so well known; ment, unless they be very general. If, however,
2. Base, illiberal, and filthy matters, (for to the there be any instance of greater importance than
pure every thing is pure, and if money derived the rest, either from its use, or the consequences
from urine be of good odour, much more so is dependent upon it, then the author should cerknowledge and information from any quarter,) tainly be named, and not barely named, but some
and also those which are trifling and puerile; notice should be taken as to whether he merely
lastly, such matters as appear too minute, as heard or copied it, (as is generally the case with
being of themselves of no use. For (as has been Pliny,) or rather affirmed it of his own knowobserved) the subjects to be treated of in this ledge, and, also, whether it were a matter Within
history are not compiled on their own account, his own time or before it, or whether such as, if
nor ought their worth, therefore, to be measured true, must necessarily have been witnessed by
by their intrinsic value, but by their application many; or, lastly, whether the author were vain
to other points, and their influence on philosophy. and trifling, or steady and accurate and the like
VII. We moreover recommend that all natural points, which give weight to testimony. Lastly.
bodies and qualities be, as far as possible, re- those matters which are false, and yet have been
duced to number, weight, measure, and precise much repeated and discussed, such as have gained
definition; for we are planning actual results and ground by the lapse of ages, partly owing to
not mere theory; and it is a proper combination neglect, partly to their being used as poetical
of physics and mathematics that generates prac- comparisons; for instance, that the diamond