THE NOVUM ORGANVM OF Sir FRANCIS BACON BARON of VERULAM Viscount St. Albans EPITOMIZ'D For a clearer understanding of his NATURAL HISTORY Translated and taken out of the Latine by M. D. B. D. LONDON Printed for Thomas Lee at the Turks-head in Fleetstreet 1676. LICENS'D Jan. 26. 1675. Roger L'Estrange THE PREFACE TO THE READER I Need not recommend to your perusal this useful Treatise seeing that it proceeds from such a Genius whose most trivial conceptions have obtained the esteem of his Age not inferiour in Learning to any of the former He was a person of a sound judgement sharp wit vast comprehension and of extraordinary abilities both natural and acquir'd But I need not run over the praises of a person so well known amongst us to oblige my Reader to a kind reception and favourable interpretation of this obscure but useful Book For the things therein contained are so excellent in themselves and so well designed that we may be inclinable of our own accord to embrace and peruse them The Authors purpose as you may 〈◊〉 is to censure the limitations of Sciences to the bounds prescribed to us by the shallow pates of some of former Ages to discover the mistakes of our understandings to point at the sources from whence they proceed to rectifie the common errours of men backed by ill grounded Axioms to direct us to a right interpretation of Nature's Mysteries and oblige us to settle our judgements upon better and sounder principles than ordinary his purpose is to open to us a Gate to a greater Proficiency and improvement in all kind of Learning to pull down the Wals of Partition and remove the Non plus ultra that we might sail to those Indies full of Gold and Jewels I mean the Sciences not yet discovered to our World and fetch from thence all the Rarities the Knowledges and Inventions that might pleasure and benefit our humane life For that purpose he adviseth us not to take things and notions too much upon Trust but to ground our belief upon Practice and well ordered experience He layes down several Principles which may seem strange and new but if they be rightly examined we shall find them naturally proceeding from the nature of things I confess the most excellent conceptions are wrapped up in obscure terms and in such new contrived expressions that King James at the first perusal judged this Novum Organum to be past all Mans understanding But we may consider that a new Method and new Things and Principles deserve new expressions and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaks not to the Vulgar but unto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 other Lands never found out 〈◊〉 and adviseth them in 〈◊〉 to seek and to proceed on without minding the discourage 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of our Predecessors in Learning This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 upon as a seasonable Addition to his Matural History 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have made it too 〈◊〉 I have been desired to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Directions as might be answerable to that subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a serious perusal I did scarce know what was to be set aside for all the things things therein contained are so material and seasonable that I have wondred that our English Curiosi have not had the desire to study and understand the directions that are 〈◊〉 given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their mistaken 〈◊〉 In such a Case that this Novum Organum might be the better intelligible a meer interpretation is not sufficient in regard of the Authors difficult and new found expressions a Comment weuld be required which if it were well and judiciously composed according to the Authors true meaning and intent I am perswaded every one 〈◊〉 be of my Judgement that it is the best and most useful Treatise of our Dayes for the purpose that is designed I am perswaded that it might be of a singular use to such Vertuosi amongst us as are not perfectly acquainted with the Latine Tongue and yet imploy their Time and Studies in the improvement of their abilities and finding out inventions useful to the Life of Man for it would supply them with such principles as their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 might wonderfully improve in new discoveries I was sorry 〈◊〉 my Pen was limited to so few sheets and that I had not the liberty to make the whole Organum appear in our Language For brevity sake therefore I have in some places shortened the Authors expressions 〈◊〉 this will be sufficient to give a taste of the whole which such 〈◊〉 understand the Language of the Learned may peruse at their leasure Vale. M. D. Part of the Novum Organum OR APHORISMS OF THE Interpretation of NATURE and KINGDOME of MAN Taken out of the First Book MAN Natures Minister and Interpreter acts and understands only so much of the ordering of Nature as he hath observed by the assistance of Experience and Reason more he neither doth nor can apprehend Neither the Hand alone nor an Understanding eft to it self can do much Things are performed by instruments and helps which the 〈◊〉 needs as much as the Hand Now as 〈◊〉 Instruments assist and govern the Hands motion likewise the instruments of the Understanding prompt and advise it Humane Knowledge and Power are co-incident in the same or happen to be alike because ignorance of the Cause renders the Effect unintelligible for Nature is not overcome without submission and that which in Contemplation stands instead of the Cause in Operation serves as a Rule As to Operation Man can do no more but only apply or remove natural Bodies The rest Nature willingly compleats The Mechanick the Mathematician the Physitian the Chymist and the Magician are variously concerned in natural Operations but as it happens at present their attempts are but slight and their successes inconsiderable It were an extravagancy and a plain contradiction to expect the accomplishment of those things which were never yet done unless by means never yet attempted Even those Operations which are found out are rather to be ascribed to Chance and Experience than to Sciences for the Sciences which are now professed amongst us are nothing else but an adorning and a setting forth of things formerly invented not the modes of Invention or the desigments of new Operation The Cause and Origine almost of all the Mischiefs that happen in Sciences is this alone that we too much admire and set up the strength and power of our understanding and we neglect the true helps and aids thereof Natures subtilty far exceeds the subtilty of our Sense or that of our Understanding so that the delicate meditations of Mankind their speculations and inventions are but foolish things if they were narrowly searched into As Siences commonly so called are unprofitable for the invention of Operations so the Logick now in use is not conducible to the finding out of true Sciences The Logick which we now use tends to the establishment and confirmation of Errours which are founded in vulgar notions rather than to
and the authorities of them who are honoured and admired by every one or through the different impressions which occur in a prepossessed and predisposed or in a calm and equal mind or the like so that the Spirit of man as it is placed or qualified in every Man is a various a troubled and a fortuitous thing wherefore Heraclitus said well that men sought after Siences in lesser worlds and not in the great and common World There are also Idols or mis-apprehensions arising from the mutual contracts and also ciations of Men which by reason of humane commerce and society we call Idola Fori For Men are associated by speech but words are imposed according to the vulgar capacity therefore a vitious and an improper imposition of words doth wonderfully mislead and clog the Understanding Neither the definitions and explications wherewith learned men are wont to defend and vindicate themselves in some things do mend the matter for words do plainly force the Understanding and disturb all things they lead men into many idle controversies and foolish inventions Lastly there are Idols or misapprehensions which are entered into Mens minds from divers opinions of the Philosophers as also from the 〈◊〉 Laws of demonstrations these we call Idola Theatri Because all the kinds of Philosophy which have been invented and received we look upon as so many Fables produced and acted to make fictitious and senical Worlds Neither speak we of those amongst us or only of the ancient Philosophers and Sects seeing many the like Fables may be composed and made because the causes of the different errours are for the most part common neither do we understand this only of universal Philosophy but also of many Principles and Axioms of Sciences which have prevailed by tradition credulity and neglect But of all these kinds of Idols we must speak more largely and distinctly that so the humane intellect may take more heed Humane Understanding is inclinable of it self to suppose a greater order and equality in things than it finds And whereas many things in Nature are monodical and altogether unlike yet it appropriates to them parallels correspondencies and relatives which are not from hence are derived those Figments In Coelestial Bodies all things are moved by perfect Circles In the mean time they reject Spiral and Serpentine lines retaining yet the names From hence it is that the Element of Fire is introduced to make a quaternion with the other three which are within the reach of our senses To the Elements also as they call them fancy ascribes to them a double proportion of excess in their mutual rarefaction and such like dreames are invented Nor is this vanity predominant in opinions only but also in simple notions The Humane Understanding attracts all other things to give its suffrage and consent unto those things which once please it either because they are received and believed or because they delight And though a greater strength and number of contrary instances occur yet it doth either not observe or contemn them or remove or reject them by a distinction not without great and dangerous prejudice by which an inviolable authority remains in those former conceptions Therefore he gave a right answer who when a list of the Names of such as had paid there their vows for escaping the danger of Shipwrack was shewn to him hung up in a Temple and when he was questioned whether he did not acknowledge the Deity of the gods He in answer demanded what was become of their pictures who had perished after that they had paid their Vows There is almost the same reason for all Superstition as in Astrological dreams presages c. Men delight in such vanities they mind the events when they come to pass but when they fail which is very often they neglect and pass them by But this evil more subtilly invades Philosophy and Sciences wherein that which once takes infects and corrupts the rest though more firm and better But in case this delight and vanity were wanting yet it is a proper and perpetual error in Humane Understanding to be rather moved and stirred up by affirmatives than by negatives although in truth it ought to be indifferent to both Yet on the other hand the strength of a negative Instance is greater in constituting every Axiom Humane Understanding is for the most part moved with those things which suddenly and at once effect and reach the mind and wherewith the fancy is wont to be filled and puffed up As for the rest it supposes and fancies to have them in a kind of inperceptible manner even like those few things that possess the mind But as to that quick running over remote and heterogeneous instances whereby Axioms are tried as it were by fire the Understanding is altogether slow and unable unless severe Laws and violent commands be imposed upon it Humane Understanding cannot rest but still desires more and more though all in vain Therefore it is not to be imagined that Heaven should hear any extream or extime parts for it may be alwayes necessarily urged that there is something further Again it cannot be conceived how Eternity hath run along until now because there is a common distinction usually admitted that it is infinite a parte ante a parte pòst which can in no wise be proved for then it would follow that one infinite is greater than another and that an infinite consumeth and tends to a finite The like nicety occurs through the weakness of our imagination concerning lines alwayes divisible but this mental infinity more dangerously interposes in the invention of causes For whereas Universals chiefly ought to be in a positive nature as they are found out being not really causable yet the Humane Understanding being unable to rest still desires things more known but whiles it tends to further things it falls back to nearer ones viz. Final causes which indeed arise rather from Humane Nature than the nature of the Universe Out of this Fountain Philosophy is strangely corrupted But he is equally an unskilful and a slight Philosopher who seeks out a cause in primary universals as he who desires it not in subordinate and subaltern things Humane Understanding is not an Ignis fatuus a meer light but it receives an impression from the Will and the Affections which produces the reason why it desires Sciences for what a Man had rather have true that he resolves to believe Therefore he rejects difficult things through impatiency of inquiry sober things because they confine the hope the high Mystery of Nature because of our natural Superstition the light of experience because of an arrogancy and pride least the mind should seem to converse in vile and transitory affairs he rejects Paradoxes being too much over-ruled by the mistakes of the vulgar Lastly affection qualifies and infects the Soul many wayes which cannot be conceived But the greatest hinderance of the Humane Understanding and its most dangerous errors proceed from the
always 〈◊〉 from it when that nature is absent and is in it alone 〈◊〉 a true form is such that it deduceth the nature of a thing out of the Fountain of being which is common to many and more 〈◊〉 than the nature as they speak than the form Therefore the Rule of knowing a true and perfect Axiom is this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 found out which might be convertible with the nature given and yet be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a more known nature like as of a true genus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one active the other speculative are the same in effect and what is most useful in operation is most true in speculation But the Rule or Axioms of transforming bodies are two fold The 〈◊〉 consider'd a body as a troop or conjugation of simple 〈◊〉 as in 〈◊〉 these things do meet that it is yellow weighty and of such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be beaten thin and drawn into wire of such a bigness that it is not volatile and that it loseth nothing by fire that it is to be run in such a manner that it is to be separated and loosned by such means and the like of the other natures or properties of Gold Therefore such an Axiom deduceth the thing from the forms of the simple 〈◊〉 or properties for he that knows how to bring new forms and methods of yellow of weight of fluidity c. he will see and take care of their graduations and means that all these be conjoined in one body from whence transformation into Gold may be expected Therefore this manner of marking belongs to the primary action for there is the same method required in bringing forth one simple nature as many onely man meets with more difficulty in working when he is to joyn together many natures which meet not of themselves unless by the ordinary and usual ways of nature nevertheless we may affirm that the method of working which considers the 〈◊〉 natures though in a concrete body proceeds from those things which in nature are constant eternal and universal and open a wide door to mans ability which as affairs are now manag'd our humane understanding can scarce comprehend or represent But the Second kind of Axioms which depends from the invention of a secret proceeding acts not by simple natures but by concrete bodies as they are found in natures ordinary course for example suppose an Inquisition is made from what beginnings how and in what manner Gold or any other Metal or Stone is generated from its first matter and deform substance until it comes to a perfect mineral likewise in what manner Herbs grow form their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the sap in the earth or from the seed until it riseth up to be a plant with all the succession of motion and the divers and continued endeavours of nature Likewise of the ordinary generation of animals from their conception to their birth in like manner of all other bodies But this inquisition relates not onely to the generation of bodies but also to other motions and workings of nature for example suppose an inquisition be made into the universal series and continued manner of nourishment from the 〈◊〉 reception of the Food until it turns into the substance of the body likewise of the voluntary motion in animals from the 〈◊〉 impression of the fancy and repeated endeavours of the spirits to the movings and turnings of the Arters or of the outward motion of the tongue and lips and other instruments to the giving of articulate 〈◊〉 for these things relate to concrete or collegious bodies and in operations they are lookt upon as particular and special custom of nature not as fundamental and common Laws which constitute forms But we must needs 〈◊〉 that this method seems to be the most expedite the most likely and 〈◊〉 and more than the other primary 〈◊〉 wise the operative part which answers this speculative doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working from those things which are commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things near at hand or from those things to other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 highest and radical operations upon nature depend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Axioms Moreover when man hath not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but onely of knowing and beholding as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not within mans reach he cannot change nor alter them 〈◊〉 the inquisition of the fact it self or of the truth of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the knowledge of causes and agreements relates to the primary and universal Axioms of simple 〈◊〉 as the nature of voluntary relation or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the load stone and many others which are more common than the 〈◊〉 neither can any body hope to terminate the question whether in the daily motion the earth doth in truth come round or the Heavens unless he understands 〈◊〉 the nature of voluntary rotation The hidden proceeding which we have mentioned is otherwise so that our humane understanding as it is now wrapt up in 〈◊〉 cannot easily search into it neither do we 〈◊〉 certain measures 〈◊〉 or degrees of proceeding visible in bodies but that continued proceeding which for the most part is not subject to our senses For example In all generation and transformation of bodies we must inquire what is last and what flies away what remains what is added what dilates it self what is drawn to it what is united what is separated what is continued what is cut off what means what hinders what commands and what yields and many other things Again neither are we to enquire after these things in 〈◊〉 and transformation of bodies but in all other alterations and motions we are likewise to enquire what proceeds and what succeeds what is most fierce and what is most remiss what gives the motion what commands and the like All these things are unknown to and never handled by the Sciences which are composed by the grossest and the unablest wits Seeing 〈◊〉 natural action is transacted by the least beginnings or by such as are so small that they are not to be perceived by our senses no body can hope to rule or turn nature unless he can comprehend and take notice of them in a due manner Out of the two kinds of Axioms which are already mentioned Philosophy and Sciences are to be divided the common received words which approach the nearest to the discovery the of things being applied to our meaning namely that the inquisition of forms which in reason according to their own Laws are eternal and unmovable constitutes the Metaphysicks but the inquisition of the efficient of the matter of the secret proceeding and hidden schismatism all which things regard the common and ordinary course of nature not the foundamental and eternal Laws should constitute the Physicks Now to these are subordinate two practical Sciences to Physick the Mechanick is subordinate and to the Metaphysicks the better sort of Magick in regard of its large ways and greater command in nature Now that we have thus described our doctrine we must proceed to the precepts in a right and
them are but the exudations and sweatings the first out of the sap of trees the Second out of Rocks from hence proceeds the clearness and splendor of both Namely from the thin and subtil percolation from hence it is also that the hairs of animals are not so beautiful and of such a lively colour as the plumes of birds for their sweat is not so fine when it issues out of their skin as when it comes out of a Feathers Other conformable instances are the Fins of Fishes and the Feet of four Footed Beasts or the Feet and Wings of Birds unto which Aristotle adds four Circles in the motion of Serpents Therefore in this great Fabrick of the World the motion of living creatures seems to be performed by four Arters or flexions Also in terrestrial animals the teeth and in birds their bills are alike from whence it is evident that in all perfect animals there is a certain hard substance that draws to the mouth The Seventh are irregular instances such as discover bodies in their whole which are extravagant and broken off in Nature and do not agree with other things of the same gender but are only like to themselves therefore stiled Monodicae They are useful to raise and unite nature to find out the genders and common natures to limit them by their true differences Neither are we to desist from an inquisition until the properties and qualities which are found in such things as are thought to be miracles in nature may be reduced and comprehended under some form or certain Law that all irregularity and singularity might be found to depend upon some common form Such instances are the Sun and Moon amongst the Stars the Loadstone among the Stones quick-silver amongst metals the Elephant amongst the four Footed Beasts c. The eighth sort of instances are named Diviantes because they are Natures errors and Monsters when Nature declines and goes aside from its ordinary course The use of these is to rectifie the understanding to reveal the common Forms neither in these ought we to desist from the inquisition until we have found out the cause of the deviation But this cause doth not rise properly to any Form but onely to the hidden proceeding to a Form for he that knows the ways of Nature he shall with more ease observe its deviations And again he that understands its Deviations can better discover its ordinary ways and methods The Ninth sort of instances are Named Limitanea such as discover the species of bodies which seem to be composed of two species or the Rudiments between one species and another such are Flies between rottenness and a plant certain Comets between stars and fiery meteors Flying Fishes between Birds and Fishes c. The Tenth are instances of Power which are the noblest and the most perfect as the most excellent in every art for as this is our business chiefly that Nature should be obedient and yield to the benefits of men it is fitting that the works which are in the power of men as so many provinces be overcome and subdued should be taken notice of and reckoned specially such as are most plain and perfect because from them there is an easier and a nearer way to new inventions never found out before The Eleventh instance are stiled Comitatus and Hostiles They are such as discover a concrete body such in which the nature inquired after doth always follow it as an individual companion and on the contrary in which the Nature required doth always fly from it is excluded out of its company as an enemy for out of such instances propositions may be formed which may be certain universal affirmative and negative in which the subject shall be such a body in concrete the predicate the nature it self that is sought for example if you seek for hot the Iustantia comitatus is the flame c. The Twelth are subjunctive c. The Thirteenth are instances of Union which confound and joyn together Natures which are esteemed to be heterogeneous and for such are noted and confirmed by the received divisions For example if the nature required is hot That division seems to be good and authentick that there are three kinds of heat the Coelestial the animal and that of the fire These heats especially one of them being compared with the other two are in essence and species or by a specifick nature differing and altogether heterogeneous for the heat of the Coelestial Globes and the animate heat encourage and help generation but the heat of the fire corrupts and destroyes It is therefore an instance of Union This experiment is common enough when the branch of a vine is brought into the house where there is a continual fire by which the Grapes will ripen a month sooner than those that are in the air so that fruits may be brought to Maturity when they hang upon the tree by the fire whereas this seems to be a work proper only to the Sun Therefore the understanding is perswaded from hence to inquire what are the differences which are really between the heat of the Sun and that of the fire from whence it happens that their operations are so unlike and they nevertheless partake of the same common nature The differences are found to be four First that the heat of the Sun in respect of the heat of the fire is a degree much milder and more favourable Secondly That it is conveyed to us through the air which of it self is humide Thirdly and chiefly that it is very unequal sometimes drawing near and increasing in strength anon departing and diminishing which very much contributes to the generation of bodies Fourthly that the Sun works upon a body in a long space of time but the working of the fire through mens impatiency performs the business in a shorter time If any will be careful to attemper and reduce the heat of the fire to a more moderate and milder degree which may be done several ways if he will besprinkle it and cause it to send forth something of humidity cheifly if he imitates the Suns inequality Lastly if he stayes a little by this means he shall imitate or equal or in some things cause the fires heat to be better than the Suns The Fourteenth sort of instances are the Judicial which is when an inquisition is made and the understanding is placed in an Equilibrium in an uncertainty where to assign the cause of the Nature inquired for For example suppose any man seeks the cause of the flux and reflux of the sea twice a 〈◊〉 This motion must needs proceeds from the progress and regress of the waters in the manner of water troubled up and down in a bason which when it toucheth the one side of the bason it leaves the other Or it must proceed from the rising and falling of the waters in the bottom as boiling water now there is a doubt unto which of these causes the ebbing and flowing or flux and reflux of the sea is to be assigned which if the first of these be asserted then it will follow that when the flux is on this side the 〈◊〉 will be at the sametime on the other But Acosco with some others have found after a diligent inquiry that upon the Coast of Florida and upon the Coast of Spain and Africa the ebbing and flowing of the Sea happens at the same moment of time This question is further examined in the Original The Fifteenth sort of instances are of divorce because they discover the separations of those 〈◊〉 which often meet The Sixteenth are the Instances of the lamp or of the first information which assist the sense for as all interpretation of nature begins by the sense and from the perception of the sense leads by a right and straight-way to inform the understanding which are the true notions and axioms it must needs be that the more copious and exact the representations of the senses are so much the better and the happier all things must succeed The Seventeenth sort of Instances are stiled of the Gate because they help the immediate actions of the senses Amongst the senses it is certain that the sight is the chief in regard of information therefore we must seek assistances to this sight The eighteenth are Instances called Citantes which deduce that which is not sensible to be sensible The Nineteenth are Named Instances of supplement because they supply the understanding with a right information when the senses fail therefore we must Fly to them when we have no proper instances This is done in a two fold manner either by Gradation or by Analogy For example the Medium is not to be found which stop the Load-stone in moving the Iron neither gold if we put it between nor silver nor stone nor glass nor wood c. Nevertheless after an exact tryal there may be a certain medium sound which might dull its vertue more than any thing else comparatively and in some degree as that the loadstone should not be able to drawIron to it self through gold of such a thickness c. The Twentieth sort are stiled Instances persecantes because they cut nature asunder c. The One and Twenty sort are instances of the Rod or of non ultra The Two and Twentieth are called Instances Curriculi They measure nature by the moments of time as the instances of the Rod measure it by the degrees of space For all motion and natural action is performed in a time some quicker some softer c The Three and Twentieth sort are instances Quanti c. The Four and Twentieth sort are instances of Predominancy The 25. sort are called Innuentes because they discover and design the benefits of men The Six and Twentieth sort are named Instantiae Polychrestas The Seven and Twentieth are the Magick instances They are such in which the matter or the officient is but little and slender if compared with the greatness of the work or of the effect that follows in somuch that though they are common they are looked upon as miracles c. I am forced to out short and abbreviate many excellent directions and to pass over several weighty observations because I am limited However this abbreviation may give the Reader 〈◊〉 of the whole FINIS * Or skin to cover such as covers the body * Natura data * Gaping of the firmament