,valerius ,terminus3 of the             
,interpretation of ,nature    by        
,francis ,bacon          ,preface by    
,robert ,leslie ,ellis    ,the following
 fragments of a great work on the       
,interpretation of  ,nature were first  
published in ,stephens's ,letters and   
,remains #agcd4  ,they consist partly of
 detached passages1 and partly of an    
epitome  of twelve chapters of the first
 book of the proposed work4  ,the       
detached passages contain the first1    
sixth1 and eighth chapters1 and         
portions of the fourth1 fifth1 seventh1 
ninth1 tenth1 eleventh1 and  sixteenth4 
,the epitome contains an account of the 
contents of all  the chapters from the  
twelfth to the twenty-sixth inclusive1  
omitting  the twentieth1 twentythird1   
and twenty-fourth4  ,thus the sixteenth 
chapter is mentioned both in the epitome
 and among the detached  passages1 and  
we are thus enabled to see that the two 
portions of the  following tract belong 
to the same work1 as it appears from    

both that  the sixteenth chapter was to 
treat of the doctrine of idola4    ,it  
is impossible to ascertain the motive   
which determined ,bacon to  give to the 
supposed author the name of ,valerius   
,terminus1 or to his  commentator1 of   
whose annotations we have no remains1   
that of ,hermes  ,stella4  ,it may be   
conjectured that by the name ,terminus  
he intended  to intimate that the new   
philosophy would put an end to the      
wandering  of mankind in search of      
truth1 that it would be the ,,terminus  
,,ad ,,quem  in which when it was once  
attained the mind would finally         
acquiesce4    ,again1 the obscurity of  
the text was to be in some measure      
removed by  the annotations of ,stella2 
not however wholly1 for ,bacon in the   
epitome of the eighteenth chapter       
commends the manner of publishing       
knowledge whereby it shall not be to the
 capacity nor taste of all1  but shall  
as it were single and adopt his reader4 
,stella was  therefore to throw a kind  

of starlight on the subject1 enough to  
prevent the student's losing his way1   
but not much more4    ,however this may 
be1 the tract is undoubtedly obscure1   
partly from  the style in which it is   
written1 and partly from its being only 
a  fragment4  ,it is at the same time   
full of interest1 inasmuch as it is  the
 earliest type of the ,,instauratio444  
,note to ,preface by ,james ,spedding3  
,the manuscript from which ,robert      
,stephens printed these fragments was   
found among some loose papers placed in 
his hands by the ,earl of  ,oxford1 and 
is now in the ,british ,museum2 ,harl4  
manuscripts #fdfb4 ,it  is a thin paper 
volume of the quarto size1 written in   
the hand of one  of ,bacon's servants1  
with corrections1 erasures1 and         
interlineations  in his own4    ,the    
chapters of which it consists are both  
imperfect in themselves  7all but       
three71--some breaking off abruptly1    
others being little  more than tables of
 contents1--and imperfect in their      

connexion with  each other2 so much so  
as to suggest the idea of a number of   
separate  papers loosely put together4  
,but it was not so 7and the fact is     
important7 that the volume itself was   
actually made up4  ,however they  came  
together1 they are here fairly and      
consecutively copied out4  ,though it be
 a collection of fragments therefore1 it
 is such a  collection as ,bacon thought
 worthy not only of being preserved1 but
  of being transcribed into a volume2   
and a particular account of it  will not
 be out of place4    ,the contents of   
the manuscript before ,bacon touched it 
may be thus  described4    #a4 ,a       
titlepage1 on which is written          
,,valerius ,,terminus of the            
,interpretation of ,nature1 with the    
annotations of ,,hermes ,,stella4    #b4
 ,chapter ,i4 ,of the limits and end of 
knowledge2 with a running  title1 ,of   
the ,interpretation of ,nature4    #c4  
,the chapter immediately following the  
,inventory2 being the #aath  in order4  

#d4 ,a part of the #ith chapter1        
immediately precedent to the ,inventory1
  and inducing the same4    #e4 ,the    
,inventory1 or an enumeration and view  
of inventions already  discovered and in
 use1 together with a note of the wants 
and the  nature of the supplies2 being  
the #ajth chapter1 and this a fragment  
only of the same4    #f4 ,part of a     
chapter1 not numbered1 ,of the internal 
and profound  errors and superstitions  
in the nature of the mind1 and of the   
four  sorts of ,idols or fictions which 
offer themselves to the  understanding  
in the inquisition of knowledge4    #g4 
,of the impediments of knowledge2 being 
the third chapter1 the  preface only of 
it4    #h4 ,of the impediments which    
have been in the times and in diversion 
of wits2 being the fourth chapter4      
#i4 ,of the impediments of knowledge for
 want of a true succession of  wits1 and
 that hitherto the length of one man's  
life hath been the  greatest measure of 
knowledge2 being the fifth chapter4     

#aj4 ,that the pretended succession of  
wits hath been evil placed1  forasmuch  
as after variety of sects and opinions  
the most popular and  not the truest    
prevaileth and weareth out the rest2    
being the sixth  chapter4    #aa4 ,of   
the impediments of knowledge in handling
 it by parts1 and in  slipping off      
particular sciences from the root and   
stock of universal  knowledge2 being the
 seventh chapter4    #ab4 ,that the end 
and scope of knowledge hath been        
generally mistaken1  and that men were  
never well advised what it was they     
sought 7part  of a chapter not          
numbered74    #ac4 ,an abridgment of    
divers chapters of the first book2      
namely1 the  l#bth1 #acth1 and #adth1   
7over which is a running title ,of      
active  knowledge27 and 7without any    
running title7 the #aeth1 #afth1 #agth1 
#ahth1 #aith1 #bast1 #bbnd1 #beth1 and  
#bfth4  ,these abridgments have no      
headings2 and at the end is written1    
,the end of the ,abridgment of  the     

first book of the ,interpretation of    
,nature4      ,such was the arrangement 
of the manuscript as the transcriber    
left it2  which ,i have thought worth   
preserving1 because ,i seem to see      
traces  in it of two separate stages in 
the developement of the work2 the  order
 of the chapters as they are transcribed
 being probably the same  in which      
,bacon wrote them2 and the numbers      
inserted at the end of the  headings    
indicating the order in which1 when he  
placed them in the  transcriber's hands1
 it was his intention to arrange them2  
and  because it proves at any rate that 
at that time the design of the  whole   
book was clearly laid out in his mind4  
,there is nothing1 unfortunately1 to fix
 the ,,date of the transcript1  unless  
it be implied in certain astronomical or
 astrological symbols  written on the   
blank outside of the volume2 in which   
the figures #afjc  occur4  ,this may    
possibly be the transcriber's note of   
the time when  he finished his work2 for

 which 7but for one circumstance which  
,i  shall mention presently7 ,i should  
think the year #afjc is likely a  date  
as any2 for we know from a letter of    
,bacon's1 dated #crd ,july  #afjc1 that 
he had at that time resolved to meddle  
as little as  possible in the ,king's   
causes1 and to put his ambition wholly  
upon  his pen2 and we know from the     
,,advancement ,,of ,,learning that in   
#afje  he was engaged upon a work       
entitled ,the ,interpretation of        
,nature3  to which ,i may add that there
 is in the ,lambeth ,library a copy of a
  letter from ,bacon to ,lord ,kinlosse1
 dated #beth ,march1 #afjc1 and  written
 in the same hand as this manuscript4   
,bacon's corrections1 if ,i may judge   
from the character of the  handwriting1 
were inserted a little later2 for it is 
a fact that  about the beginning of     
,james's reign his writing underwent a  
remarkable change1 from the hurried     
,saxon hand full of large sweeping      
curves and with letters imperfectly     

formed and connected1 which he  wrote in
 ,elizabeth's time1 to a small1 neat1   
light1 and compact one1  formed more    
upon the ,italian model which was then  
coming into fashion2  and when these    
corrections were made it is evident that
 this new  character had become natural 
to him and easy4  ,it is of course      
impossible to fix the precise date of   
such a change1--the more so  because his
 autographs of this period are very     
scarce1--but whenever  it was that he   
corrected this manuscript1 it is evident
 that he then  considered it worthy of  
careful revision4  ,he has not merely   
inserted  a sentence here and there1    
altered the numbers of the chapters1 and
  added words to the headings in order  
to make the description more  exact2 but
 he has taken the trouble to add the    
running title wherever  it was wanting1 
thus writing the words of the           
,interpretation of  ,nature at full     
lengths not less than eighteen times    
over2 and upon  the blank space of the  

titlepage he has written out a complete 
table  of contents4  ,in short1 if he   
had been preparing the manuscript for   
the press or for a fresh transcript1 he 
could not have done it more  completely 
or carefully1--only that he has given no
 directions for  altering the order of  
the chapters so as to make it correspond
 with  the numbers4  ,and hence ,i infer
 that up to the time when he made  these
 corrections1 this was the form of the  
great work on which he  was engaged3 it 
was a work concerning the               
,interpretation of ,nature2  which was  
to begin where the ,,novum ,,organum    
begins2 and of which the  first book was
 to include all the preliminary         
considerations  preparatory to the      
exposition of the formula4    ,i place  
this fragment here in deference to ,mr4 
,ellis's decided  opinion that it was   
written before the ,,advancement ,,of   
,,learning4 ,the  positive ground indeed
 which he alleges in support of that    
conclusion  ,i am obliged to set aside1 

as founded1 ,i think1 upon a            
misapprehension2 and the supposition    
that no part of it was written  later   
involves a difficulty which ,i cannot   
yet get over to my own  satisfaction4   
,but that the body of it was written    
earlier ,i see no  reason to doubt2 and 
if so1 this is its proper place4    ,the
 particular point on which ,i venture to
 disagree with ,mr4 ,ellis ,i  have     
stated in a note upon his preface to the
 ,,novum ,,organum1  promising at the   
same time a fuller explanation of the   
grounds of my  own conclusion1 which ,i 
will now give4    ,the question is1     
whether the ,inventory in the #ajth     
chapter of  ,,valerius ,,terminus was to
 have exhibited a general survey of the 
state  of knowledge corresponding with  
that which fills the second book of  the
 ,,advancement ,,of ,,learning4 ,i think
 not4    ,it is true indeed that the    
title of that #ajth chapter1--namely1   
,the  ,inventory1 or an enumeration and 
view of inventions already  discovered  

and in use1 with a note of the wants and
 the nature of the  supplies1--has at   
first sight a considerable resemblance  
to the  description of the contents of  
the second book of the ,,advancement    
,,of  ,,learning1--namely1 ,a general   
and faithful perambulation of learning1 
with an inquiry what parts thereof lie  
fresh and waste1 and not  improved and  
converted by the industry of ,man2444   
wherein  nevertheless my purpose is at  
this time to note only omissions and    
deficiencies1 and not to make any       
redargutions of errors1 and so on4  ,but
 an enumeration of ,,inventions is not  
the same thing as a  perambulation of   
,,learning2 and it will be found upon   
closer  examination that the ,inventory 
spoken of in ,,valerius ,,terminus does 
really correspond to one1 and one only1 
of the fiftyone ,desiderata  set down at
 the end of the ,,de ,,augmentis2 viz4  
that ,,inventarium ,,opum  ,,humanarum1 
which was to be an appendix to the      
,,magia ,,naturalis4 ,see ,,de  ,,aug4  

iii4 #e4 ,this will appear clearly by   
comparing the descriptions  of the two4 
,in the ,,advancement ,,of ,,learning   
,bacon tells us that there are two      
points of much purpose pertaining to the
 department of ,natural ,magic3  the    
first of which is1 ,that there be made a
 calendar resembling an  ,inventory of  
the ,,estate ,,of ,,man1 containing     
,,all ,,the ,,inventions1 ,,being  ,,the
 ,,works ,,or ,,fruits ,,of ,,nature    
,,or ,,art1 which are now extant ,,and  
,,of  ,,which ,,man ,,is ,,already      
,,possessed2 out of which doth naturally
 result a  note what things are yet held
 impossible or not invented2 which      
calendar will be the more artificial and
 serviceable if to every  reputed       
impossibility you add what thing is     
extant which cometh the  nearest in     
degree to that impossibility3 to the end
 that by these  optatives and essentials
 man's inquiry may be the more awake in 
deducing direction of works from the    
speculation of causes4    ,the          

,inventory which was to have been       
inserted in the #ajth chapter of        
,,valerius ,,terminus is thus           
introduced3--,the plainest method and   
most  directly pertinent to this        
intention will be to make distribution  
of  ,,sciences1 ,,arts1 ,,inventions1   
,,works1 and their portions1 ,,according
 ,,to  ,,the ,,use ,,and ,,tribute      
,,which ,,they ,,yield ,,and ,,render   
,,to ,,the ,,condition ,,of  ,,man',s   
,,life2 and under those several uses1   
being as several offices of  provisions1
 to charge and tax what may be          
reasonably exacted or  demanded1444 and 
then upon those charges and taxations to
 distinguish  and present as it were in 
several columns what is extant and      
already  found1 and what is ,,defective 
,,and ,,further ,,to ,,be ,,provided4   
,of which  provisions because in many of
 them1 after the manner of slothful and 
faulty accomptants1 it will be returned 
by way of excuse that no such  are to be
 had1 it will be fit to give some light 

,,of ,,the ,,nature ,,of ,,the          
,,supplies2 whereby it will evidently   
appear that they are to be  compassed   
and procured4  ,and that the calendar   
was to deal1 not with  knowledge in     
general1 but only with arts and sciences
 of invention in  its more restricted   
sense--the ,,pars ,,operativa ,,de      
,,natura 7,,de ,,aug4 iii4              
#e47--;appears no less clearly from the 
opening of the #aath chapter1  which was
 designed immediately to follow the     
,inventory4  ,it  appeareth then what is
 now in proposition1 not by general     
circumlocution but by particular note4  
,no former philosophy1 etc4  etc4 but   
the revealing and discovering of ,,new  
,,inventions ,,and  ,,operations1444 the
 nature and kinds of which inventions   
,,have ,,been  ,,described as they could
 be discovered1 etc4 ,if further        
evidence were  required of the exact    
resemblance between the ,inventory of   
,,valerius  ,,terminus and the          
,inventarium of the ,,advancement and   

the ,,de ,,augmentis1  ,i might quote   
the end of the #ith chapter1 where the  
particular  expressions correspond1 if  
possible1 more closely still4  ,but ,i  
presume that the passages which ,i have 
given are enough2 and that the  opinion 
which ,i have elsewhere expressed as to 
the origin of the  ,,advancement ,,of   
,,learning1--namely1 that the writing of
 it was a  by-thought and no part of the
 work on the ,interpretation of ,nature 
as  originally designed1--will not be   
considered inconsistent with the        
evidence afforded by these fragments4   
,that the ,,valerius ,,terminus was     
composed before the ,,advancement1      
though a conclusion not deducible from  
the ,inventory1 is nevertheless         
probable3 but to suppose that it was so 
composed ,,exactly ,,in ,,its  ,,present
 ,,form1 involves1 as ,i said1 a        
difficulty2 which ,i will now  state4   
,the point is interesting1 as bearing   
directly upon the  developement in      
,bacon's mind of the doctrine of ,idols2

 concerning  which see preface to       
,,novum ,,organum1 note ,c4 ,but ,i have
 to deal with  it here merely as bearing
 upon the probable date of this         
fragment4    ,in treating of the        
department of ,logic in the             
,,advancement1 ,bacon  notices as       
altogether wanting the particular       
elenches or cautions  against three     
false appearances or fallacies by which 
the mind of  man is beset3 the caution  
of which1 he says1 doth extremely import
  the true conduct of human judgment4   
,these false appearances he  describes1 
though he does not give their names2 and
 they correspond  respectively to what  
he afterwards called the ,idols of the  
,tribe1 the  ,cave1 and the ,forum4     
,but he makes no mention of the fourth2 
namely1  the ,idols of the ,theatre4    
,now in ,,valerius ,,terminus we find   
two  separate passages in which the     
,idols are mentioned2 and in both all   
four are enumerated1 and all by name2   
though what he afterwards  called ,idols

 of the ,forum1 he there calls ,idols of
 the ,palace2 and it  seems to me very  
unlikely that1 if when he wrote the     
,,advancement he  had already formed    
that classification he should have      
omitted all  mention of the ,idols of   
the ,theatre2 for though it is true that
 that  was not the place to discuss     
them1 and therefore in the corresponding
  passage of the ,,de ,,augmentis they  
are noticed as to be passed by for  the 
present1 yet they are noticed by name1  
and in all ,bacon's later  writings the 
confutation of them holds a very        
prominent place4    ,to me the most     
probable explanation of the fact is     
this4  ,i have  already shown that      
between the composition and the         
transcription of  these fragments the   
design of the work appears to have      
undergone a  considerable change2 the   
order of the chapters being entirely    
altered4  ,we have only to suppose      
therefore that they were composed before
  the ,,advancement and transcribed     

after1 and that in preparing them for   
the transcriber ,bacon made the same    
kind of alterations in the  originals   
which he afterwards made upon the       
transcript1 and the  difficulty         
disappears4  ,nothing would be easier   
than to correct  three into four1 and   
insert the ,idols of the ,theatre at the
 end  of the sentence4    ,and this     
reminds me 7since ,i shall have so much 
to do with these  questions of date7 to 
suggest a general caution with regard to
 them  all2 namely1 that in the case of 
fragments like these1 the comparison  of
 isolated passages can hardly ever be   
relied upon for evidence of  the date or
 order of composition1 or of the        
progressive developement  of the        
writer's views2 and for this simple     
reason1--we can never be  sure that the 
passages as they now stand formed part  
of the original  writing4  ,the copy of 
the fragment which we have may be 7as   
there is  reason to believe this was7 a 
transcript from several loose papers1   

written at different periods and        
containing alterations or additions     
made from time to time4  ,we may know   
perhaps that when ,bacon  published the 
,,advancemcnt ,,of ,,learning he was    
ignorant of some fact  with which he    
afterwards became acquainted2 we may    
find in one of  these fragments1--say   
the ,,temporis ,,partus ,,masculus1--a  
passage  implying acquaintance with that
 fact4  ,does it follow that the        
,,temporis ,,partus ,,masculus was      
written after the ,,advancement ,,of    
,,learning8  ,no2 for in looking over   
the manuscript long after it was        
written1 he may have observed and       
corrected the error4  ,and we cannot    
conclude that he at the same time       
altered the whole composition so as  to 
bring it into accordance with the views 
he then held2 for that  might be too    
long a work4  ,he may have inserted a   
particular  correction1 but meant to    
rewrite the whole2 and if so1 in spite  
of  the later date indicated by that    

particular passage1 the body of the     
work would still represent a stage in   
his opinions anterior to the            
,,advancement ,,of ,,learning4    ,i    
have felt some doubt whether in printing
 this fragment1 ,i should  follow the   
example of ,stephens1 who gave it       
exactly as he found it2  or that of     
later editors1 who have altered the     
order of the chapters  so as to make it 
agree with the numbers4  ,the latter    
plan will  perhaps1 upon the whole1 be  
the more convenient4  ,there can he     
little  doubt that the numbers of the   
chapters indicate the order in which    
,bacon meant them to be read2 and if any
 one wishes to compare it with  the     
order in which they seem to have been   
written1 he has only to  look at        
,bacon's table of contents1 which was   
made with reference to  the transcript1 
and which ,i give unaltered1 except as  
to the spelling4    of the              
,interpretation of ,nature with the     
,annotations of a few  fragments of the 

first book1 viz4    #a4 ,the first      
chapter entire4 ,of the ends and limits 
of knowledge4    #b4 ,a portion of the  
#aath chapter4 ,of the scale4    #c4 ,a 
small portion of the #ith chapter being 
an ,inducement to the  ,inventory4      
#d4 ,a small portion of the #ajth       
chapter being the preface to the        
,inventory4    #e4 ,a small portion of  
the #afth chapter being a preface to the
 inward  elenches of the mind4    #f4 ,a
 small portion of the #dth chapter4 ,of 
the impediments of  knowledge in        
general4    #g4 ,a small portion of the 
#eth chapter4 ,of the diversion of wits4
    #h4 ,the #fth chapter entire4 ,of   
#i4 ,a portion of the #gth chapter4     
#aj4 ,the #hth chapter entire4    #aa4  
,another portion of the #ith chapter4   
#ab4 ,the ,abridgment of the #ab4 #ac4  
#ad4 #ae4 #af4 #ag4 #ah4 #ai4 #ba4 #bb4 
#be4  #bfth chapters of the first book4 
#ac4 ,the first chapter of the a book of
 the same argument written in  ,latin   
and destined for to be traditionary     

separate and not public4    ,none of the
 ,annotations of ,stella are set down in
 these fragments4      ,the title is    
written in the transcriber's hand3 all  
that follows in  ,bacon's4  ,the words  
between brackets have a line drawn      
through them4  ,for an exact facsimile  
of the whole see ,contents pages #a and 
#b4    #ac4 refers to the first chapter 
of the ,,temporis ,,partus ,,masculus2  
which follows in the manuscript volume1 
but not here4  ,it is  important as     
bearing upon the date of that fragment4 
,,valerius ,,terminus3 ,,of ,,the       
,,interpretation ,,of ,,nature    7by   
,sir ,francis ,bacon7            ,the   
first chapter of ,,valerius ,,terminus  
by ,francis ,bacon    ,an annotated     
version compiled and edited by ,dr4     
,gisela ,engel 7,johann ,wolfgang       
,goethe-,universitaet ,frankfurt am     
,main with the assistance of ,dr4       
,harvey ,wheeler  7,ret4 ,,usc1 ,martha 
,boas ,distinguished ,research          
,professor at ,,usc7 and aided by       

,melek ,hasgn1 ,simone ,wirthmann1      
,antje ,peters1 ,martina ,glebocki1     
,carsten ,jgler1  ,katja ,morawek1 ,cora
 ,hartmann 7students at ,johann         
,wolfgang ,goethe-,universitaet         
,frankfurt am ,main74      ,orignal     
,text                                   
,annotations                            
,valerius ,terminus3                    
,of the ,interpretation#a of ,nature    
#a;,a4                                  
,the word interpretation occurs         
also e4g4 in the title of the essay     
,,de ,,interpretatione ,,naturae        
,,proemium                              
7#afjc2 in ,spedding vol4 ,,iii7 and in 
his definition of man as the servant    
and interpreter of ,nature 7,,iv1#dg74  
,this definition of man is the same     
definition that we find in the          
magico-alchemical tradition which is    
in general refuted by ,bacon4 ,paolo    
,rossi 7,bacon's idea of science1 in3   
,,the ,,cambridge ,,companion ,,to      
,,bacon1 ed4                            

by ,markku ,peltonen #aiif1 #be-df7     
gives the following comment3            
,bacon condemned magic and alchemy on   
ethical grounds4 ,he accused them of    
imposture and of megalomania4 ,he       
refuted their non-participatory         
method and their intentional            
unintelligibility1 their attempt to     
replace human sweat by a few drops of   
elixir4 ,but he borrows from the        
magico-alchemical tradition the idea    
that man can attempt to make himself    
the master of nature4 ,bacon            
understands knowledge not as            
contemplation or recognition1 but as    
,,venatio1 a hunt1 an exploration of    
unknown lands1 a discovery of the       
unknown4 ,nature can be transformed     
from its foundations4 ,bacon's          
definition of man as the servant and    
interpreter of ,nature is the same      
definition we find in the magico-       
alchemical tradition1 for instance in   
the texts of ,cornelius ,agrippa von    
,nettesheim4                            

,but for all the exponents of magic     
and alchemistic culture1 the texts of   
ancient wisdom take the form of         
sacred texts which indude secrets       
that only a few men can decipher ,the   
truth is hidden in the past and in      
the profound4 ,like when dealing with   
sacred texts1 it is necessary           
continuously to go ,,beyond ,,the       
,,letter1                               
in search of a message which is more    
and more hidden4,the secret message     
expresses a ,truth which is at the      
,origins and which is always the same4  
,in the ,hermetic tradition1 as in the  
tradition of ,platonism1 the natural    
world is conceived as the image or      
living manifestation of ,god4           
,understanding nature can reveal the    
presence in the world of divine ideas   
and archetypes4 ,bacon's rejection of   
any natural philosophy founded on       
allegorical interpretations of          
,scriptures meant a withdrawal from     
exemplarism and symbolism1 both         

common features of mediaeval            
philosophy and still flourishing in     
the seventeenth century4 ,as all works  
--says ,bacon--show the power and       
ability of their maker1 but not his     
image1 so ,god's works do shew the      
omnipotency and wisdom of the maker     
but not his image 7,,iii1 #cej74 ,the   
distinction between the will and        
power of ,god1 so fully and subtly      
present in ,baconian texts1 is very     
important4 ,the heavens declare the     
glory of ,god1 and the firmament        
showeth his handworks3 this verse       
from the ,psalms 7#ah1b7 is quoted by   
,bacon several times4 ,the image of the 
world1 immediately after the ,word1 is  
a sign of the divine wisdom and         
power1 and yet the ,scriptures do not   
call the world 1the image of ,god1      
but regard it only as the work of       
his hands1 neither do they speak of     
any image of ,god other than man4       
,theology is concerned with knowing     
the book of the word of ,god1 natural   

philosophy studies the book of ,god's   
works4 ,the book of ,scripture reveals  
the will of ,god1 the book of nature1   
his power4 ,the study of nature has     
nothing to say about ,god's essence or  
his will 7,,iv2 #cdj-c74                
,bacon proposed to the ,european        
culture an alternative view of          
science4 ,for him science had a         
public1 democratic1 and collaborative   
character1 individual efforts           
contributing to its general success4    
,in science1 as ,bacon conceives it1    
truly effective results 7not the        
illusory achievements of magicians      
and alchemists7 can be attained only    
through collaboration among             
researchers1 circulation of results1    
and clarity of language4 ,scientific    
understanding is not an individual      
undertaking4 ,the extension of man's    
power over nature is never the work     
of a single investigator who keeps      
his results secret1 but is the fruit    
of an organized community financed by   

the state or by public bodies4 ,every   
reform of learning is always a reform   
also of cultural institutions and       
universities4                           
,not only a new image of science1 but   
also a new portrait of the natural      
philosopher took shape in ,bacon's      
writings4 ,this portrait differed both  
from that of the ancient philosopher    
or sage and from the image of the       
saint1 the monk1 the university         
professor1 the courtier1 the perfect    
prince1 the magus4 ,the values and the  
ends theorized for the composite        
groups of intellectuals and artisans    
who contributed in the early            
seventeenth century to the              
development of science were different   
from the goals of individual sanctity   
or literary immortality and from the    
aims of an exceptional and demonic      
personality4                            
,a chaste patience1 a natural modesty1  
grave and composed manners1 a smiling   
pity are the characteristics of the     

man of science in ,bacon's portrait of  
him4 ,in the ,,redargutio               
,,philosophiarum                        
,bacon wrote3                           
,then he told me that in ,paris a       
friend had taken him along and          
introduced him to a gathering1 'the     
sight of which'1 he said1 'would        
rejoice your eyes4 lt was the           
happiest experience of my life'4        
,there were some fifty men there1 all   
of mature years1 not a young man        
among them1 all bearing the stamp of    
dignity and probity444 ,at his entry    
they were chatting easily among         
themselves but sitting in rows as if    
expecting somebody4 ,not long after     
there entered to them a man of          
peaceful and serene air1 save that      
his face had become habituated to the   
expression of pity444 he took his       
seat1 not on a platform or pulpit1      
but on level with the rest and          
delivered the following address444      
7,,iii1 #eei2 ,farrington's             

translation74                           
,bacon's portrait doubtless resembles   
,galileo or ,einstein more than it does 
the turbulent ,paracelsus or the        
unquiet and skittish ,cornelius         
,agrippa4 ,the titanic bearing of the   
,renaissance magus is now supplanted    
by a classical composure similar to     
that of the conversations of the        
earliest ,humanists4 ,also in ,galileo's
                                        
,,dialogo and in ,descartes's           
,,recherche                             
,,de ,,la ,,verit we find the same      
familiar tone and style of              
conversation in which ,descartes        
wrote several friends1 frankly and      
without ceremony1 disclose the best     
of their thoughts to each other4 ,but   
there is besides1 in ,bacon1 the quiet  
confidence that comes from knowing      
the new powers made available to man    
by technology and collaboration4,the    
new kind of learning1 for which ,bacon  
is searching1 must get away from        

touches of genius1 arbitrary            
conclusions1 chance1 hasty summaries4   
,the emphasis ,iaid by ,bacon on the    
social factor in scientific research    
and in determining its ends1 places     
his philosophy on a radically           
different plane from that of the        
followers of ,hermetic tradition4       
,in ,,de ,,sapientia ,,veterum  ,bacon  
describes ,orpheus as the mythical      
prototype of the philosopher 7,orpheus  
sive ,philosophia1 ,,vi1 #fdf-fdi74     
#a;,b4                                  
,bacon gives the following              
definition of interpretation3 that      
reason which is elicited from facts     
by a just and methodological process1   
,i call ,,interpretation ,,of ,,nature  
7,,iv1                                  
#ea74 ,now1 this definition means a     
harsh critique of ,aristotelianism1     
,scholasticism and ,ramism4 ,michel     
,malherbe comments on this3             
,the main and most characteristic       
feature of ,bacon's epistemology is     

that it rests upon a single method1     
which is ,,induction444  ,it must help  
the understanding on its way toward     
truth444 ,thus1 true knowledge will go  
from a lower certainty to a higher      
liberty and from a lower liberty to a   
higher certainty1 and so on4 ,this      
rule is the basic principle of          
,bacon's theory of science2 prepared    
in the natural and experimental         
history1 determining the relationship   
between the tables of presence1 it      
governs the induction of axioms and     
the abstraction of notions and          
ordains the divisions of sciences       
within the general system of            
knowledge4 lt is well known that this   
rule of invention originates in         
,ramus's methodology and1 more          
formerly1 in ,aristotle's ,,posterior   
,,analytics4 ,to characterize the nature
                                        
of the premises required for the        
foundation of true demonstrations1      
,aristotle had set down three           

criteria3 the predicate must be true    
in every instance of its subject2 it    
must be part of the essential nature    
of the subject2 and it must be          
universal1 that is1 related to the      
subject by itself and ,,qua itself4     
,aristotle was defining first           
propositions as being essential         
propositions2 and he referred           
universality to necessity and           
extension to comprehension ,these       
three criteria were much commented      
upon during the whole scholastic        
period1 and were transformed1 or        
rather extended1 by ,ramus and others   
in the sixteenth century4 ,whereas in   
,aristotle they had expressed the       
initial conditions of any conclusive    
syllogism1 in ,ramus they became the    
conditions of every systematic art3     
within a system1 methodically           
organized for the exhibiting of         
knowledge1 any statement must be        
taken in its full extension1 it must    
join things which are necessarily       

related and it must be equivalent to    
a definition4 ,but these rules for      
syllogistic or dialectic art in         
,aristotle or ,ramus become rules for   
inductive invention in ,bacon3 and      
their meaning is quite different4       
,with the rule of certainty and         
liberty1 ,bacon aims at directiy        
opposing the old logic1 infected by     
syllogistic or rhetoric formalism4      
,by its title1 the ,,novum ,,organum    
makes                                   
,bacon's ambition clear3 to replace     
the ,aristotelian organon1 which has    
governed all knowledge until the end    
of the sixteenth century with an        
entirely new logical instrument1 a      
new method for the progress and         
profit of human science4 ,and the       
,chancellor proclaims that he has       
achieved his aim1 if posterity          
acknowledges that1 even if he has       
failed to discover new truths or        
produce new works1 he will have built   
the means to discover such truths or    

to produce such works 7,,iii1 #ebj74 ,he
                                        
insists that his method has nothing     
to do with the old one nor does it      
try to improve it4 ,and he puts out     
the choice in these terms3              
,there are and can be only two ways of  
searching into and discovering truth4   
,the one flies from the senses and      
particulars to the most general         
axioms1 and from these principles1      
the truth of which it takes tor         
settled and immoveable1 proceeds to     
judgment and to the discovery of        
middle axioms4 ,and this way is now in  
fashion4 ,the other derives axioms      
from the senses and particulars1        
rising by a gradual and unbroken        
ascent1 so that it arrives at the       
most general axioms last of all4 ,this  
is the true way1 but as yet untried4    
7,,iv1 #ej7                             
,when it is left to itself1 the         
understanding follows the first way1    
hastily applies itself to reality and   

generates ,,anticipations ,,of ,,nature4
                                        
,but that reason which is elicited      
from facts by a just and                
methodological process1 ,i call         
,,interpretation ,,of ,,nature 7,,iv1   
#ea74                                   
,taken as a whole1 ,bacon's critique    
comes to this3 from a formal point of   
view1 ,aristotle's syllogism is         
essentially a logic for deductive       
reasoning1 which goes from the          
principles to the consequences1 from    
the premises to the conclusions4 ,and1  
of course1 in this kind of reasoning1   
the truth of the conclusions is         
necessarily derived from the truth of   
the premises1 so that knowledge will    
start with primary truths that are      
supposed to be necessary and            
universal1 that is1 essential4 ,now1    
,bacon asks1 how does the mind acquire  
the knowledge of these primary          
truths1 since1 as it is allowed by      
,aristotle himself1 all knowledge       

starts with experience1 which           
experience is always contingent and     
particular8 ,how does the mind go from  
the empirical knowledge of facts or     
sensible effects 7phenomena7 to the     
knowledge of the very nature of         
things8 ,the formal necessity of the    
syllogism 7or deductive reasoning7      
makes the old logic forget the pre-     
judicial question of how we set up      
first principles4 ,therefore1 any       
attempt to define the valid form of     
theories must go through the inquiry    
upon how we establish truth4            
,from this general critique1 it is      
easy to understand ,bacon's various     
comments on the old organon4 ,first1    
since such a logic induces a kind of    
double start1 the empirical one and     
the rational one1 and since it          
confuses the origin of knowledge with   
its foundation1 the mind is condemned   
to jump immediately from empirical      
particulars to first principles 7or     
axioms1 in ,bacon's terms7 and to       

render superfluous the required         
induction which would gradually lead    
from one point to the other4 ,this      
instantaneous slip from empirical       
data to rational and essential dogmas   
is made possible by the very nature     
of the human mind4 ,left to itself1     
the mind hurries toward certainty2 it   
is prone to gain assent and consent2    
it fills the imagination with idols1    
untested generalities4 ,and it is this  
natural haste and prejudice which       
gives mental activity its               
anticipative form4 ,by themselves1      
anticipations draw the most general     
principles from immediate experience1   
in order to proceed1 as quickly as      
possible1 to the formal deduction of    
consequences4 ,therefore1 however       
paradoxical it may appear1 the old      
logic is unduly empirical and unduly    
logical4 ,and the critique of           
formalism formalism draws the           
conclusions from the premises without   
inquiring upon the truth of the         

premises must be attended by the        
critique of the nature of the human     
mind4                                   
,the human mind is so disposed that it  
relies on the senses1 which provide     
it with the rudiments of all            
knowledge4 ,of course1 ,bacon argues1   
we cannot get any information about     
things except with the senses1 and      
skeptics are wrong when1 questioning    
them1 they plunge the mind into         
despair4 ,but by far the greatest       
hindrance and aberration of the human   
understanding proceeds from the         
dulness1 incompetency1 and deceptions   
of the senses 7,,iv1 #eh74 ,on the one  
hand1 they are too dull and too         
gross1 and let the more subtle parts    
of nature escape our observation3       
their range is limited to the most      
conspicuous information4 ,on the other  
hand1 they are misleading1 by a         
fundamental illusion3 they offer        
things to the mind according to the     
measure of human nature4 ,for it is a   

false assertion that the sense of man   
is the measure of things4 ,on the       
contrary1 all perceptions as well of    
the sense as of the mind are            
according to the measure of the         
individual and not according to the     
measure of the universe 7,,iv1 #ed74 ,in
                                        
order to have access to reality1 we     
have to rectify their information and   
reduce a double delusion3 the           
illusion that the sensible qualities    
offered by them are the real            
determinations of things and the        
illusion that things are divided        
according to our human sensibility      
7,,iv1 #aid et sq474                    
,thus we can understand a third         
critique against the old method3 the    
,aristotelian logic rests upon a        
metaphysics which believes that         
sensible experience gives the human     
mind the things as they are1 with       
their essential qualities1 and that     
philosophy can be satisfied with        

taking empirical phenomena for the      
true reality of nature1 thanks to a     
mere generalization that erases the     
particular circumstances of             
existence4 ,nevertheless1 empirically   
qualified existences are not to be      
mistaken for the things themselves4     
,so far1 ,bacon is undoubtedly a        
modern1 since he claims that the        
object of knowledge is reality and      
that reality1 if it can be              
inductively known from empirical        
data1 cannot be reduced to the matter   
of experience4                          
,bacon's fourth censure of the old      
logic follows from this4 ,he agrees     
with the sixteenth-century              
dialecticians that ,aristotle was       
wrong when he thought that              
understanding could skip1 without the   
hard work of induction1 from what is    
immediately given to the senses to      
what is posed in the first principles   
of science4 ,aristotle wanted to know   
the truth1 but did not explain the      

method of invention4 ,on the other      
hand1 the dialecticians1 giving up      
the attempt to set up the first         
principles 7and thereby the             
traditional ,aristotelian               
demonstrative science71 gave up any     
attempt to reach the truth4 ,they only  
retained the deductive and systematic   
form of discourse to introduce order    
into men's opinions1 and maintained     
that invention could be reduced to      
the mere search for arguments1 that     
is1 for probable reasons invented to    
persuade or convince4                   
,bacon1 however1 wants to promote the   
idea of an inductive science and        
argues that ,aristotle's mistake        
affects the syllogistic form4 ,in the   
fourth chapter of the fifth book of     
the ,,de ,,augmentis1 ,bacon develops a 
remarkable critique of the syllogism    
and is partly responsible for the       
widespread disregard of formal logic    
in the seventeenth and eighteenth       
centuries4                              

,according to ,bacon1 in all            
inductions1 whether in good or          
vicious form the same action of the     
mind which inventeth1 judgeth 7,,iii1   
#cib74 ,one cannot find without         
proving1 nor prove without finding4     
,but this is not the case in the        
syllogism3 for the proof being not      
immediate but by mean1 the invention    
of the mean is one thing1 and the       
judgement of the consequence is         
another1 the one exciting only1 the     
other examining 7,,iii1 #cib74 ,the     
syllogism needs the means 7the middle   
term7 so that the derived conclusion    
amounts to a proof4 ,but since the      
syllogism is incapable of inventing     
the middle term1 it must have been      
known before4 ,in other words1          
syllogistic form leaves the invention   
of the middle term to the natural       
shrewdness of the mind or to good       
fortune4 ,thus1 it is because of its    
own demonstrative form that the         
syllogism is unable to provide a        

method of truth and is useless for      
science4                                
,by now it is clear why the old logic   
and the knowledge which is built on it  
are unable to produce works or why the  
extant works are due to chance and      
experience rather than to sciences      
7,,iv1 #dh74 ,to deduce practical       
effects1                                
the mind must know real causes or laws  
of nature4 ,since the old method does   
not supply the mind with the means of   
inventing causes and does not set up    
the scale of the intermediate           
propositions that are needed to reduce  
sensible experience and reach the real  
science1 or to derive rightly and by    
degrees the consequences from the       
principles1 it is not surprising that   
invented works are too few and not      
very useful for men's lives4 ,thus1     
from the start in sensible experience   
to the end in practical deduction1      
this old method is of no use4 ,and an   
entirely new one must be proposed1      

which will be able to carry the human   
mind from empirical data to the real    
causes1 to supply it with the means of  
invention1 to justify the position of   
first truths and to manage a secure     
deduction of practical consequences4    
,and1 as the critique of the old logic  
has to be understood as a whole1 so     
the interpretation of nature has to be  
conceived as a continuous attempt1      
proceeding by degrees1 by successive    
stages1 to invent truth and to derive   
works4 7,bacon's method of science1     
in3 ,,the ,,cambridge ,,companion ,,to  
,,bacon4                                
ed4 by ,markku ,peltonen #aiif1 #gf-hb74
                                        
#a;,c4                                  
,harvey ,wheeler comments3              
,most historians of the philosophy of   
science                                 
are unfamiliar with ,bacon's            
transformation                          
of his innovative theory of juridical   
lawfinding into scientific empiricist   

lawfinding4 ,baconian law-finding is not
 to                                     
be confused with cause-finding in modern
                                        
classical physics4                      
,bacon's quest changed as he matured4   
,in                                     
,,valerius ,,terminus he is writing in  
,english1 trying to lay the groundwork  
for                                     
the validity of the co-existence of     
,religion                               
and ,science4                           
,bacon's early experimental             
treatises--like                         
,dense and ,rare--are experimental and  
of                                      
limited value4 ,historians of the       
philosophy                              
of science have little trouble in       
disposing                               
these early experimentalist efforts of  
,bacon4                                 
,his work on sound was somewhat better--
                                        

experimental-theoretical4  ,it is a     
post-pythagorean theory of harmonics and
                                        
still not appropriately analyzed4       
,contemproary musicologists like to     
quote                                   
the passages on sound in ,,new          
,,atlantis                              
for being compatible with today's       
approach                                
to music4                               
,by the time of the ,novum ,organum     
,bacon                                  
was seeking a more general theory of    
science4 ,its 'logic machine' 7,hooke7  
was                                     
designed to be relevant to all          
non-theological domains4                
,however1 most ,bacon interpreters      
evaluate                                
his science in contrast to the prior    
,aristotelian approaches and in         
comparison                              
to the ,ramist approaches of ,bacon's   
day4                                    

,he rejected them both4                 
,scholars then look beyond ,bacon and   
evaluate his logic machine in contrast  
to the                                  
classical mechanics of ,newtonian       
,optics                                 
7physics73 linear time-sequence         
prediction4                             
,bacon was not seeking that type of     
cause_/predictionscience4 ,he was       
seeking                                 
hidden1 unwritten laws of nature1       
more on the model of ,pasteur than of   
,newton4                                
,any treatment that tries to interpret  
,bacon's ,logic ,machine in the light of
 what                                   
classical physics called science will   
distort ,bacon's meaning and            
achievement4                            
,note3 if a scholar's interpretation of 
,bacon's ,science does not square with  
the                                     
detailed description of the application 
of                                      

,bacon's science in ,salomon's ,house in
                                        
,,new ,,atlantis1 it should be viewed   
with                                    
scepticism4                             
,bacon's science is more applicable to  
what                                    
we call post-modern neo-hermeutics than 
to                                      
,newtonian mechanics4  7,patrick ,heelan
 is                                     
good on post-modern neo-hermeneutics47  
,consider3 why did ,bacon conclude that 
his                                     
,new ,logic ,machine would produce      
scientific knowledge in the form of     
aphorisms and apothegms--not linear     
time-sequence predictions8              
,to summarize the above33 ,most         
contemporary interpreters of ,bacon     
evaluate his science by comparison with 
,newtonian mechanics4  ,if one          
interprets                              
,bacon on the basis of classical        
mechanics1                              

the result will not truly reflect       
,bacon's                                
science4                                
,a more fruitful modern model is the    
,watson-,crick type of science          
illustrated                             
by their discovery of the double helix4 
,their                                  
process1 as described carefully in      
,watson's                               
book1 could have been lifted from       
,bacon4 ,it                             
was not4  ,but the point is that it     
tells of a                              
highly successful1 highly empiricist 7in
                                        
,bacon's and ,kant's meaning of         
phenomenological empiricism7 approach to
                                        
the understanding of the unwritten      
laws of cell theory and genetics4       
,,note3 ,it is very instructive to study
 why                                    
,linus ,pauling failed to dsiscover the 
genetic                                 

code4 ,he was an expert in the physics  
of                                      
biochemistry and applied quantum theory 
to molecular biology4 ,his theory of the
                                        
molecular bond won a ,nobel ,laureate4  
,read ,watson's explanation of why      
,pauling                                
failed to crack the genetic code4       
,guenther ,stent1 the molecular         
biologist of                            
,u4,c4 ,berkeley is an avowed ,kantian  
who narrowly missed cracking the genetic
                                        
code1 ,his philosophy of science is     
highly relevant to the application of   
neo-hermeneutics to contemporary        
biology4                                
,today's philosophy of physics1 as      
developed                               
by ,john ,wheeler and ,david ,bohm      
describes a ,baconian idea of the       
participant-observer universe to account
                                        
scientifically and empirically for the  

evidence produced in post-modern        
physics4                                
,i hold to two points that may not      
persuade                                
others4  ,the first is the relevance of 
law-finding to the phenemonological     
empiricism at the heart of ,bacon's ,nov
 ,org                                   
logic machine--as contrasted with his   
early                                   
experimentalism4 ,the second is the     
standard for us to use in evaluating    
,bacon's                                
science4 ,those who apply the model of  
science widespread in the social        
sciences                                
and humanities during the #aith and mid 
#bjth centuries--essentially a model    
based                                   
upon pre-,einsteinian physics--argue    
that                                    
,bacon's science is not science4        
,in the last half of the #bjth century  
science in both the hard and soft       
sciences underwent the so-called second 

scientific revolution4 ,the results1 in 
physics and biology1 produced a         
phenomenology and an empiricism         
that were both quite compatible with the
                                        
pre-,newtonian science of ,bacon4       
,about #hj of the actual research in    
laboratories done today by scientists of
                                        
all fields1 7unaware7 follows remarkably
                                        
closely to the process explained by     
,bacon in ,novum ,organum and described 
in                                      
,new ,atlantis--except that taskforce   
research is not today quite as well     
organized as was described by ,bacon in 
,new ,atlantis4                         
,in thinking of ,bacon's philosophy of  
science                                 
remember the three features in the      
,latin of                               
,novum ,organum3 ,schematismus1         
,processus1 ,form4 ,these operations1   
which                                   

have counterparts in the case method of 
searching for the implicit unwritten law
                                        
behind a series of judge rulings1 cannot
 be                                     
understood from a reading of the ,ellis 
translation4 ,nobody who works from that
                                        
version can understand1 nor do justice  
to1                                     
,bacon's science4  with the ,annotations
 of                      ,hermes        
,stella#b                            #b4
 ,franz ,trgfer sums up the  ,harley    
,,mss4#fdfc                             
discussion on ,hermes ,stella           
and ,valerius ,terminus ,der ,titel des 
,fragments wurde zweimal entscheidend   
interpretiert4 ,ellis 7,vorwort1        
#bja_/b73                               
,it is impossible to ascertain          
the motive which determined             
,bacon to give the supposed             
author the name of ,valerius            
,terminus1 or to his                    

commentator1 of whose                   
annotations we have no remains1         
that of ,hermes ,stella4 ,it may        
be conjectured that by the name         
,terminus he intended to                
intimate that the new                   
philosophy would put an end to          
the wandering of mankind in             
search of truth1 that it would          
be the ,,terminus ,,ad ,,qaem in        
which when it was once attained         
the mind would finally                  
acquiesce4                              
,again the obscurity of the text        
was to be in some measure               
removed by the annotations of           
,stella2 not however wholly1 for        
,bacon in the epitome of the            
eighteenth chapter commends the         
manner of publishing knowledge          
'whereby it shall not be to the         
capacity nor taste of all1 but          
shall as it were single and             
adopt his reader4' ,stella was          
therefore to throw a kind of            

starlight on the subject1               
enough to prevent the student's         
losing his way1 but not much            
more4                                   
,die andere klassische                  
,interpretation gibt ,anderson          
7op4cit4#af_/ag73                       
,the word 'terminus' probably           
indicates the 'limits and end'          
to which investigation may              
proceed4 ,the ,,annotations1 of         
which 'none are set down in             
this fragments'--to quote a             
statement written on the                
manuscript by ,bacon's hand1 are        
to throw a light as by a star           
7,,stella74 ,now 'star' is the          
symbol used by ,bacon in the            
,,gesta ,,grayorum1 the ,,advancement   
,,of ,,learning1 and the ,,de           
,,augmentis to represent the            
sovereign4 ,and the significance        
which he attaches to the word           
',hermes' is evident from his           
address to ,king ,james in the          

,introduction to the ,,advancement      
,,of ,,learning4 ',there is met in      
your ,majesty1 says ,bacon1 'a          
rare conjunction as well of             
divine and sacred literature as         
of profane and human2 so as             
your ,majesty standeth invested         
of that triplicity which in             
great veneration was ascribed           
to the ancient ,hermes2 the             
power and fortune of a ,king1           
the knowledge and illumination          
of a ,priest1 and the learning          
and the universality of a               
,philosopher4' ,bacon is1 or            
pretended to be1 greatly                
impressed by ,james's learning3         
',to drink indeed'1 he says1 'of        
the true fountains of learning1         
nay to have such a fountain of          
learning in himself1 in a king1         
and in a king born1 is always a         
miracle4' ,and it would appear          
that he hopes at the beginning          
of ,james's reign--long before          

he suffers disillusionment              
respecting his sovereign's              
interest in the advance of              
'solid' knowledge--that1                
whether or not he can obtain a          
greater position of state               
beyond that alloted to him by           
,elizabeth1 he may be enabled to        
have the modern ,hermes1 king of        
the realm and head of the               
church1 and a literary man of           
no mean fame and importance1            
annote a subject's work on the          
new science4 ,james1 when he has        
done this1 may well be                  
prevailed upon to make                  
provision for the operation of          
the new method of knowledge             
either by subsidizing helpers           
or by placing at the author's           
disposal old or new foundations         
of learning 7,works1 ,,ii1 #age1        
#ahj2 ,,vi1 #ij1 #agb2 ,,viii1 #cif1    
#dja74                                  
,brandt 7op4cit41 #ed7 ,iehnt           

diese ,interpretation ab3               
#a4 findet sich keine klare             
,bezeichnung des ,knigs als             
eines ,sterns1 es lt sich den           
von ,anderson angegebenen ,texten       
nicht entnehmen1 da ,stella als         
,symbol fr ,jakob ,i4 zu gelten         
hat4 #b4 kann nur ein ,knig als         
,hermes-,trismegistos                   
angesprochen werden 7so ,,viii1         
#cce und ,i1 #dcb1 nicht in der         
englischen ,fassung ,,iii1 #bfc71       
weil im ,namen die ,einheit von         
,priester1 ,philosoph und ,knig         
liegt1 aber im ,titel unserer           
,schrift steht nur ,hermes1 und         
die ,figur des ,hermes hat eme          
vielfltige ,bedeutung2 ,hermes          
ist der ,grenzgott1 auf ihn wird        
schon in dem ,wort ',terminus'          
des ,titels angespielt2 weiter          
ist ,hermes der ,gtterbote1 der         
'hermeneus' oder ,interpret--           
die ,hermesmythologie ist               
hineingesponnen in die                  

interpretatio naturae1 die sich         
,bacon zur ,aufgabe stellt und in       
seine ,rolle als 'keryx und             
buccinator'1 als ,bote des              
,friedens 7,i1 #ehj-eha74 ,man wird     
also lieber ,hermes ,stella eine        
der vielen ,masken ,bacons sein         
lassen und sich damit zugleich          
von der peinlichen ,vorstellung         
befreien1 ,bacon knde im ,titel         
seines ,werkes an1 da der ,knig         
die ,funoten dazu verfat 7eben          
das folgt aus der ,annahme von          
,anderson74                             
,dieser ,auseinandersetzung urn         
die ,bedeutung des ,titels eine         
neue ,erklrung anzufgen1 halte          
ich1 solange keine neuen                
,dokumente gefunden werden1 fr          
wenig sinnvoll4 ,allein1 es sei         
angemerkt1 wollten wir uns mit          
,brandt von dieser peinlichen           
,vorstellung bezglich ,bacons           
,denken und ,trachten befreien1         
so blieben noch genug                   

,peinlichkeiten der ,hybris             
,bacons4                                
,franz ,trger 7,hg471 ,valerius         
,terminus4 ,von der                     
,interpretation der ,natur              
,wrzburg3 ,knigshausen und              
,neumann1 #aihd1be-bf4                  
in3 ,the ,works of ,francis ,bacon4     
,faksimile-   ,neudruck der ,ausgabe von
 ,spedding1 ,ellis     und ,heath1      
,london #aheg-ahgd1 in vierzehn         
,bnden 7,stuttgart_/,bad ,cannstadt3    
,friedrich   ,fromann1 ,verlag ,gnther  
,holzboog1 #aifc71     vol4 #c4c        
#c4 ,franz ,trger discovered that the   
,spedding  ,ellis as ,,ms#fdfb is not   
correct1 in fact it is ,,ms#fdfc4 ,in   
his opinion ,valerius ,terminus was     
written before ,the ,advancement of     
,learning4 ,anderson1 ,farrington       
and ,rossi also have the opinion        
that it was written in #afjc4           
,stephens in his edition of #agcd       
uses the same order as the              
handwritten copy of ,bacon's text4      

,later editors1 including ,spedding     
and ,ellis1 choose an order which       
corresponds to ,bacon's new order       
of chapters given in his index4         
,franz ,trger compared the              
translation of the #aath chapter        
with the translation of ,guiseppe       
,furlani1 ,,die ,,entstehung ,,und ,,das
                                        
,,wesen ,,der ,,baconischen ,,methode   
in3                                     
,archiv fr ,geschichte der              
,philosophie1 ed4 ,l4 ,stein1 #cc4      
,bd41 ,berlin1 #aiba1 ,s4#bc-dg4 7#a4   
,teil1 #cb4 ,bd41 ,s4 #ahi ff74         
,trger has also checked the             
following ,bacon translations3          
,,essays1 bers4 von ,elisabeth          
,schcking1 ,stuttgart1 #aigj2           
,,neues ,,organon ,,der                 
,,wissenschaften1                       
bers4 von ,anton ,theobald ,brck1       
,darmstadt1 #aiha 7,nachdruck der       
,ausgabe1 ,leipzig1 #ahcj72             
,,novum ,,organon1 bers4 von ,rudolf    

,hoffmann1 bearb4 von ,gertraud ,korf1  
hrsg4 von ,manfred ,buhr1 ,berlin       
7,,ddr71                                
#aihb4                                  
,,of ,,the ,,interpretation ,,of        
,,nature4                               
,,cap4 #a4                              
,of the limits and end of knowledge4    
,in the divine nature both religion and 
philosophy hath acknowledged goodness in
     perfection1 science or providence  
comprehending all things1 and absolute  
sovereignty or kingdom4 ,in aspiring to 
the   throne of power the angels        
transgressed      and fell#d1 in        
presuming to come within    #d4 ,antje  
,peters checked the ,old  the oracle of 
knowledge man transgressed    ,testament
 and the ,new ,testament on the  and    
fall of the angels3                     
,jesaja #ad1 #ad                        
,das ,judentum ist geprgt von der       
antithetisch parallelen ,vorstellung    
von ,dmonen und ,engeln als ,schdiger   
bzw4 ,helfer des ,menschen4 ,sie wird in

                                        
der ,erzhlung vom ,engelfall entfaltet4 
,das ,buch ,jesaja 7,jes                
#ad1ab;ff7#ad3ab                        
,ach1 du bist vom ,himmel gefallen1 du  
strahlender ,sohn der ,morgenrte4 ,zu   
,boden bist du geschmettert1 du         
,bezwinger der ,vlker4                  
#ad3ac ,du aber hattest in deinem       
,herzen gedacht3 ,ich ersteige den      
,himmel2 dort oben stelle ich meinen    
,thron auf1 ber den ,sternen ,gottes2   
auf den ,berg der 7,gtter7versammlung   
setze ich mich1 im uersten ,norden4     
#ad3ad ,ich steige weit ber die ,wolken 
hinauf1 um dem ,hchsten zu gleichen4    
#ad3ae ,doch in die ,unterwelt wirst du 
hinabgeworfen1 in die uerste ,tiefe4    
,im ,,at gehrte ,satan zu den ,shnen    
,gottes im himmlischen ,hofstaat1 wie   
die wohl alte ,vorstellung ,ijob #a1f   
zeigt4                                  
,das ,buch ,ijob 7,ijob #a1f7a3f ,nun   
geschah es eines ,tages1 da kamen die   
,gottesshne1 um vor den ,herrn          

hinzutreten2 unter ihnen kam auch der   
,satan4                                 
,er gilt als ,diener ,gottes und        
verkrpert eine ursprnglich ,gott        
zugeschriebene ,funktion4               
,der von dann von ,gott abgefallene und 
mit seinem ,diener aus dem ,himmel      
gestrzte ,engelsfrst wird zum ,gegner   
,gottes und ,verfhrer der ,menschen4    
,auch im ,,nt findet der ,teufel als ein
                                        
oder der ,frst der gefallenen bsen      
,engel ,erwhnung4                       
,das ,evangelium nach ,lukas 7,lk       
#aj1ah7aj3ah ,da sagte er zu ihnen3 ,ich
                                        
sah den ,satan wie einen ,blitz vom     
,himmel fallen4                         
,der zweite ,brief an die ,korinther 7#b
                                        
,kor #aa1ad7aa3ad ,kein ,wunder1 denn   
auch                                    
der ,satan tarnt sich als ,engel des    
,lichts4                                
,neben den ,bibeltexten wird ,bacon auch

                                        
,de ,civitate ,dei  7,der ,gottesstaat7 
von ,aurelius ,augustinus1 dem grten    
lateinischen ,kirchenlehrer des         
christlichen ,altertums1 vorgelegen     
haben1 in der das ,thema ,engelfall     
mehrfach unter verschiedenen            
,gesichtspunkten erwhnt wird4           
,so wird im elften ,buch die ,situation 
der ,engel besonders beleuchtet4        
,buch ,,xi1 #aa                         
444 ,von dieser ,erleuchtung haben sich 
gewisse ,engel abgewendet und sich die  
,auszeichnung eines weisen und seligen  
,lebens nicht bewahrt1 das zweifellos   
nur das ewige1 seiner ,ewigkeit sichere 
und vergewisserte ,leben sein kann4 ,sie
                                        
besitzen nur noch ein ,vernunftleben1   
wenn auch ein einsichtsloses und        
derart1 da sie es1 selbst wenn sie      
wollen1 nicht verlieren knnen4 444      
,buch ,,xi1 #ac                         
444 ,die sndigen ,engel1 die durch ihre 
,schlechtigkeit jenes ,lichtes verlustig

                                        
gingen1 haben sie 7die                  
,glckseligkeit71 wie wir schlssig       
folgern mssen1 auch bevor sie fielen1   
nicht gehabt4 444                       
,buch ,,xi1 #ai                         
444 ,denn diese ,scheidung 7zwischen    
,licht und ,finsteris7 konnte nur er    
allein treffen1 der auch1 bevor sie     
fielen1 ihren knftigen ,fall            
vorauswissen kont1 und da sie1 des      
,lichtes der ,wahrheit verlustig1 im    
finsteren ,hochmut verharren wrden4     
,buch ,,xi1 #cc                         
,da es aber ,engel gibt1 die gesndigt   
haben und in die tiefste ,tiefe dieser  
,welt verstoen sind1 die ihnen zu       
einer ,art von ,kerker wurde1 darin sie 
bis zur bevorstehenden letzten          
,verurteilung am ,tage des ,gerichtes zu
                                        
bleiben haben3 das offenbart ganz       
deutlich der ,apostel ,petrus4 ,er sagt1
                                        
da ,gott die sndigen ,engel nicht       

geschont1 sondern sie in die finsteren  
,abgrnde der ,hlle hinabgestoen hat1    
wo die bis zur ,bestrafung im ,gerichte 
gefangengehalten werden4 444            
444 ,und da ja ,gott1 wie geschrieben   
steht1 den ,stolzen widersteht1 den     
,demtigen aber ,gnade gibt 7,jak #d1f2  
#a                                      
,petr #e1e71 wohnt die eine             
7,engelsgenossenschaft7 im ,himmel der  
,himmel und ist die andre von dort      
hinabgestrzt in diesen untersten        
,lufthimmel1 um hier ruhelos in und her 
zu schwirren4                           
,buch ,,xxii1#a                         
,gott ist es1 der mit dem freiwilligen  
,sturz der ,engel die vllig gerechte    
,strafe ewiger ,unseligkeit verknpft    
hat und den brigen ,engeln1 die im      
hchsten ,gut verblieben sind1 als ,lohn 
fr ihr ,verbleiben die ,sicherheit      
gewhrt hat1 da dieses ,verbleiben       
kein ,ende haben wird4                  
,aufgrund dieser ,erkenntnisse zieht    
,augustin ,parallelen zum ,leben der    

,menschen1 besonders im #ab4 ,buch3     
,buch ,,xii1#a                          
444 ,whrend die einen standhaft in dem  
allen gemeinsamen ,gut1 das fr sie      
,gott selbst ist1 und in seiner         
,ewigkeit1 ,wahrheit und ,liebe         
verharren1 sind die anderen1 von ihrer  
eigenen ,macht berauscht1 als wren sie  
sich selbst ihr ,gut 1 vom hheren1      
allen gemeinsamen1 beseligenden ,gut    
zum eigenen ,selbst abgefallen4 444     
fell#e3 but in pursuit towards the      
#e4 ,spedding's footnote3,this clause is
  similitude of ,god's goodness or love 
repeated in the margin1 in the  7which  
is one thing1 for love is nothing       
transcriber's hand4  else but goodness  
put in motion or           applied7     
neither man or spirit ever          hath
 transgressed1 or shall transgress4#f   
#f4 similarly in3 3 ,i4,m4 ,praefatio   
,sp4                                    
,i1#acb1 #ai-bb2 ,,al ,sp4 ,,iii1 #ab   
seq4  ,the angel of light that was1 when
 he        7,d4,a4 ,sp4 ,i1 #gdb1 #a #i 

seq4 7footnote  presumed before his     
fall1 said within       taken from the  
,french translation of  himself1 ,i     
,,will ,,ascend ,,and ,,be ,,like ,,unto
     ,valerius ,terminus by ,francois   
,vert1                                  
,meridiens ,klincksieck1 #aihf7  ,,the  
,,highest#g2 not ,god1 but the highest4 
#g4 ,isaiah #ad1 #ad3  ,to be like to   
,god in goodness1 was no part           
,authorized ,version3 ,i will ascend  of
 his emulation2 knowledge1 being in     
above the heights of the clouds2 ,i     
creation an angel of light1 was not the 
will be like the most high4  want which 
did most solicit him2 only              
because he was a minister he aimed at a 
supremacy2 therefore his climbing or    
ascension was turned into a throwing    
down    or precipitation4               
,man on the other side1 when he was     
tempted   before he fell1 had offered   
unto him this    suggestion1 ,,that ,,he
 ,,should ,,be ,,like           ,,unto  
,,god#h4 ,but how8 ,not simply1 but in  

#h4 ,genesis #c1 #e3  this part1        
,,knowing ,,good ,,and ,,evil4 ,for     
,authorized ,version3 ,for ,god does    
know  being in his creation invested    
with         that in the day ye eat     
thereof1 then  sovereignty of all       
inferior                 your eyes shall
 be opened1 and ye                      
shall be as gods1 knowing good and      
evil4                                   
,for ,bacon's alleged use of the ,geneva
                                        
,bible see ,henri ,durel-,leon in       
,transactions of the ,cambridge         
,bibliographical ,society1 ,,xi3#b      
7#aiig71                                
p4 #afj and n4 #gd1 modified in the     
direction of ,,av by1 probably1         
,lancelot                               
,andrewes in ,,al4 7,thanks to ,dr4     
,leedham-,green7                        
,geneva ,bible3 ,the ,first ,boke of    
,moses1                                 
called ,genesis1 ,chap #c1de3 ,then the 
serpent said to the woman1 ,ye shal not 

dye at all1 ,but ,god doeth knowe1 that 
when ye shall eat thereof1 your eyes    
shalbe opened1  ye shalbe as gods       
knowing good and evil4 footnote c3 ,as  
thogh he shulde say1 ,god doeth not     
forbid you to eat of the frute1 save    
that he knoweth that if you shulde eat  
thereof1 you shulde be like to him      
,authorized ,version3 ,and the serpent  
said unto the woman1 ,ye shall not      
surely die3 ,for ,god doth know that in 
the day ye eat thereof1 then your eyes  
shall be opened1 and ye shall be as     
gods1 knowing good and evil4            
,vulgata3 dixit autem serpens ad        
mulierem nequaquam morte moriemini _/   
scit enim ,deus quod in quocumque die   
comederitis ex eo aperientur oculi      
vestri et eritis sicut dii scientes     
bonum et malum  creatures#i1 he was not 
needy of power or  #i4 ,genesis ,i1     
#a1bf  dominion2 but again1 being a     
spirit newly   ,geneva ,bible3          
,furthermore ,god said1  inclosed in a  
body of earth1 he was         ,let us   

make man in our image according  fittest
 to be allured with appetite of      to 
our lickeness1 and let them rule  light 
and liberty of knowledge2 therefore     
over the fish of the sea1 and over the  
this approaching and intruding into     
,god's   foule of the heaven1 and over  
the  secrets and mysteries was rewarded 
with a   beastes1  over all the earth1  
and  further removing and estranging    
from ,god's  over everiething that      
crepeth  moveth  presence4 ,but as to   
the goodness of ,god1    on earth4      
there is no danger in contending or     
advancing towards a similitude thereof1 
as  ,authorized ,version3 ,and ,god     
said1 ,let  that which is open and      
propounded to our    us make man in our 
image1 after our  imagination4 ,for that
 voice 7whereof the    likeness3 and let
 them have dominion  heathen and all    
other errors of religion    over the    
fish of the sea1 and over the  have ever
 confessed that it sounds not      fowl 
of the air1 and over the cattle1  like  

man71 ,,love ,,your ,,enemies2 ,,be     
,,you ,,like   and over all the earth1  
and over every  ,,unto ,,your ,,heavenly
 ,,father1 ,,that ,,suffereth   creeping
 thing that creepeth upon the  ,,his    
,,rain ,,to ,,fall ,,both ,,upon        
earth4                                  
,vulgata3 ,et ait faciamus hominem ad   
imaginem et similitudinem nostram et    
praesit piscibus maris et volatilibus   
caeli et bestiis universaeque terrae    
omnique reptili quod movetur in terra   
,,the ,,just ,,and ,,the ,,unjust#aj1   
doth well      #aj4 ,matthew #e1 #dd-de 
declare1 that we can in that point      
commit   ,geneva ,bible3 ,love your     
enemies444  no excess2 so again we find 
it often        ,that you may be the    
children of your  repeated in the old   
law1 ,,be ,,you ,,holy ,,as ,i   ,father
 that is in heaven3 for he  ,,am        
maketh his sunne to arise on the        
evil1 and the good1 and he sendeth      
raine on the iuste1  unjuste4           
,authorized ,version3 ,love your        

enemies3444 ,that you may be the        
children of your father which is in     
heaven3 for he maketh his sun to rise   
on the evil and on the good1 and        
sendeth rain on the just and on the     
unjust4                                 
,vulgata3 ,ego autem dico vobis diligite
                                        
inimicos vestros 444 ut sitis filii     
,patris vestri qui in caelis est qui    
solem suum oriri facit super bonos et   
malos et pluit super iustos et          
iniustos4  ,,holy#aa2 and what is       
holiness else but     #aa4 ,leviticus   
#aa1dd3  goodness1 as we consider it    
separate and    ,authorized ,version3   
,for ,i am the ,lord  guarded from all  
mixture and all access of  your ,god3 ye
 shall therefore sanctify  evil8        
yourselves1 and ye shall be holy2 for   
,i am holy3 neither shall ye defile     
,wherefore seeing that knowledge is of  
the   yourself with any manner of       
creeping  number of those things which  
are to be      thing that creepeth upon 

the earth4  accepted of with caution and
                #a ,peter #a1 #af3      
,authorized ,version3 ,for it is        
written1                                
,be ye holy2 for ,i am holy4            
see also ,leviticus #bj1g and #bj1bf    
distinction#ab2 being now to open a     
#ab4 cf4 ,a4,l4 ,sp4,,iii1 #bfd1 #a4ah  
7,d4,a4  fountain1 such as it is not    
easy to         ,sp4 ,i1 #dcc1 ,i4      
#bi1cj7  discern where the issues and   
streams         thereof will take and   
fall2 ,i  thought it    good and        
necessary in the first place to     make
 a strong and sound head or bank to     
rule and guide the course of the waters2
     by setting down this position or   
firmament#ac1 namely1 ,,that ,,all      
,,knowledge   #ac4 ,melek ,hasgn        
comments3  ,,is ,,to ,,be ,,limited ,,by
 ,,religion1 ,,and ,,to ,,be            
#8,firmament' means1 apart from the arch
  ,,referred                            
or vault of heaven overhead1 in which   
the clouds and the stars appear1 in     

the literal etymological sense a firm   
support or foundation4 ,at the          
beginning of  his text  ,bacon  sets    
the basis for his further theories4     
,according to ,bacon it is important not
                                        
to try to  find out  the secrets and    
mysteries of ,god or to desire to be    
like ,god1 as was the case in the ,fall 
of ,man and the ,fall of ,angels4 ,thus 
it                                      
is forbidden to exceed these limits1    
but to inquire into nature and its      
creatures is legitimate1 because ,god   
has 444let man have dominion over       
74447 all the earth4447,gen4,i1 #a1bf74 
,he maintains  that all knowledge is    
limited by religion and by this         
statement he also avoids any suspicion  
on heresy1 which could arise because    
of his desire for progress and          
knowledge4  ,,to ,,use ,,and            
,,action#ad4                      #ad4  
,ad meritum et usus vitae1 ,works1      
vol4 ,i1 p4 #acb 2 ,italics in order to 

,for if any man shall think by view and 
stress the importance2 probably not a   
inquiry into these sensible and material
    quotation4  things1 to attain to any
 light for the       revealing of the   
nature or will of ,god1 he   shall      
dangerously abuse himself4 ,it is       
true that the contemplation of the      
creatures of ,god hath for end 7as to   
the     natures of the creatures        
themselves7         knowledge1 but as to
 the nature of ,god1 no   knowledge1 but
 wonder2 which is nothing      else but 
contemplation broken off1 or            
losing itself4 ,nay further1 as it was  
aptly said by one of  ,plato's school   
,,the     ,,sense ,,of ,,man ,,resembles
 ,,the ,,sun1 ,,which        ,,openeth  
,,and ,,revealeth ,,the ,,terrestrial   
,,globe1 ,,but ,,obscureth ,,and        
,,concealeth ,,the      ,,celestial#ae2 
so doth the sense discover   #ae4 ,philo
 d',alexandrie1 ,des ,songes1  natural  
things1 but  darken and shut up         
,livre ,i1 #hc-d 7footnote taken from   

the  divine4 ,and this appeareth        
sufficiently in  ,vert translation7     
that there is no proceeding in invention
     of knowledge but by similitude2 and
 ,god is   only self-like1 having       
nothing in common     with any creature1
 otherwise than as in      shadow and   
trope4  ,therefore attend his      will 
as himself openeth it1 and give unto    
faith that which unto faith             
belongeth#af2  #af4 ,st4 ,matthew #bb1  
#ba3  for more worthy it is to believe  
than to    ,authorized ,version3 444    
,then saith he  think or know1          
considering that in          unto them1 
,render therefore unto  knowledge 7as we
 now are capable of it7     ,caesar the 
things which are ,caesar's2  the mind   
suffereth from inferior natures2   and  
unto ,god the things that are  but in   
all belief it suffereth from a          
,god's4  spirit which it holdeth        
superior and         more authorised    
than itself4#ag            #ag4 cf4     
,a4,l4 ,sp4 ,,iii1#dgh1a4h sq4 7,d4,a4  

,sp4 ,i1 #hcj1 ,i4 #bd seq4  ,to        
conclude1 the prejudice hath been       
infinite that both divine and human     
knowledge hath received by the          
intermingling and tempering of the one  
with the other2 as that which hath      
filled    the one full of heresies1 and 
the other      full of speculative      
fictions and            #ah4 similarly3 
,a4,l4 ,sp4,,iii1 #cej1;,i4#bd          
,vanities#ah4                           
seq4 7,d4,a4 ,sp4 ,i1 #ede1 ,i4#ce swq47
                                        
,john ,channing ,briggs 7,bacon's  ,but 
now there are again which in a          
science and religion1 in3 ,,the         
contrary extremity to those which give  
to   ,,cambridge ,,companion ,,to       
,,bacon1 ed4 by  contemplation an       
over-large scope1 do       ,markku      
,peltonen1 ,cambridge #aiif7  offer too 
great a restraint to natural and        
comments on ,bacon's separation of      
lawful knowledge1 being unjustly jealous
    divinity and natural philosophy     

that every reach and depth of knowledge 
7quotations in ,briggs' text are from   
wherewith their conceits have not been  
,,the ,,advancement ,,of ,,learning73   
acquainted1 should be too high an       
elevation of man's wit1 and a searching 
,a longstanding commonplace in ,bacon   
and ravelling too far into ,god's       
secrets2   scholarship has been the     
notion that  an opinion that ariseth    
either of envy      the ,baconian       
advancement of learning  7which is proud
 weakness and to be          depends    
upon a strict separation of  censured   
and not confuted71 or else of a         
divinity and natural philosophy4  ,in   
deceitful simplicity4 ,for if they mean 
a number of memorable passages ,bacon   
that the ignorance of a second cause    
doth   indeed warns his readers of the  
dire  make men more devoutly to depend  
upon the   consequences of confusing    
divinity  providence of ,god1 as        
supposing the         with natural      
science3 to combine  effects to come    

immediately from his hand1  them1 he    
says1 is to confound them4  ,i demand of
 them1 as ,job demanded of his    ,this 
is supposedly what ,plato and the       
friends1 ,,will ,,you ,,lie ,,for ,,god 
,,as ,,man ,,will   scholastics did1 and
 what ,bacon  ,,for ,,man ,,to          
explicitly designs the new learning     
to overcome4 ,even the acceptable       
hybrid divine philosophy1 when it       
is commixed together with natural       
philosophy1 leads to an heretical       
religion1 and an imaginary and          
fabulous philosophy 7,,iii1 #cej74      
,according to this emphatic strand of   
,baconian doctrine1 religion that       
joins with the study of nature is in    
danger of becoming atheistic1 or an     
enthusiastic rival of the true          
church4 ,natural philosophy that        
traffics unwisely with divinity         
collapses into idolatry or fakery4      
,bacon's exemplum of these abuses in a  
modern proto-science is the divine      
philosophy of the ,paracelsian school1  

which seeks the truth of all natural    
philosophy in the ,scriptures4 ,the     
,paracelsians mirror and reverse the    
heresies of pagan pantheism by          
seeking what is dead 7mortal or         
natural7 from among the living          
7eternal7 truths of divinity1 when      
the scope or purpose of the ,spirit     
of ,god is not to express matters of    
nature in the ,scriptures1 otherwise    
than in passage1 and for application    
to man's capacity and to matters        
moral or divine 7ut #dhe-f74 ,if we     
take ,thomas ,sprat at his word1 the    
,royal ,society was founded on          
generally similar principles4 ,the      
first corruption of knowledge1 he       
argues1 resulted from the ,egyptians'   
concealment of wisdom as sacred         
,mysteries4 ,the current age of         
inquiry benefitted from the             
dissolution of the ,,abbyes1 whereby    
their ,libraries came forth into the    
light1 and fell into industrious ,mens  
hands4 ,surrounded by the warring       

forces of contrary religions 7the       
society's rooms at ,gresham ,college1   
,london1 were occupied by soldiers in   
#afeh71 the founders of the ,royal      
,society--according to ,sprat's         
account--were invincibly arm'd not      
only against scholastic ,catholicism1   
but against the inchantments of         
,,enthusiasm and spiritual ,frensies    
that sometimes characterized the        
,protestant revolutionaries4            
,in ,bacon's project1 there is an       
explicit1 delineated role for the       
study of divinity1 which he carefully   
separates from his own work4 ,reason    
is at work in the conception and        
apprehension of the mysteries of ,god   
to us revealed and in the inferring     
and deriving of doctrine and            
direction thereupon 7,,iii1 #dgi74 ,in  
the first instance reason stirs         
itself only to grasp and illustrate     
revelation2 it does not inquire4 ,this  
is the foundation of ,bacon's           
distinction between true natural        

philosophy1 which inquires into the     
world as ,god's manifestation of his    
,,glory or power1 and true theology1    
which piously interprets the            
scripturally revealed meaning of        
,god's inscrutable will4 ,the natural   
world declares ,god's glory but not     
his will 7,,iii1 #dgh74 ,reason's power 
in theology therefore consisteth of     
probation and argument4 lt              
formulates doctrine only insofar as     
,god's revelation1 largely or wholly    
through ,scripture1 makes it possible4  
,the ,lord doth grift graft7 his        
revelations and holy doctrine upon      
the notions of our reason1 and          
applieth his inspirations to open our   
understanding 7,,iii1 #dhj74 7pp4 #agb- 
#agc7  ,,gratify ,,him8#ai  ,but if any 
man without    #ai4 ,job #ac1 #g-i3  any
 sinister humour doth indeed make doubt 
,authorized ,version3 ,will ye speak    
that this digging further and further   
into  wickedly for ,god8 and talk       
deceitfully                             

for him8 ,will ye accept his person8    
will ye contend for ,god8 ,is it good   
that he should search you out8 as one   
man mocketh another1 do ye so mock      
him8  the mine of natural knowledge#bj  
is a      #bj4 ,this image is also used 
in ,a4,l4 ,sp4  thing without example   
and uncommended in    ,,iii1 #cea1 ,i1  
#af where ,bacon refers to  the         
,scriptures1 or fruitless2 let him      
,democritus 7,vert's footnote7  remember
 and be instructed2 for behold it    was
 not that pure light of natural         
knowledge1 whereby man in paradise was  
able to give unto every living creature 
a    name according to his propriety#ba1
 which  #ba4 ,genesis #b1ai-bj  gave    
occasion to the fall2 but it was an     
,geneva ,bible3 ,so the ,lord ,god      
formed  aspiring desire to attain to    
that part of   of the earth everie beast
 of the  moral knowledge which defineth 
of good and  field1 and everie foule of 
the heaven1  evil1 whereby to dispute   
,god's               broght them unto   

the man to se how  commandments and not 
to depend upon the     he wolde call    
them3 for howsoever the  revelation of  
his will1 which was the       man named 
the living creature1 so was  original   
temptation4 ,and the first holy     the 
name thereof4,the man therefore         
records1 which within those brief       
gave names unto all cattle1 and to the  
memorials of things which passed before 
foule of the heaven1 and to everie  the 
flood entered few things as worthy to   
beast of the field3 but for ,adam found 
be registered but only                  
he not an help mete for him4            
,authorized ,version3 ,and out of the   
ground the ,lord ,god formed every beast
                                        
of the field1 and every fowl of the     
air2 and brought ,,them unto ,adam to   
see                                     
what he would call them3 and            
whatsoever ,adam called every living    
creature1 that ,,was the name thereof4  
,and ,adam gave names to all cattle1 and

                                        
to the fowl of the air1 and to every    
beast of the field2 but for ,adam there 
was not found an help meet for him4     
,vulgata3,igitur ,dominus ,deus de humo 
cunctis animantibus terrae et           
universis volatilibus caeli adduxit ea  
ad ,adam ut videret quid vocaret ea _/  
omne enim quod vovavit ,adam animae     
viventis ipsum est nomen eius _/        
appelavitque ,adam nominibus suis       
cuncat animantia _/ et universa         
volatilia et omnes bestias terrae _/    
,adam vero non inveniebatur adiutor     
similis eius  lineages#bb and           
propagations1 yet          #bb4         
,spedding's footnote3 ,,linages in      
nevertheless honour the remembrance     
original4 ,see note #c1 p4 #adh  of the 
inventor both of music#bc and       #bc4
 ,genesis #d1ba3                        
,authorized ,version3 ,and his brother's
                                        
name was ,jubal3 he was the father of   
all such as handle the harp and organ4  

,vulgata3 et nomen fratris eius ,iuabal 
ipse fuit pater canentium cithara et    
organo  works in metal#bd4 ,moses again 
7who was    #bd4 ,genesis1 #d1bb3  the  
reporter7 is said to have been seen in  
,authorized ,version3 ,and ,zillah1 she 
all                                     
also bare ,tubalcain1 an instructor of  
every artificer in brass and iron444    
,vulgata3 ,sella quoque genuit          
,thubalcain qui fuitmalleator et faber  
in cuncta opera aeris et ferri444  the  
,egyptian learning#be1 which nation     
#be4 ,the ,acts #g1bb3  was early and   
leading in matter of                    
,authorized ,version3 ,and ,moses was   
learned in all the wisdom of the        
,egyptians1 and was mighty in words and 
deeds4  knowledge4  ,and ,salomon the   
king1#bf as    #bf4 cf4 ,a4,l4          
,sp4,,iii1 #bih1;,i4#ch2 ,n4,a4 ,sp4    
out of a branch of his wisdom           
,,iii1 #ade1 ,i seq4  extraordinarily   
petitioned and granted       from ,god1 
is said to have written a               

natural history of all that is green    
from    the cedar to the moss#bg1 7which
 is but a  #bg4 #a ,kings #d1 #bi-cd    
rudiment between putrefaction and       
,geneva ,bible3 ,and ,god gave ,salomon 
wisdome1 und understanding exceeding    
muche1 and a large heart1 even as the   
sand that is on the sea shore4 ,and     
,salomons wisdome excelled the wisdome  
of all the children of the ,east and    
all the wisdome of ,egypt4 ,for he was  
wiser than anie man4444 and he was      
famous throughout all nacions rounde    
about4 ,and ,salomon spake thre thousand
                                        
proverbes3 and his songs were a         
thousand and five4 ,and he spake of     
trees1 from the cedar tre that is in    
,lebanon1 even unto the hyssope that    
springeth out of the wall3 he spake     
also of beastes1 and of foules1 and of  
creping things1 and of fishes4 ,and     
there came all the people to heare the  
wisdome of ,salomon1 from all ,kings of 
the earth1 which had heard of his       

wisdome4                                
,authorized ,version3,and ,god gave     
,salomon wisdom and understanding       
exceeding much1 and largeness of        
heart1 even as the sand that is on the  
sea shore4 ,and ,salomon's wisdom       
excelled the wisdom of all the          
children of the east country1 and all   
the wisdom of ,egypt4 ,for he was wiser 
than all men444and his fame was in all  
nations round about4 ,and he spake      
three thousands proverbs2 and his       
songs were a thousand and five4 ,and he 
spake of trees1 from the cedar tree     
that is in ,lebanon even unto the       
hyssop that springeth out of the wall3  
he spake also of beasts1 and of fowl1   
and of creeping things1 and of fishes4  
,and there came all people to hear the  
wisdom of ,salomon4 ,from all kings of  
the earth1 which had heard of his       
wisdom4                                 
,vulgata3 ,liber ,malachim #d1 #bi-cd3  
,dedit quoque ,deus sapientiam ,salomoni
                                        

et prudentiam multam nimis et           
latitudinem cordis quasi harenam quae   
est in litore maris _/ et praecedebat   
sapientia ,salomonis sapientiam omnium  
orientalium et ,aegyoptorum _/ et erat  
sapientia cunctis hominibus44 ,et erat  
nominatus inuniversis gentibus per      
cicuitum _/ locutus est quoque ,salomon 
tria milia parabolas et fuerunt         
carmina eius quinque et mille _/ et     
disputavit super lignis a cedro quae    
est in ,libano usque ad hysopum quae    
egreditur de pariete et disseuit de     
iumentis et volucribus et reptilibus    
et piscibus _/ et veniebant de cunctis  
populis ad audiendam sapientiam         
,salomonis et ab universis regibus      
terrae qui audiebant sapientiam eius    
,luther ,bible3 #a4 ,knige #e1 #i-ad    
,melek ,hasgn comments3 ,the hyssop is  
mentioned in ,shakespeare's ,,othello   
,i1#c3  ,sow lettuce1 set hyssop and    
weed up thyme4 ,hyssop and thyme were   
believed to aid the growth of each      
other1 one being moist and the other    

dry4 ,the reason why ,bacon used moss   
instead of hyssop could be that moss    
is also a moist plant and he chose an   
expression which is more general or     
known4  an herb#bh17 and also of all    
that liveth   #bh4 ,the plant mentioned 
in the ,bible is  and moveth4 ,and if   
the book of ,job be       not moss1 but 
,,hysoppus ,,officinalis  turned over2  
it will be found to have much  in       
,german3 ,,josefskraut1 ,,kirchenseppl1 
aspersion of natural                    
,,eisop1 ,,ysop74  ,the ,greek plant    
name                                    
,h,,ssoopos is probably derived from    
,hebrew ,,esob 7mentioned in the        
,bible44471 although it is not clear    
whether ,,esob referred to the plant    
called hyssop today4 ,another           
explanation gives ,arabic ,,azzof holy  
herb as the source of the name 7cf4     
,french ,,herbe ,,sacr7 7,gernot ,katzer
                                        
,website on ,spices74 ,gernot ,katzer in
                                        

his entry on the pomegranate            
7http3_/_/www-                          
ang4kfunigraz4ac4at_/katzer_/germ_/index
                                        
4html7 considers the problem of the     
names of plants in the ,bible3          
,the pomegranate tree is an ancient     
cultigen in ,western ,asia2 it is       
mentioned in the oldest part of the     
,old ,testament 7the ,pentateuch74      
,although the ,old ,testament is not a  
collection of cooking recipes1 it       
names many plants of everyday or        
cultic usage in ancient ,israel2 the    
,new ,testament1 though1 has less       
descriptive character1 and plants are1  
consequently1 named much less           
frequently4                             
,if one wants to set up a collection    
of biblical spices1 one must not        
forget that there are three millennia   
between the language of the ,old        
,testament and ours2 therefore1 exact   
translations are sometimes impossible4  
,the following quote 7,isaiah #bh1bg7   

may                                     
illustrate the difficulties of          
translation3                            
',,qetsach is not threshed with a       
sledge1 nor is a cartwheel rolled over  
,,kammon2 ,,qetsach is beaten out with a
                                        
rod1 and ,,kammon with a stick4'        
,because of the dialectic structure1 we 
may infer that the two plants are       
similar1 but differ in details of       
their harvest4 ,the term ,,kammon       
obviously is related to ,greek ,k,,minon
                                        
7cumin71 but also lies behind ,english  
,,caraway2 ,,qetsach is more difficult  
to                                      
analyze4 ,probably it means ,,nigella1  
sometimes also called ,,black ,,cumin1  
whose seeds ripen in a closed capsule1  
which must first be opened4             
,yet in translating the ,bible1 botanic 
accuracy is less an aim than general    
matters of style4 ,black cumin is       
less elegant than cumin1 and            

nigella is not an ,english word at      
all4 ,therefore1 ,english ,bible        
translations render ,,qetsach as ,,dill1
                                        
,,caraway or fitches1 a word that is    
missing from every modern dictionary4   
,german translators1 on the other hand1 
who don't have a traditional1 elegant   
word for ,,cumin1 commonly translate    
,,kammon as ,,caraway 7which is almost  
certainly wrong71 and have to resort    
to ,,dill for ,,qetsach4                
,comparing different translations of    
the ,old ,testament1 one find some or   
all of the following 7,hebrew terms are 
given in parenthesis73 garlic 7shuwm71  
onion 7btsel71 nigella 7qetsach1 also   
rendered as caraway oder dill1 quite    
obscure71 cumin 7kammon1 also           
caraway71 coriander 7gad71 caper        
7abiyownah1 also translated desire71    
cinnamon 7qinnamown71 cassia 7qiddah1   
also interpreted as a synonym of        
cinnamon or cassia buds71 hyssop        
7ezowb1 frequent but very obscure71     

myrtle 7hadac71 olive 7shemen and       
zayith1 very frequent71 juniper         
7browsh1 also given as fir or           
pine71 almond 7shaqed71 pomegranate     
7rimmown or rimmon71 rose               
7chabatstseleth1 very obscure7 and      
saffron 7karkom74                       
,similarly1 the ,new ,testament has not 
been translated by biologists--the      
latter had not suspected birds to live  
in mustard plants 7snapi74 ,other       
plant names from the ,new ,testament    
include the following 7,greek given in  
parenthesis73 mint 7heedosmon1 this     
is not the common name of mint in       
,greek71 cumin 7kminon1 also            
translated caraway71 anis 7neethon1     
also rendered dill71 rue 7peganon1      
not the common term71 cinnamon          
7kinnmoomon71 hyssop 7hssoopos1         
referring to the obscure word in the    
,old ,testament7 and olive 7agrilaios   
olive tree and elaon olive oil74        
,the ,,dictionary ,,of ,,the ,,bible    
7ed4 by                                 

,james ,hastings and ,john ,a4 ,selbie1 
,edinburgh1 #crd ed4#aiad7 says about   
the                                     
,,hyssop3 ,it was used for sprinkling   
blood 7,ex4 #ab1bb7 and in the ritual of
                                        
the cleansing of lepers 7,lv #ad1d1 ,nu 
#ai1f72 it was an insignificant plant   
growing out of the wall 7#a ,k #d1cc72  
it                                      
could afford a branch strong enough to  
support a wet sponge 7,jn #ai1bi74 ,it  
is                                      
possible that all these references are  
not to a single species4 ,among many    
suggested plants the most probable is   
either a species of majoran1 e4g41      
,,origanum ,,maru1 or the common caper- 
plant 7,,capparis ,,spinosa71 which may 
be                                      
seen growing out of crevices in walls   
all over ,palestine                     
7,e4,w4,g4,masterman74                  
,for the ,german traditions about the   
hyssop ,jacob and ,wilhem ,grimm in     

,,deutsches ,w,,rterbuch 7#ahed seq47   
give                                    
the following information3              
,,ysop1 isop1 ispe7n71 eisop2 hysop1 m4 
7,f471,,hyssopus ,,officinalis ,l41     
,,kleiner                               
,,busch ,,mit ,,stark ,,duftenden       
,,bl,,ttern und                         
,,violetten ,,bl,,ten4 ,,gelegentlich   
,,wird                                  
,,der ,,name ,,auf ,,verwandte          
,,pflanzen                              
,,bertragen1 ,,vor ,,allem ,,auf        
,,satureja                              
,,hortensis ,l41 ,,vgl4 ,,marzell ,,wb4 
,d4 ,,dt4                               
,,pflanzenn4 #b1 #iff ff42              
,,pritzel-,,jessen                      
,,pflanzen 7#ahhb7 #cfc f42 ,,fischer   
,,schw,b4 #d1 #ec4                      
,,herkunft ,,und form4                  
,,ass4 zpu2 ,,syr4-,,arab4 zf2 ,,hebr4  
42                                      
,,griech4 2 2 ,,lat4 hysspus ,f41       
hysspum                                 

,n42 ,,got4 hwssopon 7,,dat4 ,,sg472    
,,ags4                                  
ysope f42 ,,ahd4 hysop ,,st4 ,m4 ,,neben
                                        
,,sp,,terem ,,isopo1 isipo #e,w4 ,m42   
,,mhd4                                  
ysope ,m4 7,,noch ,,bei  ,,luther       
,,meist                                 
,,schwach ,,flektiert3 ,,exod4 #ab1 #bb2
                                        
,,levit4 #ad1 #eb2 ,,ps4 #ea1 #i2       
,,hebr4 #i1                             
#ai72 ,,sp,,tahd4-,,fr,,hnhd4 ,,auch    
,,als ,,fem4                            
7,,ysopus spa #ab4 ,,jh4 ,,ah4 ,,gl4 #c1
 #bfd1                                  
#ec ,,st4-,s42 ,,de ,,isopo von der     
ispen                                   
#ab4;,,jh4 ,,ebda #d1 #cfe1 #df2 von der
                                        
ispen ,,um #acej ,,konrad ,v4           
,,megenbeeg                             
,,buch ,d4 ,,natur #dje ,,pf42 ,,vgl4   
#dbj2                                   
yspen1 die nit felt ,,liederbuch ,d4    

,h,,tzlerin #bcd ,,haltaus74 ,,nhd4     
7h7ysop1                                
isop1 ,,weiteres ,s4,u4                 
,,auf ,,der ,,bibelsprachlichen         
,,tradition                             
7#a7 ,,und ,,auf ,,der ,,fr,,hen        
,,einf,,hrung ,,des                     
,,orientalisch-,s,,deurop,,ischen       
,,ysops ,,als                           
,,heil- ,,und ,,gew,,rzpflanze  7#b7    
,,beruht                                
,,seine  ,,reiche  ,,bezeugung ,,in     
,,nahezu                                
,,allen ,,europ,,ischen ,,sprachen4     
,,neuer-                                
,,dings ,,wird ,,die ,,identit,t ,,des  
,,biblischen ysop ,,mit ,,hyssopus      
,,of_/,,icinalis ,,wieder ,,bezweifelt  
,,marzell                               
,a4 ,a4 #j4 7,,zur ,,diskussion ,,um    
,,joan4 #ai1                            
#bi ,,vgl4 ,,bauer ,,griech4-,,dt4 ,,wb4
 ,,zum                                  
,,neuen ,,testam4 #d #aieb #aeda74 ,,der
 ,,name                                 

,,erscheint ,,bibel-,,sprachlich        
,,durchweg                              
,,als ,,mask41 ,,gelegentlich ,,bis     
,,ins #ad4                              
,,jh4 ,,in  ,,lat4 ,,flexionsform  7,s4 
,u4                                     
,,dat4 ,,sg4  isupo  ,,notker1 ysopo    
,,trierer                               
,,ps41 ysopo ,,passional2 ,,akk4 ,,sg44 
ysopum                                  
,,wernher ,,marienleben7 ,,und ,,auch   
,,sp,,ter                               
,,noch ,,mit ,,spirantischem ,,anlaut3  
hyssop                                  
,,abr4 ,a ,s4 ,,clara etw4 f4 alle      
7#afii7 #a1                             
#ih2 hysop ,,brenner ,,erz4 ,u4 ,,schr4 
7#ahfd7                                 
#a1 #bj2 hyssop ,,tillmann ,,neues      
,,test4                                 
7,,lpz4 #f #aieh7 #fbe4 ,,weiter        
,,eingedeutscht ,,ist ,,das ,,wort ,,in 
,,seiner                                
,,volkssprachlichen ,,verwendung 7#b73  
,,synkope ,,des ,,mittelsilbenvokals    

,s44 ,,ob4                              
,,sowie isp 7#ab4 ,,jh47 ,,ahd4 ,,gl4   
#d1 #bce1                               
#ch ,,st4-,s42 yspe 7#ad4 ,,jh47 ,,ebda 
#c1 #edb1                               
#be2 ispe 7,u4 47 #ad4_/af4 ,,jh4       
,,diefenbach ,,gl4 #caj;b 2 isp7e7      
,,fischer                               
,,schw,b4 #d1 #ec 7,,st,,rker           
,,abweichende                           
,,mischformen zispe ,,ebda1 zwispe #f1  
#adgb71 ,,schmeller-,,fr4 ,,bayer4 #a1  
#afh4                                   
,,nicht ,,selten ,,diphthongiert        
garteneisop1 zwibeleisop ,,albertus     
dict4 7#aedj7 ,,ff la 2 eisop ,f,,bricus
                                        
,,rer4 ,,misniac4 7#aefi7 #bdf2         
eysopwein                               
,,zehner ,,nomencl4 7#afdc7 #cfe2 eisop 
,m4                                     
,b,,hme ,,viehartzney 7#afhb7 #ca4 ,,die
                                        
,,zahlreichen ,,mundartlichen           
,,nebenformen                           

,s4 ,,im ,,brigen ,,bei ,,marzell ,a4   
,a4 ,o42                                
,,vgl4 ,,noch eisop ,,teil #c1 ,,sp4    
#chj1                                   
eisewig #c1 #cgg1 hispe ,f41 #d1 #b1    
#aegi                                   
,,sowie isop #d1 #b1 #bahb4             
,,gebrauch4                             
#a7;,,bibelsprachlich4 ,,exod4 #ab1 #bb2
                                        
,,levit4 #ad1 #d ,u4 #f2 #ad1 #di;fl42  
num4 #ai1                               
#f u4 #ah2 ,,ps4 #ej #i ,u4 ,,hebr4 #i1 
#ai                                     
,,erw,,hnen ,,den ,,ysop ,,im           
,,zusammenhang                          
,,kultischer ,,reinigungszeremonien4 #c4
                                        
,,reg4 #d1 #cc ,,dient ,,er ,,einem     
,,vergleich                             
,,zur ,,veranschauiichung ,,der         
,,weisheit                              
,,salomos 7,s4,u474 ,,joan4 #ai1 #bi    
,,wird ,,dem                            
,,gekreuzigten ,,der ,,essigschwamm ,,um

 ,,einen                                
,,ysop ,,gewickelt ,,gereicht 7,,hierzu 
,,vgl4                                  
,,bauer ,,griech4-,,dt4 ,,wb4 ,,zum     
,,neuen                                 
,,testam4 #d #aieb #aeda74 ,,an ,,diesen
                                        
,,stellen ,,ist ,,das ,,wort ,,in       
,,allen                                 
,,deutschen ,,bibel,,bersetzungen ,,bis 
,,in                                    
,,die ,,gegenwart ,,in ,,festem         
,,gebrauch3                             
afaruh an ,o in wato wairpandans        
hrain jah  hwssopon jah wullai raudai   
ufartrusnjandans 7,,skeireins #c1 #af7  
,,got4 ,,bibel  #ba 1  #dfa             
,,streitberg2                           
,,fasciculum ,,hysopi uuadal hysopes    
7,,exodus #ab1 #bb7 7#h4_/i4 ,,jh47     
,,ahd4 ,,gl4                            
#a1 #cce1 #ch ,,st4-,s42 so er chumet1  
so                                      
besprenget er mih mit isopo 7,,asperges 
,,me ,,ysopo1 ,,ps4 #ej1 #i7 also die   

miselsuhtigen1 unde danne uuirdo ih     
gereinet2 uuunda so ist gepoten in      
demo puoche1 daz die miselsuhtigen      
siben stunt besprenget uurten mit       
gedunchetemo isopo in demo opferpluote  
7,,vgl4 ,,lev4 #ad1 #d;ff42 #di;ff47    
,,notker #c1                            
#agb ,,piper 7,,vgl4 #b1 #aie;f472 du   
besprenges mih1 herro1 mit dem isipen   
unde ih wirde gereinet 7#ab4 ,,jh41     
,,windberger ,,interlinearversion71 du  
solt besprengen mich mit demo ysopo     
unde ih wirde gereinet 7#ac4 ,,jh41     
,,trierer ,,interlinearversion7 7,,ps4  
#ej1                                    
#i7 ,,dt4 ,,interlinearversionen ,d4    
,,psalmen                               
7#ahci7 #bcb ,,graff2 wann sy fulten ein
                                        
schwamp mit essig sy vmbgaben in mit    
ysopp3 sy brachten in seinen mund       
7,,joan4 #ai1 #bi7 ,,erste ,,dt4 ,,bibel
 #a1 #dae                               
,,kurr42 vnd er 7,,salomo7 redet        
dreytausent spruch1 vnd seyner liede    

waren tausent vnd funffe4 vnd er redet  
von bewmen1 vom ceder an zu ,libanon    
bis an den isop1 der aus der wand       
wechst 7#c4 ,,reg4 #d1 #cc7 ,,luther    
,,dt4                                   
,,bibel #a1 #aej ,w41 ,,vgl4 #i1 #a1    
#djh;f4 ,,aus                           
,,bibelsprachlicher ,,tradition         
,,erwachsen                             
,,folgende ,,belege1 ,,zu ,,ps4 #ej1 #h3
                                        
,maria sunderinne1                      
du bist in gutem sinne                  
vf einen burnen alda kumen              
444                                     
betouche dich zv male                   
des du macht ,immer wesen vro           
der besprenget dich mit ysopo           
des bistu wiz ob alleme sne             
7,,um #acjj7 ,,passional #cga1 #bb      
,,hahn2                                 
nun spreng mich herr mit ysop gut1      
so wird all snd verderbet               
,,spee ,g,,ld4 ,,tugendbuch 7#afdi7 #ce2
                                        

und so1 meint der meister ferner1       
werde ich auch bald gewaschen werden1   
und mit hysop besprengt1 der ich ber    
so viele das miserere gesungen ,,brenner
                                        
,,erz4 ,u4 ,,schr4 7#ahfd7 #a1 #bj4 ,,zu
 ,,joan4                                
#ai1 #bi3                               
'mich durstet'1 sprach er och dar na4   
do stnd ain  vas mit essich da1         
dar in lait ainer ysopum                
und fuitent sin ainen schwum3           
den bot er z der selben stunt           
mit ainem sper an sinen munt            
7,,hs4 #aahb7 ,,wernher ,,marienieben   
#aj #fjg ,p,,pke-,h,,bner4              
,,in ,,negativierender ,,umdeutung ,,der
                                        
,,hilfreichen ,,tr,,nkung ,,aus ,,joan4 
#ai1 #bi                                
7,,vgl4 ,,matth4 #bg1 #cd73 wie 4 4 dem 
volk444der ysop der furcht vor den      
ewigen strafen dargereicht wrde         
,,schleiermacher ,s4 ,w4 7#ahcd7 #a #e1 
#ih2                                    

nur gift und galle war1 o pabst1        
was du  vom pol bis zu den tropen       
der welt mit deinem scepter gabst1      
mit deinem scepter von ysopen           
,,herwegh ,,ged4 ,e4 ,,lebendigen       
7#bahda7 #aaf4                          
,,zu #c4 ,,reg4 #d1 #ca von der zeder   
bis zum                                 
ysop 7,s #j4 ,,luthers ,,bersetzung71   
,,zun,,chst ,,nur ,,von ,,der ,,gr,,sze 
,,der                                   
,,weisheit ,,salomos3 ,salomon 444 von  
dem                                     
ceder baum1 so auf dem berg ,libano     
ist1 bisz auf den hyssop1 so aus der    
wand wchst1 disputieret ,,abr4 ,a ,s4   
,,clara ,,etwas ,f4 ,,alle 7#afii7 #a1  
#dh2                                    
7,,berschrift37 ,salomons knigs van     
,israel und ,juda gldne worte von der   
ceder biss zum issop ,g,,the #a #cg1    
#bie                                    
,w42 ,,auf ,,andere ,,personen          
,,bertragen3                            
weil du 7,r,,bezahl7 aber der kruter    

und pflanzen kundig bist1 vom ysop an1  
der auf der mauer wchst1 bis auf die    
ceder zu ,libanon ,,mus,,us             
,,volksm,,rchen                         
#a1 #cd ,,hempel1 ,,vgl4 ,,ders41       
,,physiogn4                             
,,reisen 7#aggh7 #a1 #aga2 ich habe die 
ehre1 ihnen einen gelehrten zu          
prsentieren1 dar alles weiss und        
kennt1 van der ceder bis zum ysop       
,,kotzebue ,s,,mmtl4 ,,dram4 ,w4 7#ahbg7
  #a1                                   
#cad4 ,,schlieszlich ,,die ,,weite ,,der
                                        
,,sch,,pfung ,,berhaupt ,,bezeichnend3  
jedes                                   
gewche von der ceder bis zum ysop       
hngt an erde und sonnenschein ,,herder  
#bj1 #gc ,s42 ,,vgl4 #bb1 #bcg2 der     
nahme                                   
meines helden ist kurz und gut3 ,,abc   
bis ,,xyz1 444 ritter vieler orden      
trauriger und frhlicher gestalt1 von    
der ceder auf ,libanon bis zum ysop     
,,hippel ,,kreuz- ,u4 ,,querzugc 7#agic7

 #a1 #c2                                
die menschengattung ist die erste von   
alless diesen einheiten2 die andern1    
vom elephanten bis zur milbe1 von der   
ceder bis an den ysop1 sind in dar      
zweiten und dritten linie ,j4 ,g4       
,,forster ,s4 ,,schr4 7#ahdc7 #d1 #cai4 
#b7 ,,als ,,gew,,rz- ,,und ,,heil       
,,pflanze4 ,,in                         
,,den ,,verschiedensten ,,rezepten      
,,seit ,,dem                            
#aa4_/ab4 ,,jh4 ,,sehr ,,reich          
,,bezeugt2 ,,die                        
,,bl,,tter ,,werden ,,vereinzelt ,,bis  
,,in ,,die                              
,,gegenwart ,,als ,,soszenw,,rze ,,und  
,,zum                                   
,,gurgeln ,,gegen ,,halsbeschwerden     
,,benutzt2                              
,,dar,,ber ,,hinaus ,,ist ,,die         
,,pflanze ',,vor                        
,,allem ,,in ,,der ,,schweiz ,,ein      
,,bestandteil                           
,,der ,,in ,,die ,,kirche 7,,besonders  
,,von                                   

,,lteren ,,frauen7 ,,mitgenommenen      
,,riechstr,,uszlein'  ,,marzell  ,,wb4  
,d4                                     
,,dt4 ,,pflanzenn4 #b1 #jfi3 isopo ist  
gt                                      
chrt1 obe diu gebrt stirbet in demo     
wbe2 trinche iz mit warmem wazzer1 ,s   
vert iz vone ire4 er ist gt vur den     
stenken vnte hilfet och den der mage    
swirt 7#aa4_/ab4 ,,jh47 ,,germania #h1  
#cjj2                                   
,,hnlich 7#ac4 ,,jh47 ,,menhardt ,,verz4
 ,d4                                    
,,altdt4 ,,lit4 ,,hss4 #a 7#aifj7 #df2  
von der                                 
ispen4 isopus haizt isp444wenn man      
ispen kocht mit honig1 daz ist der      
lungel guot   4 und genuog ander        
tugent ht si an ir 7,,um #acej7 ,,konrad
                                        
,v4 ,,megenberg ,,buch der ,,natur #dje 
,,pf42                                  
vgl #dbj2 der ysope 4 4 4 ist bitter    
und idoch gesnt dem herzen und der      
,ingen und der brst  die da siech ist   

7#ad ,,jh47 ,,altdt4,,pred4             
,,sch,,nbach ,,so ,,weme dat hoven      
sweret 4 4                              
de scal nemen eyn bunt ysopen unde      
seden de 7,bremen #aceb7  ,,mnd4        
,,arzneib4                              
des ,a4 ,,doneldey #ad ,windler vgl4 #c1
 #aj1                                   
#ai1 #bf1 #di2 und alz ist gefgett daz  
pinlin z4,b4 dem honge1 der ysop z4,b4  
dem                                     
balsam1 d nahtegal z4,b4 der harpfen 7so
                                        
wie ,,die seele ,,zu ,,christus7 7,,hs4 
von                                     
#aceg ,,nach ,,vorlage ,,von #acjc7 1   
,,st4                                   
,,georgener ,,pred4 #bhg ,,rieder1      
,,vgl4 #bid2                            
saluay1 rawtten vnd polay1              
der krautt stnd pogen vnd               
gezindelt2                              
dryment1 yspen1 die nit felt1           
grunten da in reicher wunn              
,,liederbuch ,,der ,h,,tzlerin          

#bcd ,,haltaus3                         
dem rind den husten zu vertreiben1      
pflegt man jnen444ysop44 4einzugeben    
,,sebiz feldbau 7#aegi7 #abh2           
mit lavendel1 isop1 majoran1 poley und  
anderen geringeres wehrtes1 gewchsen    
und blurnenwerke ausgeziehret ,,neumark 
newspross4 teut4 palmb4 7#affh7 #aga2   
unter wild wachsenden pflanzen sah ich  
die dunkelrote scabiose unter grten     
und ein ganzes feld mit ysop bewachsen  
,,stolberg                              
,,ges4,w4 7#ahbj7 #h1 #cfj4             
#c7 ,,zu ,,beiden ,,anwendungsgruppen   
,,stellen ,,sich ,,zusammensetzungen3   
ysopbitter3                             
dieweil der knigliche zecher            
umsonst nach ihren zgen gafft4          
leert sie den ysopbittren becher        
zurckgewiesener leidenschaft            
,,fontane ,,ged4 #gagf 7,,vgl44         
,,joan4 #ai1 #bi u4 ysop #a72           
--busch3                                
nimm  einen ysoppusch1                  
entsndige mein ,leben                   

,,fleming1 dt4 ged4 #a1h                
lit4ver42                               
,,vgl4 ysopbschel 7,,nurn4 #ai1 #ah7    
,z,,rcher ,,bibel 7,,berlin #aief7 #a1  
#afe2 -                                 
kraut3 nimm rosinlin ein                
handvoll444salbeybltter1 hissopkraut1   
jedes #a hand voll ,g,,belkover         
,,artzncyb4                             
7#aeie7 #a1 #ahb2 -saft3 ysop safft     
getruncken mit oximel1 waychet den      
verstopften bauch ,,das ,,kre,,terbuch  
,,od4                                   
,,herbarios 7,,augsb4 #aecd7 #add;b 2   
-sirup3                                 
,,staub-,,tobler #g1 #abgj2 -stengel3   
sie                                     
steckten nun einen mit essig gefllten   
schwamm auf einen ysopstengel 7,,joan   
#ai1bi74 ,z,,rcher ,,bibel 7,,berlin    
#aief7                                  
#b1adh2 hysopstengel 7,j4 #ai1bi7       
,,tillmann ,,neues ,,testam4  7,,lpz4   
#f-aiei7                                
#cbe2    -strauch1                      

s4 isopstrauch ,,teil #d1b1 ,,sp4 #bahb2
 -                                      
wasser3 hysopwasser soll man allwegen   
in heysser aeschen disti#aliren3        
welches 7,u4 ,a47 trefflich gut fr den  
grausamen schmertzen der zn ist ,,sebiz 
feldbau 7#aehj7 #dac2  zerschmeltz den  
zucker in brandlattich oder             
issopwasser ,g,,belkover artzneybuch    
7#aeie7 #a1 #aic1 ,,gebucht bei         
,r,,dlein ,t4-                          
,,it4-,,frz47#agaa7 #ajhj2;b2  -wein1 4 
,,vgl4                                  
isopwein ,,teil #d4 #b4 sp4 #bahb       
,,sowie3                                
von ysopwein4 ysopwein ist warm1        
reiniget die brust1 machet gute dwung   
vnd weicht den bauch ,m4 ,,herr         
,,feldbau                               
7#aeea7 #aab;a2 eysop wein ,,zehner     
,,nomencl4 7#afde7 #cfe2 ,,kirsch       
,,cornu                                 
,,copiae #b 7#agge71 #ijh4              
,why then did ,bacon translate hyssop   
as moss8 ,the hyssop was known and      

used in ,england 7compare ,,oed2 e4g4   
,skakespeare ,,othello ,i1#c etc474     
,what                                   
appears from all the dictionaries       
consulted is1 however1 that it is not   
so very clear which plant was meant by  
the name4 ,what led ,bacon to use the   
word moss for hyssop is probably        
the sense of #a ,k #d1cc3 ,salomon knows
                                        
every plant from the noblest 7cedar     
tree7 to the meanest 7hyssop71 moss     
obviously signifying a mean plant       
which is but a rudiment between         
putrefaction and an herb4 ,this does    
obviously leave out of consideration    
the holiness of the hyssop tested in    
various other contexts of the ,old and  
the ,new ,testament 7see above74        
philosophy#bi4 ,nay1 the same ,salomon  
the   #bi4 cf4 ,a4,l4 ,sp4 ,,iii1 #bih1 
,i4#e 7,d4,a4  king affirmeth directly  
that the glory of   ,sp4,i1#dfg1 ,i4#a7 
2 ,cf4 also ,n4,o4 ,i1 #fe  ,god ,,is   
,,to ,,conceal ,a ,,thing1 ,,but ,,the  

,,glory     ,,of ,,the ,,king ,,is ,,to 
,,find ,,it ,,out#cj1 as if    #cj4     
,proverbs #be1b  according to the       
innocent play of children  ,geneva      
,bible3 ,the glorie of ,god is to  the  
divine ,majesty took delight to hide    
conceile a thing secret3 but the ,kings 
his works1 to the end to have them found
    honour is to searche out a thing4   
out2 for in naming the king he intendeth
     man1 taking such a condition of man
 as      ,authorized ,version3 ,it is   
the glory of  hath most excellency and  
greatest           ,god to conceal a    
thing3 but the honour  commandment of   
wits and means1 alluding     of kings is
 to search out a matter4  also to his   
own person1 being truly one of   those  
clearest burning lamps1 whereof         
,vulgata3 ,gloria ,dei celare verbum et 
himself speaketh in another place1 when 
he  gloria regum investigare sermonem   
saith ,,the ,,spirit ,,of ,,man ,,is    
,,as ,,the ,,lamp ,,of    ,,god1        
,,wherewith ,,he ,,searcheth ,,all      

,,inwardness#ca2 which nature of the    
soul    #ca4 ,proverbs #bj1bg  the same 
,salomon holding precious and           
,geneva ,bible3 ,the light of the ,lord 
is  inestimable1 and therein conspiring 
with    the breth of man1 and sercheth  
all the  the affection of ,socrates who 
scorned the   bowels of the bellie4     
pretended learned men of his time for   
,authorized ,version3 ,the spirit of man
  raising great benefit of their        
learning     is the candle of the       
,lord1searching  7whereas ,anaxagoras   
contrariwise and        all the inward  
parts of the belly4  divers others being
 born to ample           ,vulgata3      
lucerna ,dominis spiraculum  patrimonies
 decayed them in                        
homninis quae investigat omnia secreta  
ventris                                 
,luther3 ,eine ,leuchte des ,herrn ist  
des                                     
,menschen ,geist2 die geht durch alle   
,kammern des ,leibes4                   
contemplation7#cb1 delivereth it in     

#cb4 see ,platon1 ,hippias ,major4 #bhb 
b -  precept yet remaining1 ,,buy ,,the 
,,truth1 ,,and   #bhc b  ,,sell ,,it    
,,not2                                  
,,and ,,so ,,of ,,wisdom ,,and          
,,knowledge#cc4         #cc4 ,proverbs  
#bc1 #bc                                
,geneva ,bible3 ,bye the trueth1 but sel
  ,and lest any man should retain a     
scruple    it not3 likewise wisdome1 and
  as if this thirst of                  
instruction1 and understanding4         
knowledge were rather an humour of the  
mind than an emptiness or want in nature
    ,authorized ,version3 ,buy the truth
 and  and an instinct from ,god1 the    
same author   sell it not2 also wisdom1 
and  defineth of it fully1 saying1 ,,god
 ,,hath      instruction1 and           
understanding4  ,,made ,,every ,,thing  
,,in ,,beauty ,,according ,,to          
,,season2 ,,also ,,he ,,hath ,,set ,,the
 ,,world ,,in       ,vulgata3 veritatem 
eme et noli vendere  ,,man',s ,,heart1  
,,yet ,,can ,,he ,,not ,,find ,,out     

,,the    sapientiam et doctrinam et     
,,work ,,which ,,god ,,worketh ,,from   
,,the             intelligentiam        
,luther3 ,kaufe ,wahrheit und verkaufe  
sie nicht1 ,weisheit1 ,zucht und        
,verstand4                              
on the mercantilist spirit in ,bacon    
see3 ,julie ,robin ,salomon1            
,objectivity                            
in the ,making4 ,the ,john ,hopkins     
,university ,press1 #aiih4  ,,beginning 
,,to ,,the ,,end#cd3 declaring not      
#cd4 ,ecclesiastes #c1aa  obscurely that
 ,god hath framed the mind of           
,authorized ,version3 ,he hath made     
every  man as a glass capable of the    
image of the  thing beautiful in his    
time3 also he  universal world1 joying  
to receive the      hath set the world  
in their heart1 so  signature thereof as
 the eye is of light    that no man can 
find out the work that  yea not only    
satisfied in beholding the     ,god     
maketh from the beginning to the        
variety of things and vicissitude of    

end4  times1 but raised also to find out
 and       discern those ordinances and 
decrees which  ,vulgata3 cuncta fecit   
bona in tempore  throughout all these   
changes are            suo et mundum    
tradidit disputioni  infallibly         
observed4 ,and although the       eorum 
_/ ut non inveniat homo opus quod       
highest generality of motion or summary 
operatus est ,deus ab initio usque ad   
law of nature ,god should still reserve 
finem4  within his own curtain1 yet many
 and noble   are the inferior and       
secondary operations   ,luther ,bible3  
,prediger ,salomo #c1aa3  which are     
within man's sounding4 ,this is a  ,er  
aber tut alles fein zu seiner ,zeit     
thing which ,i cannot tell whether ,i   
may so  und lt ihr ,herz sich ngstigen1 
wie  plainly speak as truly conceive1   
that as    es gehen solle in der ,welt2 
denn der  all knowledge appeareth to be 
a plant of    ,mensch kann doch nicht   
treffen das  ,god's own planting1 so it 
may seem the      ,werk1 das ,gott tut1 

weder ,anfang noch  spreading and       
flourishing or at least the   ,ende4    
bearing and fructifying of this plant1  
by    a providence of ,god1 nay not only
 by a       general providence but by a 
special          prophecy1 was appointed
 to this autumn       of the world#ce3  
for to my understanding   #ce4 ,melek   
,hasgn comments3  ,bacon sees  it is not
 violent to the letter1 and safe   his  
time as 444autumn of the  now after the 
event1 so to interpret that   world4444 
,as in ,shakespeare's ,king  place in   
the prophecy of ,daniel where           
,lear 7,,iv_/#f7 #8autumn'  implies the 
time  speaking of the latter times it is
 said1    shortly before the end of the 
world1  ,,many ,,shall ,,pass ,,to ,,and
 ,,fro1 ,,and ,,science     this can    
also be applied to ,bacon4 ,the         
,apocalypse is preceded by the increase 
of  knowledge 7,daniel #ab1d7 and again 
,bacon uses the ,bible to legitimate    
progress in science4  ,,shall ,,be      
,,increased#cf2 as if the opening   #cf4

 ,daniel #ab1 #d2  of the world by      
navigation and commerce     ,geneva     
,bible3 ,but thou1 o ,daniel1 shut  and 
the further discovery of knowledge      
up the wordes1 and seale the boke til   
should meet in one time or age4         
the end of the time3 many shal runne    
to and fro1 and knowledge shalbe  ,but  
howsoever that be1 there are besides    
increased explanation f 7til the end    
the authorities or ,scriptures before   
of the time73 ,til the time that ,god   
recited1 two reasons of exceeding great 
hathe appointed for the ful revelation  
weight and force why religion should    
of these things3 and then many shal     
dearly protect all increase of natural  
runne to and fro to search the          
knowledge3 the one1 because it leadeth  
to   knowledge of these mysteries1 which
  the greater exaltation of the glory of
      things they obteine now by the    
light  ,god2 for as the                 
of the ,gospel                          
,authorized ,version3 ,but thou1 ,o     

,daniel1 shut up the words1 and seal    
the book1 ,,even to the time of the end3
                                        
many shall run to and fro1 and          
knowledge shall be increased4           
,vulgata3 ,tu autem ,danihel clude      
sermones et signa librum usque ad       
tempus statutum _/ pertransibunt        
plurimi et multiplex erit scientia      
,this quotation is repeated on the      
title page of ,,novum ,,organum4        
,together                               
with the allegorical content of the     
pillars of ,hercules1 this passage      
clearly is to be interpreted in an      
apocalyptical sense3 ,the time has come 
and is ripe for a re-construction of    
,adams's paradisical dominion over the  
world4--,the pillars of ,hercules can   
also be understood as a typological     
allusion to the two pillars of          
,salomo's temple 7cf4 ,charles          
,whitney73                              
,in #a ,kings #g1 #ba the names of the  
pillars are given as ,jachin and        

,boas4 ,the ,jew's name in ,,nova       
,,atlantis1 ,joabin1 can be explained as
                                        
the result of playing around with       
these names and contracting them into   
one4 ,in ,,nova ,,atlantis ,salomo's    
,temple                                 
is resurrected and is the centre of     
knowledge and power4  ,psalms#cg and    
other ,scriptures do often    #cg4 for  
example ,psalms #ai1a  invite us to     
consider and to magnify the     great   
and wonderful works of ,god1 so if we   
should rest only in the contemplation of
     those shews which first offer      
themselves     to our senses1 we should 
do a like injury    to the majesty of   
,god1 as if we should       judge of the
 store of some excellent                
jeweller by that only which is set out  
to    the street in his shop4 ,the other
 reason     is1 because it is a singular
 help and a      preservative against   
unbelief and error2     for1 saith our  
,saviour1  ,,you ,,err1 ,,not           

,,knowing ,,the ,,scriptures ,,nor ,,the
               ,,power ,,of ,,god2#ch   
laying before us two      #ch4 ,st4     
,matthew #bb1 #bi3  books or volumes to 
study if we will be     ,authorized     
,version3 ,jesus answered and  secured  
from error2 first the ,scriptures       
said unto them1 ,ye do err1 not knowing 
revealing the will of ,god1 and then the
     the ,scriptures1 not the power of  
,god4  creatures expressing his power2  
for that    see also ,st ,mark #ab1 #bd 
latter book will certify us that nothing
     which the first teacheth shall be  
thought    impossible4 ,and most sure it
 is1 and a       true conclusion of     
experience1 that a        little natural
 philosophy inclineth the      mind to  
atheism1 but a further proceeding       
bringeth the mind back to religion4     
,to conclude then1 let no man presume to
      check the liberality of ,god's    
gifts1 who1    as was said1             
,,hath ,,set ,,the ,,world ,,in ,,man',s
 ,,heart4 ,so        as whatsoever is   

not ,god but parcel of the   world1 he  
hath fitted it to the                   
comprehension of man's mind1 if man will
     open and dilate the powers of      
his understanding as he may4#ci         
#ci4 ,compare to mind of glass above    
,but yet evermore it must be remembered 
that the least part of knowledge passed 
to   man by this so large a charter from
 ,god      must be subject to that use  
for which ,god    hath granted it2 which
 is the benefit and    relief of the    
state and society or man2      for      
otherwise all manner of knowledge       
becometh malign and serpentine1 and     
therefore as carrying the quality of the
     serpent's sting and malice it      
maketh the     mind of man to swell2 as 
the ,scripture       saith excellently1 
,,knowledge ,,bloweth ,,up1     ,,but   
,,charity ,,buildeth ,,up#dj4 ,and again
 the  #dj4 #a ,corinthians #h1 #a  same 
author doth notably disavow both        
,authorized ,version3 ,now as touching  
power and knowledge such as is not      

things offered unto idols1 we know      
dedicated to goodness or love1 for saith
    that we all have knowledge4         
,knowledge  he1 ,,if ,i ,,have ,,all    
,,faith ,,so ,,as ,i ,,could            
puffeth up1 but charity edifieth4       
,,remove ,,mountains1 7there is power   
active17   ,,if ,i ,,render ,,my ,,body 
,,to ,,the ,,fire1 7there is   power    
passive17 ,,if ,i ,,speak ,,with ,,the  
,,tongues ,,of ,,men ,,and ,,angels1    
7there is         knowledge1 for        
language is but the           conveyance
 of knowledge17                    ,,all
 ,,were ,,nothing#da4                   
#da4 #a ,corinthians #ac1 #a-c3         
,authorized ,version3 ,though ,i speak  
,and therefore it is not the pleasure of
     with the tongues of men and of     
angels1                                 
and have not charity1 ,i am become as   
sounding brass1 or a tinkling cymbal4   
,and though ,i have the gift of         
prophecy1 and understand all            
mysteries1 and all knowledge2 and       

though ,i have all faith1 so that ,i    
could remove mountains1 and have not    
charity1 ,i am nothing4 ,and though ,i  
bestow all my goods to feed the poor1   
and though ,i give my body to be        
burned1 and have not charity1 it        
profiteth me nothing4  curiosity#db1 nor
 the quiet of             #db4 ,bacon   
here contrasts curiosity  resolution1   
nor the raising of the spirit1  with    
thirst of knowledge 7p4 #bbj74  nor     
victory of wit1 nor faculty of speech1  
,curiosity is used in a traditional  nor
 lucre of profession1 nor ambition of   
sense 7see ,st4 ,augustine on curiositas
  honour or fame1 nor inablement for    
in ,confessiones ,x1#ce74 ,he speaks of 
business1 that are the true ends of     
curiositas also in ,actaeon et          
knowledge2 some of these being more     
worthy  ,pentheus1 sive ,curiositas in3 
,de  than other1 though all inferior and
         sapentia veterum1 ,,vi3 ,the   
,theban king  degenerate3 but it is a   
restitution and     ,pentheus is        

punished with madness  reinvesting 7in  
great part7 of man to the   because out 
of curiosity he has dared  sovereignty  
and power 7for whensoever he    to      
observe certain mysteries which are     
shall be able to call the creatures by  
dedicated to ,dionysos1 that is3 he     
their true names be shall again command 
applied 7scientific7 observation to     
them7 which he had                      
divine things1 he did not respect the   
division between ,,lumen ,,naturale and 
,,lumen ,,divinum4--,bacon draws the    
same                                    
conclusions from the myth of            
,prometheus 7,prometheus1 sive ,status  
hominis74                               
on curiosity see ,hans ,blumenberg1 ,der
                                        
,proze der theoretischen ,neugierde1    
in3 ,,die ,,legitimit,t ,,der ,,neuzeit 
7,frankfurt1 #aiff74  in his first state
 of creation#dc4  ,and    #dc4 compare  
with ,milton's ,paradise ,lost  to speak
 plainly and clearly1 it is a           

,book ,,xii  discovery of all operations
 and pos-         sibilities of         
operations from immortality    7if it   
were possible7 to the meanest           
mechanical practice4  ,and therefore    
knowledge that tendeth but to           
satisfaction   is but as a courtesan1   
which is for          pleasure and not  
for fruit or generation4    ,and        
knowledge that tendeth to profit or     
profession or glory is but as the golden
     ball thrown before ,atalanta#dd1   
which      #dd4 ,the ,atalanta myth is  
treated by  while she goeth aside and   
stoopeth to take  ,bacon in ,,de        
,,sapientia ,,veterum 7,works1  up she  
hindereth the                           
vol4 ,,vi7                              
,this is the ,german translation by     
,marina ,mnkler in3 ,weisheit der       
,alten1                                 
hrsg4 von ,philipp ,rippel 7,frankfurt  
a4,m3 ,fischer1 #aiia73                 
,,xxv4 ,atalanta oder die ,gewinnsucht  
,atalanta1 die fr ihre ,schnelligkeit   

berhmt war1 forderte ,hippomenes mit    
dem ,versprechen zum ,wettlauf heraus1  
da er sie im ,falle seines ,sieges zur  
,frau nehmen drfe1 im ,falle seiner     
,niederlage aber sein ,leben verwirke4  
,an ,atalantas ,sieg schien es keinen   
,zweifel geben zu knnen1 da ihre        
unbertreffliche ,schnelligkeit bereits  
durch den ,tod zahlreicher ,freier unter
                                        
,beweis gestellt worden war4 ,hippomenes
                                        
griff deshalb zu einer ,list4 ,er       
beschaffte sich drei goldene pfel1      
die er mit sich fhrte4 ,das ,rennen     
begann1 ,atalanta ging in ,fhrung4 ,als 
,hippomenes sah1 da er zurckfiel1       
griff er auf seine ,list zurck und      
warf einen seiner pfel so vor sie       
hin1 da sie ihn sehen mute4 ,er warf    
ihn aber nicht direkt vor sie1 sondern  
ein wenig abseits1 damit sie sich       
nicht nur bcken1 sondern auch ihre      
,bahn verlassen mute4 ,erfllt von       
weiblicher ,gier und angezogen von der  

,schnheit der ,frucht1 verlie sie ihre  
,bahn1 lief dem ,apfel nach und hielt   
an1 um ihn aufzuheben4 ,in der          
,zwischenzeit lief ,hippomenes weiter   
und ging in ,fhrung4 ,aufgrund ihrer    
natrlichen ,schnelligkeit machte        
,atalanta den ,rckstand jedoch bald     
wieder wett und berholte ihn erneut4    
,nachdem ,hippomenes sie jedoch in      
derselben ,weise noch ein zweites und   
ein drittes ,mal vom ,weg abbrachte1    
gewann er schlielich den ,wett6auf1     
freilich nicht durch seine ,fhigkeit1   
sondern durch seine ,list4              
,diese ,sage scheint eine hervorragende 
,allegorie ber den ,wettstreit von      
,kunst und ,natur zu sein4 ,denn die    
,kunst1 die von ,atalanta reprsentiert  
wird1 ist an sich1 wenn ihr nichts im   
,wege steht1 sehr viel schneller als    
die ,natur1 sie ist1 wie man sagen      
knnte1 der bessere ,lufer und           
erreicht ihr ,ziel schneller4 ,das zeigt
                                        
sich an nahezu allen ,dingen3 ,man      

sieht1 da sich ,obstbume nur langsam    
aus dem ,kern1 aber sehr viel schneller 
durch das ,aufpfropfen von ,zweigen     
entwickeln1 da ,lehm sehr langsam zu    
,stein wird1 whrend er sehr schnell zu  
,stein gebrannt werden kann4 ,auch die  
,sitten betreffend kann man beobachten1 
da es sehr lange dauert1 bis durch      
die ,wohltaten der ,natur ein ,schmerz  
vergessen und ,trost gefunden werden    
kann1 whrend die ,philosophie 7die      
gleichsam die ,kunst zu leben ist71 den 
,tag nicht abwartet1 sondern ihn        
vorhersieht und vor ,augen fhrt4 ,dann  
aber wird dieser ,vorsprung und die     
,fhigkeit der ,kunst zum unendlichen    
,nachteil der ,menschheit1 durch jene   
goldenen pfel behindert4 ,denn es gibt  
keine ,wissenschaft oder ,kunst1 die    
ihren wahren und richtigen ,weg bis zum 
,ziel unbeirrt beibehlt4 ,vielmehr      
geschieht es fortwhrend1 da die         
,knste ihre ,unternehmungen auf halbem  
,wege unterbrechen1 vom ,pfad abweichen 
und sich wie ,atalanta ,gewinn und      

,nutzen zuwenden3                       
,declinat cursus1 aurumque volubile     
tollit 7,ovid1 ,metamorphosen ,x1 #ffg74
                                        
,und deshalb ist es nicht               
verwunderlich1 da es der ,kunst nicht   
gegeben ist1 den ,sieg ber die ,natur   
zu erringen und sie nach den            
,bedingungen und ,regeln des ,wettkampfs
                                        
zu tten und zu zerstren1 sondern sie    
im ,gegenteil der ,natur unterworfen    
bleibt1 wie das ,weib dem ,ehemann4     
,charles ,w4 ,lemmi 7,,the ,,classical  
,,deities ,,in ,,bacon4 ,a ,,study ,,in 
,,mythological ,,symbolism1 ,baltimore  
#aicc1 repr4 ,new ,york #aiga7 says that
                                        
,bacon draws on ,natalis ,comes 7,conti7
                                        
,,mythologiae ,,sive ,,explicationum    
,,fabularum ,,libri ,x 7#aeea7 and on   
,boccaccios ,,de ,,genealogia ,,deorum  
7#adgb74                                
,simone ,wirthmann comments3            

,treatises on classical mythology had a 
wide circulation during the             
,renaissance because it has been        
thought that one might discover in the  
stories of the gods and goddesses the   
wisdom of the ancients4                 
,it was in ,italy1 in the sixteenth     
century that the ,renaissance produced  
the most widely known works on the      
classic deities4                        
,one of the most popular books was      
,natalis ,conti's ,,mythology1 which was
                                        
fully as learned as any of its          
competitors1 pleasanter to read and     
incomparably easier to use as a         
referencebook4 ,furthermore1 it         
systematically interprets every myth    
it relates according to a multitude of  
authorities4 ,it provides a list of     
authorities1 an excellent index and     
synopses of the interpretations         
divided into ethical and physical4      
,despite all these new books1 which     
largely superseded ,boccaccio's famous  

,,de ,,genealogiis ,,deorum1 they were  
far                                     
from causing it to be forgotten4        
,for that reason it is to presume that  
,bacon draws on ,natalis ,comes 7,conti7
                                        
,,mythologiae ,,sive ,,explicationem    
,,fabularum ,,libri ,x 7#aeea7 and on   
,boccaccio's ,de ,genealogia            
,deorum7#adgb7 7see ,charles ,w4 ,lemmi 
,,the ,,classical ,,deities ,,in        
,,bacon4 ,a                             
,,study ,,in ,,mythological ,,symbolism 
7,baltimore #aicc1 repr4 ,new ,york     
#aiga74  race#de4 ,and knowledge        
referred to some    #de4  ,ovid1        
,metamorphosen1 ,buch ,x1 #ffe-         
particular point of use is but          
#fhj  as ,harmodius#df which putteth    
down one     #df4 see ,herodot1         
,histories1 ,v1 #ee and  tyrant1 and not
 like                        ,,vi1 #aji 
and #abc                                
,the ,oxford ,classical ,dictionary     
says3                                   

,aristogiton  7#fth c4 ,b4,c471         
,athenian                               
tyrannicide4 ,he and ,harmodius1 both of
                                        
noble family1 planned to kill the       
tyrant ,hippias and his younger brother 
,hipparchus1 in consequence of a        
private quarrel 7#ead ,b4,c474 ,the plot
                                        
miscarried3 only ,hipparchus was        
killed4 ,harmodius was at one cut down  
by ,hippias' guards1 ,aristogiton       
arrested and executed 7after torture1   
it is said74 ,as the tyranny was        
overthrown three years later1 the two   
were popularly supposed to have made    
this possible1 and were ever after      
called the ,liberators4 ,simonides wrote
                                        
a poem in their honour1 statues of      
them were set up in the agora 7and new  
ones erected when these were carried    
off by ,xerxes in #dhj71 and their      
descendants for all time honoured with  
the right to meals in the ,prytaneum4   

,hercules#dg who did perambulate the    
world  #dg4 ,hercules is not a ,baconian
 hero4  to suppress tyrants and giants  
and          ,the real hero is ,orpheus 
as he is  monsters in every             
interpreted in ,orpheus1 sive           
,philosophia in ,,de ,,sapientia        
,,veterum4                              
,orpheus is the ,baconian philosopher1  
and the myth of ,orpheus is about the   
opera scientiae4 ,the works of ,orpheus 
are superior to the works of ,hercules  
as the works of wisdom 7opera           
sapientiae7 are superior to the works   
of strength 7opera fortitudinis7 7,,vi1 
#gbj74                                  
,simone ,wirthmann comments3            
,hercules 7gr4 ,heracles71 7lit4 having 
or showing the glory of ,hera2 ,hera1   
wife of ,zeus7 ,hercules1 the son of    
,zeus and of the mortal ,alkmene was a  
celebrated hero of ,greek and ,roman    
mythology1 who after death was ranked   
among the gods and received divine      
honours4 ,he is represented as          

possessed of prodigious strength1       
whereby he was enabled to perform       
twelve extraordinary tasks or           
labours imposed upon him by ,hera4      
,one of these tasks was to capture the  
cattles of the three-headed giant       
,geryoneus4 ,it is said1 that on this   
journey ,hercules set up the rocks      
,calp 7now ,gibraltar7 and ,abyla       
7,ceuta7 _/ ,,the ,,pillars ,,of        
,,hercules on                           
either side of the ,strait of           
,gibraltar1 as a sign for his longest   
journey4 ,,the ,,pillars where seen by  
the                                     
ancients to be the supports of the      
western boundary of the world4          
,bacon uses the myth of ,hercules and   
,harmodius in a methaphorical way1 to   
elucidate the real contents of          
knowledge by comparing the two          
heroes4 ,hercules impersonates          
strength and justice1 throughout his    
life he tried to free people from       
tyranny1 fought against giants and      

monsters without thinking of his own    
benefit4 ,harmodius in comparison tried 
to kill the tyrants ,hippias and        
,hipparchus in consequence of a private 
quarrel and not primarily to free       
people4                                 
,this shows1 that for ,bacon knowledge  
must be of general existence and not    
only refer to some particular point4    
,nevertheless1 in one of his later      
works1 ,,de ,,sapientia ,,veterum       
7#afji71                                
,hercules is not the ,baconian hero     
anymore4 ,the real hero is ,orpheus1 the
                                        
philosopher4 ,his works are superior to 
the works of ,hercules as the works of  
wisdom 7opera sapientiae7 are           
superior to the works of strength       
7opera fortitudinis7 7,,vi1 #gbi74      
,orpheus was a legendary poet1 a famous 
musician and singer of ancient ,greece1 
who had the power of charming all       
animate and inanimate objects 7he       
could move rocks and trees7 by the      

sweet strains of his lyre4 ,he          
descended living into ,hades1 to bring  
back to life his wife ,eurydice1 and    
perished1 torn to pieces by infuriated  
,thracian maenads 7see ,,the ,,oxford   
,,classical ,,dictionary2 ,,the         
,,century                               
,,dictionary1 ,,vol4 #d7  part4#dh ,it  
is true1 that in two points    #dh4     
,spedding's note3 ,the words that  the  
curse is peremptory and not to be       
is1 man's miseries and necessities1     
removed2 the one that vanity must be the
    which followed in the transcript1   
have  end in all human effects1 eternity
 being    a line drawn through them4    
resumed1 though the revolutions and     
periods may he delayed#di4 ,the other   
that  #di4 ,melek ,hasgn comments3  the 
consent of the creature being now       
444eternity being resumed44443 ,in      
turned into reluctation1 this power     
cannot  ,henry ,,viii 7447 and ,king    
,lear 7,i_/#d7  otherwise be exercised  
and administered     #8resume' means3 to

 take back  but with labour1 as well in 
inventing as    something previously    
given or  in executing2 yet nevertheless
 chiefly      granted4 ,the fact that it
 is written  that labour and travel     
which is described   in the passive form
 without an object  by the sweat of the 
brows more than of the  implies that    
eternity has been taken  body2 that is  
such travel as is joined      back by   
,god1 referring to the ,fall of  with   
the working and discursion of the       
,man and ,paradise ,lost4  spirits in   
the brain3 for as ,salomon saith        
excellently1 ,,the ,,fool ,,putteth ,,to
 ,,more       #8,revolution' is the     
action or fact1  ,,strength1 ,,but ,,the
 ,,wise ,,man ,,considereth      on the 
part of celestial bodies1 of  ,,which   
moving round in an orbit or circular    
course4 ,the time in which a planet or  
other heavenly body completes a full    
circuit or course4 7,,oed7 ,a look at   
the                                     
complete works and consequences of his  

work1 namely the foundation of          
scientific or academic institutions     
after his death that were the           
precursors of the ,royal ,society       
7#affj71 #8revolution' can also be      
understood in the modern sense4 ,in     
fact1 ,,new ,,atlantis and ,,novum      
,,organum                               
set the foundation for the              
intellectual revolution 7,harvey        
,wheeler's essay on ,nova ,atlantis2 to 
be obtained from the author3            
verulanmindspring4com71 which implies   
the complete overthrow of established   
state of affairs4 7,,oed7  ,,way#ej1    
signifying the election of the     #ej4 
,ecclesiastes #aj1 #ab3  mean to be more
 material than the           ,authorized
 ,version3 ,the words of a              
multiplication of endeavour4 ,it is true
     wise man's mouth are gracious2 but 
the  also that there is a limitation    
rather      lips of a fool will swallow 
up  potential than actual1 which is when
 the    himself4  effect is possible1   

but the time or place    yieldeth not   
the matter or basis whereupon  for a    
commentary see ,a4,l4 ,sp4,,iii1#cbb1   
man should work4 ,but notwithstanding   
these  ,i4#ad seq4 7,d4,a4 ,sp4 ,i1     
#dhf1 ,i1 #aa  precincts and bounds1 let
 it be believed1   seq47  and appeal    
thereof made to ,,time1 7with           
renunciation nevertheless to all the    
vain    and abusing promises of         
,alchemists and       ,magicians1 and   
such like light1 idle1        ignorant1 
credulous1 and fantastical wits    and  
sects17 that the new-found world of     
land was not greater addition to the    
ancient continent than there remaineth  
at    this day a world of inventions and
           sciences unknown1 having     
respect to those    that are known1 with
 this difference1 that   the ancient    
regions of knowledge will seem   as     
barbarous compared with the new1 as the 
new regions of people seem barbarous    
compared to many of the old4            
,the dignity of this end 7of endowment  

of     man's life with new commodities7 
appeareth by the estimation that        
antiquity made of such as guided        
thereunto4 ,for whereas founders of     
states1   lawgivers1 extirpers of       
tyrants1 fathers     of the people1 were
 honoured but with the    titles of     
,worthies or ,demigods1 inventors       
were ever consecrated amongst the ,gods 
themselves4 ,and if the ordinary        
ambitions    of men lead them to seek   
the amplification   of their own power  
in their countries1 and   a better      
ambition than that hath moved men   to  
seek the amplification of the power of  
their own countries amongst other       
nations1   better again and more worthy 
must that       aspiring be which       
seeketh the                amplification
 of the power and kingdom of    mankind 
over the world2 the rather because   the
 other two prosecutions are ever        
culpable of much perturbation and       
injustice2 but this is a work1 truly    
divine which cometh ,,in ,,aura ,,leni  

#ea       #ea4 #a ,kings #ai1ab         
7,vulgata7  without noise or            
observation#eb4           #eb4 ,st ,luke
 #ag1bj3                                
,authorized ,version3 ,and when he was  
,the access also to this work hath been 
by   demanded of the ,pharisees1 when   
the  that port or passage1 which the    
divine      kingdom of ,god should come1
 he  ,majesty 7who is unchangeable in   
his ways7   answered them and said1 ,the
 kingdom  doth infallibly continue and  
observe2 that  of ,god cometh not with  
observation4  is the felicity wherewith 
he hath blessed    an humility of mind1 
such as rather         see ,novum       
,organum4 ,i1 #ic2 ,a4,l4 ,sp4          
laboureth to spell and so by degrees to 
,,iii1 #cja1;,i1 #bi-cjb2 also ,n4,o4   
,i1 #abi  read in the volumes of his    
creatures1 than  7,sp4 ,i1#bbb1;,i4#af  
seq47  to solicit and urge and as it    
were to        invocate a man's own     
spirit to divine and    give oracles    
unto him4 ,for as in the         inquiry

 of divine truth1 the pride of man      
hath ever inclined to leave the oracles 
of   ,god's word and to vanish in the   
mixture of   their own inventions2 so in
 the self-same    manner1 in inquisition
 of nature they have   ever left the    
oracles of ,god's works1 and    adored  
the deceiving and deformed imagery      
which the unequal mirrors of their own  
minds have represented unto them#ec4    
,nay  #ec4 compare this with the later  
idea of  it is a point fit and necessary
 in the      ,idols  front and beginning
 of this work without     hesitation or 
reservation to be professed1   that it  
is no less true in this human           
kingdom of knowledge than in ,god's     
kingdom   of heaven1 that no man shall  
enter into it   ,,except ,,he ,,become  
,,first ,,as ,a ,,little ,,child4       
#ed4 ,spedding's note3 ,this chapter    
ends                                    
at the top of a new page4 ,the rest is  
left blank4                             
#ee4 ,in ,,no ,bacon says that entrance 

into                                    
the new sciences depends upon their     
followers' imitating the little         
children favoured by ,christ1 children  
whose lack of vanity gives them         
privileged access to the kingdom of     
heaven 7,,iv1 #fi74 cf4 ,john ,channing 
,briggs1 ,bacon's science and           
religion1 in3 ,,the ,,cambridge         
,,companion                             
,,to ,,bacon1 ed4 by ,markku ,peltonen  
7,cambridge1 #aiff71 #agb-aii4          
,st ,mark1 #aj1ae3                      
,authorized ,version3 ,verily ,i say    
unto                                    
you1 ,whosoever shall not receive the   
kingdom of ,god as a little child1 he   
shall not enter therein4                
,,cap4 #d4    ,,of ,,the ,,impediments  
,,of ,,knowledge1 ,,being ,,the #d,,th  
,,chapter1 ,,the ,,preface  ,,only ,,of 
,,it4      ,in some things it is more   
hard to attempt than to achieve1 which  
falleth out when the difficulty is not  
so much in the matter or  subject1 as it

 is in the crossness and indisposition  
of the mind of  man to think of any such
 thing1 to will or to resolve it4  ,and 
therefore ,titus ,livius in his         
declamatory digression wherein he doth  
depress and extenuate the honour of     
,alexander's conquests saith1  ,,nihil  
,,aliud ,,quam ,,bene ,,ausus ,,vana    
,,contemnere3 in which sort of things   
it is the manner of men first to wonder 
that any such thing should be  possible1
 and after it is found out to wonder    
again how the world  should miss it so  
long4  ,of this nature ,i take to be the
 invention  and discovery of knowledge1 
etc4    ,,the ,,impediments ,,which     
,,have ,,been ,,in ,,the ,,times1 ,,and 
,,in ,,diversion ,,of  ,,wits1 ,,being  
,,the #e,,th ,,chapter1 ,a ,,small      
,,fragment ,,in ,,the ,,beginning ,,of  
,,that ,,chapter4    ,the encounters of 
the times have been nothing favourable  
and  prosperous for the invention of    
knowledge2 so as it is not only the     
daintiness of the seed to take1 and the 

ill mixture and unliking of  the ground 
to nourish or raise this plant1 but the 
ill season also of  the weather by which
 it hath been checked and blasted4      
,especially in  that the seasons have   
been proper to bring up and set forward 
other  more hasty and indifferent       
plants1 whereby this of knowledge bath  
been starved and overgrown2 for in the  
descent of times always there  hath been
 somewhat else in reign and reputation1 
which hath generally  aliened and       
diverted wits and labours from that     
employment4    ,for as for the uttermost
 antiquity which is like fame that      
muffles  her head and tells tales1 ,i   
cannot presume much of it2 for ,i would 
not willingly imitate the manner of     
those that describe maps1 which  when   
they come to some far countries whereof 
they have no knowledge1  set down how   
there be great wastes and deserts there3
 so ,i am not apt  to affirm that they  
knew little1 because what they knew is  
little  known to us4  ,but if you will  

judge of them by the last traces that   
remain to us1 you will conclude1 though 
not so scornfully as  ,aristotle doth1  
that saith our ancestors were extreme   
gross1 as those  that came newly from   
being moulded out of the clay or some   
earthly  substance2 yet reasonably and  
probably thus1 that it was with them in 
matter of knowledge but as the dawning  
or break of day4  ,for at that  time the
 world was altogether home-bred1 every  
nation looked little  beyond their own  
confines or territories1 and the world  
had no  through lights then1 as it hath 
had since by commerce and navigation1   
whereby there could neither be that     
contribution of wits one to help        
another1 nor that variety of particulars
 for the correcting of  customary       
conceits4    ,and as there could be no  
great collection of wits of several     
parts or  nations1 so neither could     
there be any succession of wits of      
several  times1 whereby one might refine
 the other1 in regard they had not      

history to any purpose4  ,and the manner
 of their traditions was  utterly unfit 
and unproper for amplification of       
knowledge4  ,and again  the studies of  
those times1 you shall find1 besides    
wars1 incursions1  and rapines1 which   
were then almost every where betwixt    
states  adjoining 7the use of leagues   
and confederacies being not then known71
  were to populate by multitude of wives
 and generation1 a thing at  this day in
 the waster part of the ,west-,indies   
principally affected2  and to build     
sometimes for habitation towns and      
cities1 sometimes for  fame and memory  
monuments1 pyramids1 colosses1 and the  
like4  ,and if  there happened to rise  
up any more civil wits2 then would he   
found  and erect some new laws1 customs1
 and usages1 such as now of late  years1
 when the world was revolute almost to  
the like rudeness and  obscurity1 we see
 both in our own nation and abroad many 
examples of1  as well in a number of    
tenures reserved upon men's lands1 as in

  divers customs of towns and manors1   
being the devices that such wits        
wrought upon in such times of deep      
ignorance1 etc4    ,,the ,,impediments  
,,of ,,knowledge ,,for ,,want ,,of ,a   
,,true ,,succession ,,of ,,wits1  ,,and 
,,that ,,hitherto ,,the ,,length ,,of   
,,one ,,man',s ,,life ,,hath ,,been     
,,the ,,greatest  ,,measure ,,of        
,,knowledge1 ,,being ,,the #f,,th       
,,chapter1 ,,the ,,whole ,,chapter4     
,in arts mechanical the first device    
comes shortest and time addeth  and     
perfecteth4  ,but in sciences of conceit
 the first author goeth  furthest and   
time leeseth and corrupteth4  ,painting1
 artillery1  sailing1 and the like1     
grossly managed at first1 by time       
accommodate  and refined4  ,the         
philosophies and sciences of ,aristotle1
 ,plato1  ,democritus1 ,hippocrates1 of 
most vigour at first1 by time           
degenerated  and imbased4  ,in the      
former many wits and industries         
contributed in  one3 ,in the latter many

 men's wits spent to deprave the wit of 
one4    ,the error is both in the       
deliverer and in the receiver4  ,he that
  delivereth knowledge desireth to      
deliver it in such form as may be       
soonest believed1 and not as may be     
easiliest examined4  ,he that  receiveth
 knowledge desireth rather present      
satisfaction than  expectant search1 and
 so rather not to doubt than not to err4
  ,glory  maketh the author not to lay  
open his weakness1 and sloth maketh the 
disciple not to know his strength4      
,then begin men to aspire to the second 
prizes2 to be a profound  interpreter   
and commenter1 to be a sharp champion   
and defender1 to be  a methodical       
compounder and abridger4  ,and this is  
the unfortunate  succession of wits     
which the world hath yet had1 whereby   
the  patrimony of all knowledge goeth   
not on husbanded or improved1 but       
wasted and decayed4  ,for knowledge is  
like a water that will never  arise     
again higher than the level from which  

it fell2 and therefore  to go beyond    
,aristotle by the light of ,aristotle is
 to think that a  borrowed light can    
increase the original light from whom it
 is taken4  ,so then no true succession 
of wits having been in the world1 either
  we must conclude that knowledge is but
 a task for one man's life1 and  then   
vain was the complaint that ,,life ,,is 
,,short1 ,,and ,,art ,,is ,,long3 or    
else1 that the knowledge that now is1 is
 but a shrub1 and not that  tree which  
is never dangerous1 but where it is to  
the purpose of  knowing ,good and ,evil2
 which desire ever riseth upon an       
appetite to  elect and not to obey1 and 
so containeth in it a manifest          
defection4          ,,cap4 #g4          
,,that ,,the ,,pretended ,,succession   
,,of ,,wits ,,hath ,,been ,,evil        
,,placed1 ,,for  ,,asmuch ,,as ,,after  
,,variety ,,of ,,sects ,,and ,,opinions1
 ,,the ,,most ,,popular ,,and  ,,not    
,,the ,,truest ,,prevaileth ,,and       
,,weareth ,,out ,,the ,,rest2 ,,being   

,,the #g,,th  ,,chapter2 ,a ,,fragment4 
,it is sensible to think that when men  
enter first into search and  inquiry1   
according to the several frames and     
compositions of their  understanding    
they light upon different conceits1 and 
so all opinions  and doubts are beaten  
over1 and then men having made a taste  
of all  wax weary of variety1 and so    
reject the worst and hold themselves to 
the best1 either some one if it be      
eminent1 or some two or three if  they  
be in some equality1 which afterwards   
are received and carried  on1 and the   
rest extinct4    ,but truth is contrary1
 and that time is like a river which    
carrieth  down things which are light   
and blown up1 and sinketh and drowneth  
that which is sad and weighty4  ,for    
howsoever governments have  several     
forms1 sometimes one governing1         
sometimes few1 sometimes the  multitude2
 yet the state of knowledge is ever a   
,,democratie1 and that  prevaileth which
 is most agreeable to the senses and    

conceits of  people4  ,as for example   
there is no great doubt but he that did 
put  the beginnings of things to be     
,,solid1 ,,void1 ,,and ,,motion ,,to    
,,the ,,centre1  was in better earnest  
than he that put ,,matter1 ,,form1 ,,and
 ,,shift2 or he  that put the ,,mind1   
,,motion1 ,,and ,,matter4 ,for no man   
shall enter into  inquisition of nature1
 but shall pass by that opinion of      
,democritus1  whereas he shall never    
come near the other two opinions1 but   
leave  them aloof for the schools and   
table-talk4  ,yet those of ,aristotle   
and ,plato1 because they be both        
agreeable to popular sense1 and the  one
 was uttered with subtilty and the      
spirit of contradiction1 and  the other 
with a stile of ornament and majesty1   
did hold out1 and the  other gave place1
 etc4          ,,cap4 #h4      ,,of     
,,the ,,impediments ,,of ,,knowledge    
,,in ,,handling ,,it ,,by ,,parts1 ,,and
 ,,in  ,,slipping ,,off ,,particular    
,,sciences ,,from ,,the ,,root ,,and    

,,stock ,,of ,,universal  ,,knowledge1  
,,being ,,the #h,,th ,,chapter1 ,,the   
,,whole ,,chapter4      ,cicero1 the    
orator1 willing to magnify his own      
profession1 and  thereupon spending many
 words to maintain that eloquence was   
not a  shop of good words and elegancies
 but a treasury and receipt of all      
knowledges1 so far forth as may         
appertain to the handling and moving  of
 the minds and affections of men by     
speech1 maketh great complaint  of the  
school of ,socrates2 that whereas before
 his time the same  professors of wisdom
 in ,greece did pretend to teach an     
universal  ,,sapience and knowledge both
 of matter and words1 ,socrates divorced
  them and withdrew philosophy and left 
rhetoric to itself1 which by  that      
destitution became but a barren and     
unnoble science4  ,and in  particular   
sciences we see that if men fall to     
subdivide their  labours1 as to be an   
oculist in physic1 or to be perfect in  
some one  title of the law1 or the like1

 they may prove ready and subtile1 but  
not deep or sufficient1 no not in that  
subject which they do  particularly     
attend1 because of that consent which it
 hath with the  rest4  ,and it is a     
matter of common discourse of the chain 
of  sciences how they are linked        
together1 insomuch as the ,grecians1 who
  had terms at will1 have fitted it of a
 name of ,,circle ,,learning4           
,nevertheless ,i that hold it for a     
great impediment towards the            
advancement and further invention of    
knowledge1 that particular arts  and    
sciences have been disincorporated from 
general knowledge1 do not  understand   
one and the same thing which ,cicero's  
discourse and the  note and conceit of  
the ,grecians in their word ,,circle    
,,learning do  intend4  ,for ,i mean not
 that use which one science hath of     
another  for ornament or help in        
practice1 as the orator hath of         
knowledge of  affections for moving1 or 
as military science may have use of     

geometry for fortifications2 but ,i mean
 it directly of that use by  way of     
supply of light and information which   
the particulars and  instances of one   
science do yield and present for the    
framing or  correcting of the axioms of 
another science in their very truth and 
notion4  ,and therefore that example of 
,,oculists and ,,title ,,lawyers  doth  
come nearer my conceit than the other   
two2 for sciences  distinguished have a 
dependence upon universal knowledge to  
be  augmented and rectified by the      
superior light thereof1 as well as the  
parts and members of a science have upon
 the ,,maxims of the same  science1 and 
the mutual light and consent which one  
part receiveth of  another4  ,and       
therefore the opinion of ,copernicus in 
astronomy1 which  astronomy itself      
cannot correct because it is not        
repugnant to any of  the appearances1   
yet natural philosophy doth correct4    
,on the other  side if some of the      
ancient philosophers had been perfect in

 the  observations of astronomy1 and had
 called them to counsel when they  made 
their principles and first axioms1 they 
would never have divided  their         
philosophy as the ,cosmographers do     
their descriptions by globes1  making   
one philosophy for heaven and another   
for under heaven1 as in  effect they do4
    ,so if the moral philosophers that  
have spent such an infinite  quantity of
 debate touching ,good and the highest  
good1 had cast their  eye abroad upon   
nature and beheld the appetite that is  
in all things  to receive and to give2  
the one motion affecting preservation   
and the  other multiplication2 which    
appetites are most evidently seen in    
living creatures in the pleasure of     
nourishment and generation2 and  in man 
do make the aptest and most natural     
division of all his  desires1 being     
either of sense of pleasure or sense of 
power2 and in  the universal frame of   
the world are figured1 the one in the   
beams of  heaven which issue forth1 and 

the other in the lap of the earth which 
takes in3 and again if they had observed
 the motion of congruity or  situation  
of the parts in respect of the whole1   
evident in so many  particulars2 and    
lastly if they had considered the motion
 7familiar  in attraction of things7 to 
approach to that which is higher in the 
same kind2 when by these observations so
 easy and concurring in  natural        
philosophy1 they should have found out  
this quaternion of  good1 in enjoying or
 fruition1 effecting or operation1      
consenting or  proportion1 and approach 
or assumption2 they would have saved and
  abridged much of their long and       
wandering discourses of pleasure1       
virtue1 duty1 and religion4  ,so        
likewise in this same logic and         
rhetoric1 or arts of argument and grace 
of speech1 if the great  masters of them
 would but have gone a form lower1 and  
looked but into  the observations of    
,grammar concerning the kinds of words1 
their  derivations1 deflexions1 and     

syntax2 specially enriching the same    
with the helps of several languages1    
with their differing proprieties  of    
words1 phrases1 and tropes2 they might  
have found out more and  better         
footsteps of common reason1 help of     
disputation1 and  advantages of         
cavillation1 than many of these which   
they have  propounded4  ,so again a man 
should be thought to dally1 if he did   
note how the figures of rhetoric and    
music are many of them the same4  ,the  
repetitions and traductions in speech   
and the reports and  hauntings of sounds
 in music are the very same things4     
,plutarch hath  almost made a book of   
the ,lacedaemonian kind of jesting1     
which joined  ever pleasure with        
distaste4  ,,sir1 7saith a man of art to
 ,philip king  of ,macedon when he      
controlled him in his faculty17 ,,god   
,,forbid ,,your  ,,fortune ,,should ,,be
 ,,such ,,as ,,to ,,know ,,these        
,,things ,,better ,,than ,i4 ,in  taxing
 his ignorance in his art he represented

 to him the perpetual  greatness of his 
fortune1 leaving him no vacant time for 
so mean a  skill4  ,now in music it is  
one of the ordinariest flowers to fall  
from a discord or hard tune upon a sweet
 accord4  ,the figure that  ,cicero and 
the rest commend as one of the best     
points of elegancy1  which is the fine  
checking of expectation1 is no less well
 known to  the musicians when they have 
a special grace in flying the close or  
cadence4  ,and these are no allusions   
but direct communities1 the same        
delights of the mind being to be found  
not only in music1 rhetoric1  but in    
moral philosophy1 policy1 and other     
knowledges1 and that  obscure in the    
one1 which is more apparent in the      
other1 yea and that  discovered in the  
one which is not found at all in the    
other1 and so  one science greatly      
aiding to the invention and augmentation
 of  another4  ,and therefore without   
this intercourse the axioms of  sciences
 will fall out to be neither full nor   

true2 but will be such  opinions as     
,aristotle in some places doth wisely   
censure1 when he  saith ,,these ,,are   
,,the ,,opinions ,,of ,,persons ,,that  
,,have ,,respect ,,but ,,to ,a  ,,few   
,,things4 ,so then we see that this note
 leadeth us to an  administration of    
knowledge in some such order and policy 
as the king  of ,spain in regard of his 
great dominions useth in state2 who     
though  he hath particular councils for 
several countries and affairs1 yet  hath
 one council of ,state or last resort1  
that receiveth the  advertisements and  
certificates from all the rest4         
,hitherto of the  diversion1 succession1
 and conference of wits4          ,,cap4
 #i4      ,,that ,,the ,,end ,,and      
,,scope ,,of ,,knowledge ,,hath ,,been  
,,generally ,,mistaken1 ,,and  ,,that   
,,men ,,were ,,never ,,well ,,advised   
,,what ,,it ,,was ,,they ,,sought2      
,,being ,,the  #i,,th ,,chapter1        
,,whereof ,a ,,fragment 7,,which ,,is   
,,the ,,end ,,of ,,the ,,same           

,,chapter7 ,,is ,,before4      ,it      
appeareth then how rarely the wits and  
labours of men have been  converted to  
the severe and original inquisition of  
knowledge2 and in  those who have       
pretended1 what hurt hath been done by  
the affectation  of professors and the  
distraction of such as were no          
professors2 and  how there was never in 
effect any conjunction or combination of
 wits  in the first and inducing search1
 but that every man wrought apart1  and 
would either have his own way or else   
would go no further than  his guide1    
having in the one case the honour of a  
first1 and in the  other the ease of a  
second2 and lastly how in the descent   
and  continuance of wits and labours the
 succession hath been in the most       
popular and weak opinions1 like unto the
 weakest natures which many  times have 
most children1 and in them also the     
condition of  succession hath been      
rather to defend and to adorn than to   
add2 and  if to add1 yet that addition  

to be rather a refining of a part than  
an increase of the whole4  ,but the     
impediments of time and accidents1      
though they have wrought a general      
indisposition1 yet are they not so      
peremptory and binding as the internal  
impediments and clouds in the  mind and 
spirit of man1 whereof it now followeth 
to speak4    ,the ,scripture speaking of
 the worst sort of error saith1 ,,errare
 ,,fecit  ,,cos ,,in ,,invio ,,et ,,non 
,,in ,,via4 ,for a man may wander in the
 way1 by  rounding up and down4  ,but if
 men have failed in their very direction
  and address that error will never by  
good fortune correct itself4  ,now it   
hath fared with men in their            
contemplations as ,seneca saith it      
fareth with them in their actions1 ,,de 
,,partibus ,,vitae ,,quisque            
,,deliberat1 ,,de ,,summa ,,nemo4 ,a    
course very ordinary with men who       
receive  for the most part their final  
ends from the inclination of their      
nature1 or from common example and      

opinion1 never questioning or  examining
 them1 nor reducing them to any clear   
certainty2 and use  only to call        
themselves to account and deliberation  
touching the  means and second ends1 and
 thereby set themselves in the right way
 to  the wrong place4  ,so likewise upon
 the natural curiosity and desire  to   
know1 they have put themselves in way   
without foresight or  consideration of  
their journey's end4    ,for ,i find    
that even those that have sought        
knowledge for itself1 and  not for      
benefit or ostentation or any practical 
enablement in the  course of their life1
 have nevertheless propounded to        
themselves a  wrong mark1 namely        
satisfaction 7which men call truth7 and 
not  operation4  ,for as in the courts  
and services of princes and states  it  
is a much easier matter to give         
satisfaction than to do the  business2  
so in the inquiring of causes and       
reasons it is much easier  to find out  
such causes as will satisfy the mind of 

man and quiet  objections1 than such    
causes as will direct him and give him  
light to  new experiences and           
inventions4  ,and this did ,celsus note 
wisely and  truly1 how that the causes  
which are in use and whereof the        
knowledges now received do consist1 were
 in time minors and  subsequents to the 
knowledge of the particulars out of     
which they  were induced and collected2 
and that it was not the light of those  
causes which discovered particulars1 but
 only the particulars being  first      
found1 men did fall on glossing and     
discoursing of the causes2  which is the
 reason why the learning that now is    
hath the curse of  barrenness1 and is   
courtesanlike1 for pleasure1 and not for
 fruit4  ,nay to compare it rightly1 the
 strange fiction of the poets of the    
transformation of ,scylla seemeth to be 
a lively emblem of this  philosophy and 
knowledge2 a fair woman upwards in the  
parts of show1  but when you come to the
 parts of use and generation1 ,barking  

,monsters2 for no better are the endless
 distorted questions1 which  ever have  
been1 and of necessity must be1 the end 
and womb of such  knowledge4    ,but yet
 nevertheless here ,i may be mistaken1  
by reason of some which  have much in   
their pen the referring sciences to     
action and the use  of man1 which mean  
quite another matter than ,i do4  ,for  
they mean a  contriving of directions   
and precepts for readiness of practice1 
which ,i discommend not1 so it be not   
occasion that some quantity of  the     
science be lost2 for else it will be    
such a piece of husbandry as  to put    
away a manor lying somewhat scattered1  
to buy in a close that  lieth handsomely
 about a dwelling4  ,but my intention   
contrariwise is  to increase and        
multiply the revenues and possessions of
 man1 and not  to trim up only or order 
with conveniency the grounds whereof he 
is  already stated4  ,wherefore the     
better to make myself understood that   
,i mean nothing less than words1 and    

directly to demonstrate the point  which
 we are now upon1 that is1 what is the  
true end1 scope1 or  office of          
knowledge1 which ,i have set down to    
consist not in any  plausible1          
delectable1 reverend1 or admired        
discourse1 or any  satisfactory         
arguments1 but in effecting and working1
 and in  discovery of particulars not   
revealed before for the better endowment
  and help of man's life2 ,i have       
thought good to make as it were a       
,kalendar or ,inventory of the wealth1  
furniture1 or means of man  according to
 his present estate1 as far as it is    
known2 which ,i do  not to shew any     
universality of sense or knowledge1 and 
much less to  make a satire of          
reprehension in respect of wants and    
errors1 but  partly because cogitations 
new had need of some grossness and      
inculcation to make them perceived2 and 
chiefly to the end that for  the time to
 come 7upon the account and state now   
made and cast up7 it  may appear what   

increase this new manner of use and     
administration of  the stock 7if it be  
once planted7 shall bring with it       
hereafter2 and  for the time present 7in
 case ,i should be prevented by death to
  propound and reveal this new light as 
,i purpose7 yet ,i may at the  least    
give some awaking note both of the wants
 in man's present  condition and the    
nature of the supplies to be wished2    
though for  mine own part neither do ,i 
much build upon my present              
anticipations1  neither do ,i think     
ourselves yet learned or wise enough to 
wish  reasonably3 for as it asks some   
knowledge to demand a question not      
impertinent1 so it asketh some sense to 
make a wish not absurd4          ,,cap4 
#aj4      ,,the ,,inventory1 ,,or ,,an  
,,enumeration ,,and ,,view ,,of         
,,inventions ,,already  ,,discovered    
,,and ,,in ,,use1 ,,together ,,with ,a  
,,note ,,of ,,the ,,wants ,,and ,,the   
,,nature ,,of ,,the ,,supplies1 ,,being 
,,the #aj,,th ,,chapter2 ,,and ,,this ,a

 ,,small  ,,fragment ,,thereof1 ,,being 
,,the ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,inventory4 
,the plainest method and most directly  
pertinent to this intention1  will be to
 make distribution of sciences1 arts1   
inventions1 works1  and their portions1 
according to the use and tribute which  
they yield  and render to the conditions
 of man's life1 and under those several 
uses1 being as several offices of       
provisions1 to charge and tax what  may 
be reasonably exacted or demanded2 not  
guiding ourselves neither  by the       
poverty of experiences and probations1  
nor according to the  vanity of         
credulous imaginations2 and then upon   
those charges and  taxations to         
distinguish and present1 as it were in  
several columns1  what is extant and    
already found1 and what is defective and
 further  to be provided4  ,of which    
provisions1 because in many of them     
after  the manner of slothful and faulty
 officers and accomptants it will be    
returned 7by way of excuse7 that no such

 are to be had1 it will be  fit to give 
some light of the nature of the         
supplies1 whereby it will  evidently    
appear that they are to be compassed and
 procured4  ,and yet  nevertheless on   
the other side again it will be as fit  
to check and  control the vain and void 
assignations and gifts whereby certain  
ignorant1 extravagant1 and abusing wits 
have pretended to indue the  state of   
man with wonders1 differing as much from
 truth in nature as  ,caesar's          
,commentaries differeth from the acts of
 ,king ,arthur or ,huon  of ,bourdeaux  
in story4  ,for it is true that ,caesar 
did greater things  than those idle wits
 had the audacity to feign their        
supposed  worthies to have done2 but he 
did them not in that monstrous and      
fabulous manner4          ,,cap4 #aa4   
,,the ,,chapter ,,immediately           
,,following ,,the ,,inventory2 ,,being  
,,the #aa,,th ,,in  ,,order2 ,a ,,part  
,,thereof4      ,it appeareth then what 
is now in proposition not by general    

circumlocution but by particular note4  
,no former philosophy varied  in terms  
or method2 no new ,,placet or           
speculation upon particulars  already   
known2 no referring to action by any    
manual of practice2 but  the revealing  
and discovering of new inventions and   
operations4  ,this  to be done without  
the errors and conjectures of art1 or   
the length  or difficulties of          
experience2 the nature and kinds of     
which  inventions have been described as
 they could be discovered2 for your  eye
 cannot pass one kenning without further
 sailing2 only we have  stood upon the  
best advantages of the notions received1
 as upon a  mount1 to shew the          
knowledges adjacent and confining4  ,if 
therefore  the true end of knowledge not
 propounded hath bred large error1 the  
best and perfectest condition of the    
same end not perceived will  cause some 
declination4  ,for when the butt is set 
up men need not  rove1 but except the   
white be placed men cannot level4  ,this

  perfection we mean not in the worth of
 the effect1 but in the nature  of the  
direction2 for our purpose is not to    
stir up men's hopes1 but  to guide their
 travels4  ,the fullness of direction to
 work and  produce any effect consisteth
 in two conditions1 certainty and       
liberty4  ,certainty is when the        
direction is not only true for the  most
 part1 but infallible4  ,liberty is when
 the direction is not  restrained to    
some definite means1 but comprehendeth  
all the means  and ways possible2 for   
the poet saith well ,,sapientibus       
,,undique ,,latae  ,,sunt ,,viae1 and   
where there is the greatest plurality of
 change1 there  is the greatest         
singularity of choice4  ,besides as a   
conjectural  direction maketh a casual  
effect1 so a particular and restrained  
direction is no less casual than an     
uncertain4  ,for those particular  means
 whereunto it is tied may be out of your
 power or may be  accompanied with an   
overvalue of prejudice2 and so if for   

want of  certainty in direction you are 
frustrated in success1 for want of      
variety in direction you are stopped in 
attempt4  ,if therefore your  direction 
be certain1 it must refer you and point 
you to somewhat  which1 if it be        
present1 the effect you seek will of    
necessity follow1  else may you perform 
and not obtain4  ,if it be free1 then   
must it  refer you to somewhat which if 
it be absent the effect you seek will   
of necessity withdraw1 else may you have
 power and not attempt4  ,this  notion  
,aristotle had in light1 though not in  
use4  ,for the two  commended rules by  
him set down1 whereby the axioms of     
sciences are  precepted to be made      
convertible1 and which the latter men   
have not  without elegancy surnamed the 
one the rule of truth because it        
preventeth deceit1 the other the rule of
 prudence because it freeth  election1  
are the same thing in speculation and   
affirmation which we  now observe4  ,an 
example will make my meaning attained1  

and yet  percase make it thought that   
they attained it not4  ,let the effect  
to  be produced be ,whiteness2 let the  
first direction be that if air and      
water be intermingled or broken in small
 portions together1 whiteness  will     
ensue1 as in snow1 in the breaking of   
the waves of the sea and  rivers1 and   
the like4  ,this direction is certain1  
but very particular  and restrained1    
being tied but to air and water4  ,let  
the second  direction be1 that if air be
 mingled as before with any transparent 
body1 such nevertheless as is uncoloured
 and more grossly transparent  than air 
itself1 that then etc4 as glass or      
crystal1 being beaten to  fine powder1  
by the interposition of the air becometh
 white2 the  white of an egg being clear
 of itself1 receiving air by agitation  
becometh white1 receiving air by        
concoction becometh white2 here you  are
 freed from water1 and advanced to a    
clear body1 and still tied to  air4     
,let the third direction exclude or     

remove the restraint of an  uncoloured  
body1 as in amber1 sapphires1 etc4 which
 beaten to fine  powder become white2 in
 wine and beer1 which brought to froth  
become  white4  ,let the fourth         
direction exclude the restraint of a    
body more  grossly transparent than air1
 as in flame1 being a body compounded   
between air and a finer substance than  
air2 which flame if it were  not for the
 smoke1 which is the third substance    
that incorporateth  itself and dyeth the
 flame1 would be more perfect white4    
,in all  these four directions air still
 beareth a part4  ,let the fifth        
direction then be1 that if any bodies1  
both transparent but in an  unequal     
degree1 be mingled as before1 whiteness 
will follow2 as oil  and water beaten to
 an ointment1 though by settling the air
 which  gathereth in the agitation be   
evaporate1 yet remaineth white2 and the 
powder of glass or crystal put into     
water1 whereby the air giveth  place1   
yet remaineth white1 though not so      

perfect4  ,now are you freed  from air1 
but still you are tied to transparent   
bodies4  ,to ascend  further by scale ,i
 do forbear1 partly because it would    
draw on the  example to an over-great   
length1 but chiefly because it would    
open  that which in this work ,i        
determine to reserve2 for to pass       
through  the whole history and          
observation of colours and objects      
visible were  too long a digression2 and
 our purpose is now to give an example  
of a  free direction1 thereby to        
distinguish and describe it2 and not to 
set down a form of interpretation how to
 recover and attain it4  ,but  as we    
intend not now to reveal1 so we are     
circumspect not to mislead2  and        
therefore 7this warning being given7    
returning to our purpose in  hand1 we   
admit the sixth direction to be1 that   
all bodies or parts of  bodies which are
 unequal equally1 that is in a simple   
proportion1 do  represent whiteness2 we 
will explain this1 though we induce it  

not4  ,it is then to be understood1 that
 absolute equality produceth            
transparence1 inequality in simple order
 or proportion produceth  whiteness1    
inequality in compound or respective    
order or proportion  produceth all other
 colours1 and absolute or orderless     
inequality  produceth blackness2 which  
diversity1 if so gross a demonstration  
be  needful1 may be signified by four   
tables2 a blank1 a chequer1 a fret1  and
 a medley2 whereof the fret is evident  
to admit great variety4  ,out of this   
assertion are satisfied a multitude of  
effects and  observations1 as that      
whiteness and blackness are most        
incompatible  with transparence2 that   
whiteness keepeth light1 and blackness  
stoppeth light1 but neither passeth it2 
that whiteness or blackness  are never  
produced in rainbows1 diamonds1         
crystals1 and the like2  that white     
giveth no dye1 and black hardly taketh  
dye2 that whiteness  seemeth to have an 
affinity with dryness1 and blackness    

with moisture2  that adustion causeth   
blackness1 and calcination whiteness2   
that  flowers are generally of fresh    
colours1 and rarely black1 etc4 ,all    
which ,i do now mention confusedly by   
way of derivation and not by way  of    
induction4  ,this sixth direction1 which
 ,i have thus explained1 is  of good and
 competent liberty for whiteness fixed  
and inherent1 but  not for whiteness    
fantastical or appearing1 as shall be   
afterwards  touched4  ,but first do you 
need a reduction back to certainty or   
verity2 for it is not all position or   
contexture of unequal bodies  that will 
produce colour2 for ,,aqua ,,fortis1 oil
 of ,,vitriol1 etc4 more  manifestly1   
and many other substances more          
obscurely1 do consist of  very unequal  
parts1 which yet are transparent and    
clear4  ,therefore  the reduction must  
be1 that the bodies or parts of bodies  
so  intermingled as before be of a      
certain grossness or magnitude2 for  the
 unequalities which move the sight must 

have a further dimension  and quantity  
than those which operate many other     
effects4  ,some few  grains of saffron  
will give a tincture to a tun of water2 
but so many  grains of civet will give a
 perfume to a whole chamber of air4     
,and  therefore when ,democritus 7from  
whom ,epicurus did borrow it7 held  that
 the position of the solid portions was 
the cause of colours1 yet  in the very  
truth of his assertion he should have   
added1 that the  portions are required  
to be of some magnitude4  ,and this is  
one cause  why colours have little      
inwardness and necessitude with the     
nature  and proprieties of things1 those
 things resembling in colour which      
otherwise differ most1 as salt and      
sugar1 and contrariwise differing  in   
colour which otherwise resemble most1 as
 the white and blue  violets1 and the   
several veins of one agate or marble1 by
 reason that  other virtues consist in  
more subtile proportions than colours   
do2  and yet are there virtues and      

natures which require a grosser         
magnitude than colours1 as well as      
scents and divers other require a  more 
subtile2 for as the portion of a body   
will give forth scent  which is too     
small to be seen1 so the portion of a   
body will shew  colours which is too    
small to be endued with weight2 and     
therefore  one of the prophets with     
great elegancy describing how all       
creatures  carry no proportion towards  
,god the creator1 saith1 ,,that ,,all   
,,the  ,,nations ,,in ,,respect ,,of    
,,him ,,are ,,like ,,the ,,dust ,,upon  
,,the ,,balance1 which  is a thing      
appeareth but weigheth not4  ,but to    
return1 there resteth  a further freeing
 of this sixth direction2 for the       
clearness of a  river or stream sheweth 
white at a distance1 and crystalline    
glasses  deliver the face or any other  
object falsified in whiteness1 and long 
beholding the snow to a weak eye giveth 
an impression of azure rather  than of  
whiteness4  ,so as for whiteness in     

apparition only and  representation by  
the qualifying of the light1 altering   
the  ,,intermedium1 or affecting the eye
 itself1 it reacheth not4  ,but you     
must free your direction to the         
producing of such an incidence1         
impression1 or operation1 as may cause a
 precise and determinate  passion of the
 eye2 a matter which is much more easy  
to induce than  that which we have      
passed through2 but yet because it hath 
a full  coherence both with that act of 
radiation 7which hath hitherto been     
conceived and termed so unproperly and  
untruly by some an effluxion  of        
spiritual species and by others an      
investing of the ,,intermedium  with a  
motion which successively is conveyed to
 the eye7 and with the  act of sense1   
wherein ,i should likewise open that    
which ,i think good  to withdraw1 ,i    
will omit4  ,neither do ,i contend but  
that this motion  which ,i call the     
freeing of a direction1 in the received 
philosophies  7as far as a swimming     

anticipation could take hold7 might be  
perceived and discerned2 being not much 
other matter than that which  they did  
not only aim at in the two rules of     
,,axioms before remembered1  but more   
nearly also in that which they term the 
form or formal  cause1 or that which    
they call the true difference2 both     
which  nevertheless it seemeth they     
propound rather as impossibilities and  
wishes than as things within the compass
 of human comprehension4  ,for  ,plato  
casteth his burden and saith ,,that ,,he
 ,,will ,,revere ,,him ,,as ,a ,,god1   
,,that ,,can ,,truly ,,divide ,,and     
,,define2 which cannot be but by true   
forms  and differences4  ,wherein ,i    
join hands with him1 confessing as much 
as yet assuming to myself little2 for if
 any man call by the strength  of his   
,,anticipations find out forms1 ,i will 
magnify him with the  foremost4  ,but as
 any of them would say that if divers   
things which  many men know by          
instruction and observation another knew

 by  revelation and without those means1
 they would take him for somewhat       
supernatural and divine2 so ,i do       
acknowledge that if any man can by      
anticipations reach to that which a weak
 and inferior wit may attain  to by     
interpretation1 he cannot receive too   
high a title4  ,nay ,i for  my part do  
indeed admire to see how far some of    
them have proceeded  by their           
,,anticipations2 but how8  ,it is as ,i 
wonder at some blind men1  to see what  
shift they make without their eye-sight2
 thinking with  myself that if ,i were  
blind ,i could hardly do it4  ,again    
,aristotle's  school confesseth that    
there is no true knowledge but by       
causes1 no  true cause but the form1 no 
true form known except one1 which they  
are pleased to allow2 and therefore thus
 far their evidence standeth  with us1  
that both hitherto there hath been      
nothing but a shadow of  knowledge1 and 
that we propound now that which is      
agreed to be  worthiest to be sought1   

and hardest to be found4  ,there wanteth
 now a  part very necessary1 not by way 
of supply but by way of caution2 for  as
 it is seen for the most part that the  
outward tokens and badges of  excellency
 and perfection are more incident to    
things merely  counterfeit than to that 
which is true1 but for a meaner and     
baser  sort2 as a dubline is more like a
 perfect ruby than a spinel1 and a      
counterfeit angel is made more like a   
true angel than if it were an  angel    
coined of ,china gold2 in like manner   
the direction carrieth a  resemblance of
 a true direction in verity and liberty 
which indeed is  no direction at all4   
,for though your direction seem to be   
certain  and free by pointing you to a  
nature that is unseparable from the     
nature you inquire upon1 yet if it do   
not carry you on a degree or  remove    
nearer to action1 operation1 or light to
 make or produce1 it  is but superficial
 and counterfeit4  ,wherefore to secure 
and warrant  what is a true direction1  

though that general note ,i have given  
be  perspicuous in itself 7for a man    
shall soon cast with himself whether  he
 be ever the nearer to effect and       
operate or no1 or whether he have  won  
but an abstract or varied notion7 yet   
for better instruction ,i  will deliver 
three particular notes of caution4  ,the
 first is that  the nature discovered be
 more original than the nature supposed1
 and  not more secondary or of the like 
degree2 as to make a stone bright  or to
 make it smooth it is a good direction  
to say1 make it even2 but  to make a    
stone even it is no good direction to   
say1 make it bright  or make it smooth2 
for the rule is that the disposition of 
any thing  referring to the state of it 
in itself or the parts1 is more original
  than that which is relative or        
transitive towards another thing4  ,so  
evenness is the disposition of the stone
 in itself1 but smooth is to  the hand  
and bright to the eye1 and yet          
nevertheless they all cluster  and      

concur2 and yet the direction is more   
unperfect1 if it do appoint  you to such
 a relative as is in the same kind and  
not in a diverse4  ,for in the direction
 to produce brightness by smoothness1   
although  properly it win no degree1 and
 will never teach you any new           
particulars before unknown2 yet by way  
of suggestion or bringing to  mind it   
may draw your consideration to some     
particulars known but not  remembered2  
as you shall sooner remember some       
practical means of  making smoothness1  
than if you had fixed your consideration
 only upon  brightness by making        
reflexion1 as thus1 make it such as you 
may see  your face in it1 this is merely
 secondary1 and helpeth neither by way  
of informing nor by way of suggestion4  
,so if in the inquiry of  whiteness you 
were directed to make such a colour as  
should be seen  furthest in a dark      
light2 here you are advanced nothing at 
all4  ,for  these kinds of natures are  
but proprieties1 effects1 circumstances1

  concurrences1 or what else you shall  
like to call them1 and not  radical and 
formative natures towards the nature    
supposed4  ,the  second caution is that 
the nature inquired be collected by     
division  before composition1 or to     
speak more properly1 by composition     
subaltern before you ascend to          
composition absolute1 etc4        ,,of  
,,the ,,internal ,,and ,,profound       
,,errors ,,and ,,superstitions ,,in     
,,the ,,nature  ,,of ,,the ,,mind1 ,,and
 ,,of ,,the ,,four ,,sorts ,,of ,,idols 
,,or ,,fictions ,,which ,,offer         
,,themselves ,,to ,,the ,,understanding 
,,in ,,the ,,inquisition ,,of           
,,knowledge2  ,,being ,,the #af,,th     
,,chapter1 ,,and ,,this ,a ,,small      
,,fragment ,,thereof1 ,,being ,a        
,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,inward ,,elenches
 ,,of ,,the ,,mind4    ,the opinion of  
,epicurus that the gods were of human   
shape1 was rather  justly derided than  
seriously confuted by the other sects1  
demanding  whether every kind of        

sensible creatures did not think their  
own  figure fairest1 as the horse1 the  
bull1 and the like1 which found no      
beauty but in their own forms1 as in    
appetite of lust appeared4  ,and  the   
heresy of the ,anthropomorphites was    
ever censured for a gross  conceit bred 
in the obscure cells of solitary monks  
that never looked  abroad4  ,again the  
fable so well known of ,,quis ,,pinxit  
,,leonem1 doth  set forth well that     
there is an error of pride and          
partiality1 as  well as of custom and   
familiarity4  ,the reflexion also from  
glasses  so usually resembled to the    
imagery of the mind1 every man knoweth  
to  receive error and variety both in   
colour1 magnitude1 and shape1  according
 to the quality of the glass4  ,but yet 
no use hath been made  of these and many
 the like observations1 to move men to  
search out  and upon search to give true
 cautions of the native and inherent    
errors in the mind of man which have    
coloured and corrupted all his  notions 

and impressions4    ,i do find therefore
 in this enchanted glass four ,idols or 
false  appearances of several and       
distinct sorts1 every sort comprehending
  many subdivisions3 the first sort1 ,i 
call idols of the ,,nation or  ,,tribe2 
the second1 idols of the ,,palace2 the  
third1 idols of the ,,cave2  and the    
fourth1 idols of the ,,theatre1 etc4    
,,here ,,followeth ,,an ,,abridgment    
,,of ,,divers ,,chapters ,,of ,,the     
,,first ,,book ,,of  ,,interpretation   
,,of ,,nature4        ,,cap4 #ab4       
,that in deciding and determining of the
 truth of knowledge1 men have  put      
themselves upon trials not competent4   
,that antiquity and  authority2 common  
and confessed notions2 the natural and  
yielding  consent of the mind2 the      
harmony and coherence of a knowledge in 
itself2 the establishing of principles  
with the touch and reduction  of other  
propositions unto them2 inductions      
without instances  contradictory2 and   
the report of the senses2 are none of   

them  absolute and infallible evidence  
of truth1 and bring no security         
sufficient for effects and operations4  
,that the discovery of new  works and   
active directions not known before1 is  
the only trial to be  accepted of2 and  
yet not that neither1 in ease where one 
particular  giveth light to another2 but
 where particulars induce an axiom or   
observation1 which axiom found out      
discovereth and designeth new           
particulars4  ,that the nature of this  
trial is not only upon the  point1      
whether the knowledge be profitable or  
no1 but even upon the  point whether the
 knowledge be true or no2 not because   
you may always  conclude that the ,axiom
 which discovereth new instances is     
true1 but  contrariwise you may safely  
conclude that if it discover not any new
  instance it is in vain and untrue4    
,that by new instances are not  always  
to be understood new recipes but new    
assignations1 and of the  diversity     
between these two4  ,that the subtilty  

of words1 arguments1  notions1 yea of   
the senses themselves1 is but rude and  
gross in  comparison of the subtilty of 
things2 and of the slothful and         
flattering opinions of those which      
pretend to honour the mind of man  in   
withdrawing and abstracting it from     
particulars1 and of the  inducements and
 motives whereupon such opinions have   
been conceived  and received4           
,,cap4 #ac4      ,of the error in       
propounding chiefly the search of causes
 and  productions of things concrete1   
which are infinite and transitory1  and 
not of abstract natures1 which are few  
and permanent4  ,that these  natures are
 as the alphabet or simple letters1     
whereof the variety of  things          
consisteth2 or as the colours mingled in
 the painter's shell1  wherewith he is  
able to make infinite variety of faces  
or shapes4  ,an  enumeration of them    
according to popular note4  ,that at the
 first one  would conceive that in the  
schools by natural philosophy were meant

  the knowledge of the efficients of    
things concrete2 and by metaphysic  the 
knowledge of the forms of natures       
simple2 which is a good and fit         
division of knowledge3 but upon         
examination there is no such matter  by 
them intended4  ,that the little inquiry
 into the production of  simple natures 
sheweth well that works were not sought2
 because by  the former knowledge some  
small and superficial deflexions from   
the  ordinary generations and           
productions may be found out1 but the   
discovery of all profound and radical   
alteration must arise out of  the latter
 knowledge4          ,,cap4 #ad4        
,of the error in propounding the search 
of the materials or dead  beginnings or 
principles of things1 and not the nature
 of motions1  inclinations1 and         
applications4  ,that the whole scope of 
the former  search is impertinent and   
vain2 both because there are no such    
beginnings1 and if there were they could
 not be known4  ,that the  latter manner

 of search 7which is all7 they pass over
 compendiously  and slightly as a       
by-matter4  ,that the several conceits  
in that kind1  as that the lively and   
moving beginnings of things should be   
shift or  appetite of matter to         
privation2 the spirit of the world      
working in  matter according to         
platform2 the proceeding or fructifying 
of  distinct kinds according to their   
proprieties2 the intercourse of the     
elements by mediation of their common   
qualities2 the appetite of like         
portions to unite themselves2 amity and 
discord1 or sympathy and  antipathy2    
motion to the centre1 with motion of    
stripe or press2 the  casual agitation1 
aggregation1 and essays of the solid    
portions in  the void space2 motion of  
shuttings and openings2 are all mere    
nugations2 and that the calculating and 
ordination of the true  degrees1        
moments1 limits1 and laws of motions and
 alterations 7by  means whereof all     
works and effects are produced71 is a   

matter of a  far other nature than to   
consist in such easy and wild           
generalities4          ,,cap4 #ae4      
,of the great error of inquiring        
knowledge in ,anticipations4  ,that ,i  
call ,anticipations the voluntary       
collections that the mind maketh of     
knowledge2 which is every man's reason4 
,that though this be a solemn  thing1   
and serves the turn to negotiate between
 man and man 7because  of the conformity
 and participation of men's minds in the
 like  errors71 yet towards inquiry of  
the truth of things and works it is  of 
no value4  ,that civil respects are a   
lett that this pretended  reason should 
not be so contemptibly spoken of as were
 fit and  medicinable1 in regard that   
hath been too much exalted and          
glorified1  to the infinite detriment of
 man's estate4  ,of the nature of words 
and their facility and aptness to cover 
and grace the defects of                
,anticipations4  ,that it is no marvel  
if these ,anticipations have  brought   

forth such diversity and repugnance in  
opinions1 theories1 or  philosophies1 as
 so many fables of several arguments4   
,that had not  the nature of civil      
customs and government been in most     
times  somewhat adverse to such         
innovations1 though contemplative1 there
  might have been and would have been   
many more4  ,that the second  school of 
the ,academics and the sect of ,pyrrho1 
or the considerers  that denied         
comprehension1 as to the disabling of   
man's knowledge  7entertained in        
,anticipations7 is well to be allowed1  
but that they  ought when they had      
overthrown and purged the floor of the  
ruins to  have sought to build better in
 place4  ,and more especially that they 
did unjustly and prejudicially to charge
 the deceit upon the report  of the     
senses1 which admitteth very sparing    
remedy2 being indeed to  have been      
charged upon the ,anticipations of the  
mind1 which admitteth  a perfect remedy4
  ,that the information of the senses is

 sufficient1  not because they err not1 
but because the use of the sense in     
discovering of knowledge is for the most
 part not immediate4  ,so that  it is   
the work1 effect1 or instance1 that     
trieth the ,axiom1 and the  sense doth  
but try the work done or not done1 being
 or not being4  ,that the mind of man in
 collecting knowledge needeth great     
variety of  helps1 as well as the hand  
of man in manual and mechanical         
practices  needeth great variety of     
instruments4  ,and that it were a poor  
work  that if instruments were removed  
men would overcome with their naked     
hands4  ,and of the distinct points of  
want and insufficiency in the  mind of  
man4          ,,cap4 #af4      ,that the
 mind of a man1 as it is not a vessel of
 that content or  receipt to comprehend 
knowledge without helps and supplies1 so
 again  it is not sincere1 but of an ill
 and corrupt tincture4  ,of the         
inherent and profound errors and        
superstitions in the nature of the      

mind1 and of the four sorts of ,idols or
 false appearances that offer           
themselves to the understanding in the  
inquisition of knowledge2 that  is to   
say1 the ,idols of the ,tribe1 the      
,idols of the ,palace1 the ,idols  of   
the ,cave1 and the ,idols of the        
,theatre4  ,that these four1 added to   
the incapacity of the mind and the      
vanity and malignity of the  affections1
 leave nothing but impotency and        
confusion4  ,a recital of  the          
particular kinds of these four ,idols1  
with some chosen examples  of the       
opinions they have begot1 such of them  
as have supplanted the  state of        
knowledge most4          ,,cap4 #ag4    
,of the errors of such as have descended
 and applied themselves to  experience1 
and attempted to induce knowledge upon  
particulars4  ,that  they have not had  
the resolution and strength of mind to  
free  themselves wholly from            
,anticipations1 but have made a         
confusion and  intermixture of          

,anticipations and observations1 and so 
vanished4  ,that if any have had the    
strength of mind generally to purge away
 and  discharge all ,anticipations1 they
 have not had that greater and  double  
strength and patience of mind1 as well  
to repel new  ,anticipations after the  
view and search of particulars1 as to   
reject  old which were in their mind    
before2 but have from particulars and   
history flown up to principles without  
the mean degrees1 and so  framed all the
 middle generalities or axioms1 not by  
way of scale or  ascension from         
particulars1 but by way of derivation   
from principles2  whence hath issued the
 infinite chaos of shadows and notions1 
wherewith both books and minds have been
 hitherto1 and may be yet  hereafter    
much more pestered4  ,that in the course
 of those  derivations1 to make them yet
 the more unprofitable1 they have used  
when any light of new instance opposite 
to any assertion appeared1  rather to   
reconcile the instance than to amend the

 rule4  ,that if any  have had or shall 
have the power and resolution to fortify
 and  inclose his mind against all      
,anticipations1 yet if he have not been 
or shall not be cautioned by the full   
understanding of the nature of  the mind
 and spirit of man1 and therein of the  
seats1 pores and  passages both of      
knowledge and error1 he hath not been   
nor shall not  be possibly able to guide
 or keep on his course aright4  ,that   
those  that have been conversant in     
experience and observation have used1   
when they have intended to discover the 
cause of any effect1 to fix  their      
consideration narrowly and exactly upon 
that effect itself with  all the        
circumstances thereof1 and to vary the  
trial thereof as many  ways as can be   
devised2 which course amounteth but to a
 tedious  curiosity1 and ever breaketh  
off in wondering and not in knowing2 and
  that they have not used to enlarge    
their observation to match and  sort    
that effect with instances of a diverse 

subject1 which must of  necessity be    
before any cause be found out4  ,that   
they have passed  over the observation  
of instances vulgar and ignoble1 and    
stayed  their attention chiefly upon    
instances of mark2 whereas the other    
sort are for the most part more         
significant and of better height and    
information4  ,that every particular    
that worketh any effect is a  thing     
compounded 7more or less7 of diverse    
single natures1 7more  manifest and more
 obscure17 and that it appeareth not to 
whether of  the natures the effect is to
 be ascribed1 and yet notwithstanding   
they have taken a course without        
breaking particulars and reducing  them 
by exclusions and inclusions to a       
definite point1 to conclude  upon       
inductions in gross1 which empirical    
course is no less vain than  the        
scholastical4  ,that all such as have   
sought action and work out  of their    
inquiry have been hasty and pressing to 
discover some  practices for present    

use1 and not to discover ,axioms1       
joining with  them the new assignations 
as their sureties4  ,that the           
forerunning of  the mind to frame       
recipes upon ,axioms at the entrance1 is
 like  ,atalanta's golden ball that     
hindereth and interrupteth the course1  
and is to be inhibited till you have    
ascended to a certain stage and  degree 
of generalities2 which forbearance will 
be liberally  recompensed in the end2   
and that chance discovereth new         
inventions by  one and one1 but science 
by knots and clusters4  ,that they have 
not  collected sufficient quantity of   
particulars1 nor them in sufficient     
certainty and subtilty1 nor of all      
several kinds1 nor with those           
advantages and discretions in the entry 
and sorting which are  requisite2 and of
 the weak manner of collecting natural  
history which  hath been used4  ,lastly 
that they had no knowledge of the       
formulary  of interpretation1 the work  
whereof is to abridge experience and to 

make things as certainly found out by   
,axiom in short time1 as by  infinite   
experiences in ages4          ,,cap4    
#ah4      ,that the cautels and devices 
put in practice in the delivery of      
knowledge for the covering and          
palliating of ignorance1 and the        
gracing and overvaluing of that they    
utter1 are without number2 but  none    
more bold and more hurtful than two2 the
 one that men have used  of a few       
observations upon any subject to make a 
solemn and formal  art1 by filling it up
 with discourse1 accommodating it with  
some  circumstances and directions to   
practice1 and digesting it into  method1
 whereby men grow satisfied and secure1 
as if no more inquiry  were to be made  
of that matter2 the other1 that men have
 used to  discharge ignorance with      
credit1 in defining all those effects   
which  they cannot attain unto to be out
 of the compass of art and human        
endeavour4  ,that the very styles and   
forms of utterance are so many          

characters of imposture1 some choosing a
 style of pugnacity and  contention1    
some of satire and reprehension1 some of
 plausible and  tempting similitudes and
 examples1 some of great words and high 
discourse1 some of short and dark       
sentences1 some of exactness of  method1
 all of positive affirmation1 without   
disclosing the true  motives and proofs 
of their opinions1 or free confessing   
their  ignorance or doubts1 except it be
 now and then for a grace1 and in       
cunning to win the more credit in the   
rest1 and not in good faith4  ,that     
although men be free from these errors  
and incumbrances in the  will and       
affection1 yet it is not a thing so easy
 as is conceived to  convey the conceit 
of one man's mind into the mind of      
another without  loss or mistaking1     
specially in notions new and differing  
from those  that are received4  ,that   
never any knowledge was delivered in the
  same order it was invented1 no not in 
the mathematic1 though it  should seem  

otherwise in regard that the            
propositions placed last do  use the    
propositions or grants placed first for 
their proof and  demonstration4  ,that  
there are forms and methods of tradition
 wholly  distinct and differing1        
according to their ends whereto they are
  directed4  ,that there are two ends of
 tradition of knowledge1 the one  to    
teach and instruct for use and practice1
 the other to impart or  intimate for   
re-examination and progression4  ,that  
the former of  these ends requireth a   
method not the same whereby it was      
invented  and induced1 but such as is   
most compendious and ready whereby it   
may  be used and applied4  ,that the    
latter of the ends1 which is where a    
knowledge is delivered to be continued  
and spun on by a succession of  labours1
 requireth a method whereby it may be   
transposed to another  in the same      
manner as it was collected1 to the end  
it may be  discerned both where the work
 is weak1 and where it breaketh off4    

,that this latter method is not only    
unfit for the former end1 but  also     
impossible for all knowledge gathered   
and insinuated by  ,anticipations1      
because the mind working inwardly of    
itself1 no man  can give a just account 
how he came to that knowledge which he  
hath  received1 and that therefore this 
method is peculiar for knowledge        
gathered by interpretation4  ,that the  
discretion anciently observed1  though  
by the precedent of many vain persons   
and deceivers disgraced1  of publishing 
part1 and reserving part to a private   
succession1 and  of publishing in a     
manner whereby it shall not be to the   
capacity nor  taste of all1 but shall as
 it were single and adopt his reader1 is
  not to be laid aside1 both for the    
avoiding of abuse in the excluded1  and 
the stregthening of affection in the    
admitted4  ,that there are  other       
virtues of tradition1 as that there be  
no occasion given to  error1 and that it
 carry a vigour to root and spread      

against the  vanity of wits and injuries
 of time2 all which if they were ever   
due  to any knowledge delivered1 or if  
they were never due to any human        
knowledge heretofore delivered1 yet are 
now due to the knowledge  propounded4   
,,cap4 #ai4      ,of the impediments    
which have been in the affections1 the  
principle  whereof hath been despair or 
diffidence1 and the strong apprehension 
of the difficulty1 obscurity1 and       
infiniteness which belongeth to the     
invention of knowledge1 and that men    
have not known their own  strength1 and 
that the supposed difficulties and      
vastness of the work  is rather in shew 
and muster than in state or substance   
where the  true way is taken4  ,that    
this diffidence hath moved and caused   
some  never to enter into search1 and   
others when they have been entered      
either to give over or to seek a more   
compendious course than can  stand with 
the nature of true search4  ,that of    
those that have  refused and prejudged  

inquiry1 the more sober and grave sort  
of wits  have depended upon authors and 
traditions1 and the more vain and       
credulous resorted to revelation and    
intelligence with spirits and  higher   
natures4  ,that of those that have      
entered into search1 some  having fallen
 upon some conceits which they after    
consider to be the  same which they have
 found in former authors1 have suddenly 
taken a  persuasion that a man shall but
 with much labour incur and light upon  
the same inventions which he might with 
ease receive from others2 and  that it  
is but a vanity and self-pleasing of the
 wit to go about  again1 as one that    
would rather have a flower of his own   
gathering1  than much better gathered to
 his hand4  ,that the same humour of    
sloth  and diffidence suggesteth that a 
man shall but revive some ancient       
opinion1 which was long ago propounded1 
examined1 and rejected4  ,and  that it  
is easy to err in conceit that a man's  
observation or notion  is the same with 

a former opinion1 both because new      
conceits must of  necessity be uttered  
in old words1 and because upon true and 
erroneous grounds men may meet in       
consequence or conclusion1 as  several  
lines or circles that cut in some one   
point4  ,that the  greatest part of     
those that have descended into search   
have chosen  for the most artificial and
 compendious course to induce principles
  out of particulars1 and to reduce all 
other propositions unto  principles2 and
 so instead of the nearest way1 have    
been led to no  way or a mere labyrinth4
  ,that the two contemplative ways have 
some  resemblance with the old parable  
of the two moral ways1 the one          
beginning with incertainty and          
difficulty1 and ending in plainness  and
 certainty1 and the other beginning with
 shew of plainness and  certainty1 and  
ending in difficulty and incertainty4   
,of the great  and manifest error and   
untrue conceit or estimation of the     
infiniteness of particulars1 whereas    

indeed all prolixity is in  discourse   
and derivations2 and of the infinite and
 most laborious  expense of wit that    
hath been employed upon toys and matters
 of no  fruit or value4  ,that although 
the period of one age cannot advance    
men to the furthest point of            
interpretation of nature1 7except the   
work should be undertaken with greater  
helps than can be expected71  yet it    
cannot fail in much less space of time  
to make return of many  singular        
commodities towards the state and       
occasions of man's life4  ,that there is
 less reason of distrust in the course  
of interpretation  now propounded than  
in any knowledge formerly delivered1    
because this  course doth in sort equal 
men's wits1 and leaveth no great        
advantage  or preeminence to the perfect
 and excellent motions of the spirit4   
,that to draw a straight line or to make
 a circle perfect round by aim  of hand 
only1 there must be a great difference  
between an unsteady  and unpractised    

hand and a steady and practised1 but to 
do it by rule  or compass it is much    
alike4          ,,cap4 #ba4      ,of the
 impediments which have been in the two 
extreme humours of  admiration of       
antiquity and love of novelty1 and again
 of  over-servile reverence or          
over-light scorn of the opinions of     
others4          ,,cap4 #bb4      ,of   
the impediments which have been in the  
affection of pride1  specially of one   
kind1 which is the disdain of dwelling  
and being  conversant much in           
experiences and particulars1 specially  
such as are  vulgar in occurrency1 and  
base and ignoble in use4  ,that besides 
certain higher mysteries of pride1      
generalities seem to have a  dignity and
 solemnity1 in that they do not put men 
in mind of their  familiar actions1 in  
that they have less affinity with arts  
mechanical and illiberal1 in that they  
are not so subject to be  controlled by 
persons of mean observation1 in that    
they seem to teach  men that they know  

not1 and not to refer them to that they 
know4  ,all  which conditions directly  
feeding the humour of pride1 particulars
 do  want4  ,that the majesty of        
generalities1 and the divine nature of  
the  mind in taking them 7if they be    
truly collected1 and be indeed the      
direct reflexions of things17 cannot be 
too much magnified4  ,and that  it is   
true that interpretation is the very    
natural and direct  intention1 action1  
and progression of the understanding    
delivered  from impediments4  ,and that 
all ,anticipation is but a deflexion or 
declination by accident4          ,,cap4
 #be4      ,of the impediments which    
have been in the state of heathen       
religion  and other superstitions and   
errors of religion4  ,and that in the   
true  religion there hath not nor is any
 impediment1 except it be by  accident  
or intermixture of humour4  ,that a     
religion which consisteth  in rites and 
forms of adoration1 and not in          
confessions and beliefs1  is adverse to 

knowledge2 because men having liberty to
 inquire and  discourse of ,theology at 
pleasure1 it cometh to pass that all    
inquisition of nature endeth and        
limiteth itself in such metaphysical  or
 theological discourse2 whereas if men's
 wits be shut out of that  port1 it     
turneth them again to discover1 and so  
to seek reason of  reason more deeply4  
,and that such was the religion of the  
,heathen4  ,that a religion that is     
jealous of the variety of learning1     
discourse1  opinions1 and sects1 7as    
misdoubting it may shake the            
foundations17  or that cherisheth       
devotion upon simplicity and ignorance1 
as  ascribing ordinary effects to the   
immediate working of ,god1 is  adverse  
to knowledge4  ,that such is the        
religion of the ,turk1 and  such hath   
been the abuse of ,christian religion at
 some several times1  and in some       
several factions4  ,and of the singular 
advantage which  the ,christian religion
 hath towards the furtherance of true   

knowledge1  in that it excludeth and    
interdicteth human reason1 whether by   
interpretation or anticipation1 from    
examining or discussing of the          
mysteries and principles of faith4      
,,cap4 #bf4      ,of the impediments    
which have been in the nature of society
 and the  policies of state4  ,that     
there is no composition of estate or    
society1  nor order or quality of       
persons1 which have not some point of   
contrariety towards true knowledge4     
,that monarchies incline wits to  profit
 and pleasure1 and commonwealths to     
glory and vanity4  ,that  universities  
incline wits to sophistry and           
affectation1 cloisters to  fables and   
unprofitable subtilty1 study at large to
 variety2 and that  it is hard to say1  
whether mixture of contemplations with  
an active  life1 or retiring wholly to  
contemplations1 do disable and hinder   
the  mind more4          7,back ,cover47
      ,philosophy4  ,line #a3 see       
commentary  ,line #b3 libri dimidium    

est1 pagina #cd  ,line #c3 pagellarum   
numeri veri        ,writing on the ,back
 ,cover of ,,valerius ,,terminus        
,the writing in the original is on the  
outside of the last leaf1 which  is in  
fact the cover4  ,the front cover1 if   
there ever was one1 is  lost4  ,the ink 
with which the line containing the      
symbols is written  corresponds with    
that in the body of the manuscript2 and 
the line  itself is placed symmetrically
 in the middle of the page1 near the    
top4  ,the two lower lines are          
apparently by another hand1 probably of 
later date1 certainly in ink of a       
different colour1 and paler4  ,the  word
 ,philosophy is in ,bacon's own hand1   
written lightly in the  upper corner at 
the left1 and is no doubt merely a      
docket inserted  afterwards when he was 
sorting his papers4  ,what connexion    
there was  between the note and the     
manuscript it is impossible to say4     
,but it  is evidently a careful         
memorandum of something1 set down by    

somebody  when the manuscript was at    
hand2 and so many of the characters     
resemble those adopted to represent the 
planets and the signs of the  zodiac1   
that one is led to suspect in it a note 
of the positions of  the heavenly bodies
 at the time of some remarkable         
accident2--perhaps  the plague1 of which
 #cj1egh persons died in ,london1 during
 the year  ending #bbnd ,december1      
#afjc4 ,the period of the commencement1 
the  duration1 or the cessation of such 
an epidemic might naturally be so       
noted4    ,now three of the characters  
clearly represent respectively ,mercury1
  ,aquarius1 and ,sagittarius4  ,the    
sign for ,jupiter1 as we find it in  old
 books1 is so like a #d1 that the first 
figure of #de may very well  have been  
meant for it4  ,the monogram at the     
beginning of the line  bears a near     
resemblance to the sign of ,capricorn in
 its most  characteristic feature4  ,and
 the mark over the sign of ,aquarius    
appears to be an abbreviation of that   

which usually represents the  ,sun4     
7,the blot between #afjc and ,b is      
nothing2 being only meant to  represent 
a figure #f blotted out with the finger 
before the ink was  dry47 ,suspecting   
therefore that the writing contained a  
note of the  positions of ,mercury and  
,jupiter in the year #afjc1 ,i sent a   
copy to a  scientific friend and asked  
him if from such data he could determine
  the month indicated4  ,he found upon a
 rough calculation 7taking  account of  
mean motions only7 that ,jupiter did    
enter the sign of  ,sagittarius about   
the #ajth of ,august1 #afjc1 and        
continued there for  about a            
twelvemonth2 that the ,sun entered      
,aquarius about the #abth or  #acth of  
,january1 #afjc-d2 and that ,mercury was
 about the #afth or #agth  of the same  
month in the #bfth or #bgth degree of   
,capricorn3  --coincidences which would 
have been almost conclusive as to the   
date  indicated1 if ,capricorn had only 
stood where ,aquarius does1 and vice    

versa4  ,but their position as they     
actually stood in the manuscript  is a  
formidable1 if not fatal1 objection to  
the interpretation4    ,according to    
another opinion with which ,i have been 
favoured1 the  first monogram is a      
,,nota ,,bene2 the next group may mean  
,,dies ,,mercurii  7,wednesday7 #bf,,th 
,,january1 #afjc2 and the rest refers to
 something not  connected with          
astronomy4  ,but to this also there is a
 serious  objection4  ,the #bfth of     
,january1 #afjc-d1 was a ,friday1 and it
 seems  to me very improbable that any  
,englishman would have described the    
preceding ,january as belonging to the  
year #afjc4 ,bacon himself  invariably  
dated according to the civil year1 and  
the occasional use  of the historical   
year in loose memoranda would have      
involved all his  dates in confusion4   
,i should think it more probable that   
the writer  7who may have been copying a
 kind of notation with which he was not 
familiar7 miscopied the sign of ,venus  

into that of ,mercury2 in which  case it
 would mean ,friday1 #bfth ,january1    
#afjc-d4 ,but even then the  explanation
 would he unsatisfactory1 as leaving so 
much unexplained4  ,those however who   
are familiar with old manuscripts       
relating to such  subjects may probably 
be able to interpret the whole4