to be a profound interpreter and commenter, to be a sharp champion and defender, to be a methodical compounder and abridger. And this is the unfortunate succession of wits which the world hath yet had, whereby the patrimony of all knowledge goeth not on husbanded or improved, but wasted and decayed. For knowledge is like a water, that will never arise again higher than the level from which it fell. 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 taken. So then, no true succession of wits having been in the world; either we must conclude, that knowledge is but a task for one man's life, and then vain was the complaint, that "life is short, and art is long :" or else, that the knowledge that now is, is but a shrub; and not that tree which is never dangerous, but where it is to the purpose of knowing good and evil; which desire ever riseth upon an appetite to elect, and not to obey, and so containeth in it a manifest defection. That the pretended succession of wits hath been evil placed, forasmuch as after variety of sects and opinions, the most popular and not the truest prevaileth and weareth out the rest. Being the VIIth chapter, a fragment. It is sensible to think, that when men enter first into search and inquiry, according to the several frames and compositions of their understanding, they light upon differing conceits, and so all opinions and doubts are beaten over; and then men having made a taste of all, wax weary of variety, and so reject the worst, and hold themselves to the best, either some one if it be eminent; or some two or three, if they be in some equality; which afterwards are received and carried on, and the rest extinct. : But truth is contrary and that time is like a river, which carrieth down things which are light and blown up, and sinketh and drowneth that which is sad and weighty. For howsoever governments have several forms, sometimes one governing, sometimes few, sometimes the multitude; yet the state of knowledge is ever a democracy, and that prevaileth which is most agreeable to the senses and conceits of people. As for example, there is no great doubt, but he that did put the beginnings of things to be solid, void, and motion to the centre, was in better earnest than he that put matter, form, and shift; or he that put the mind, motion, and matter. For no man shall enter into inquisition of nature, but shall pass by that opinion of Democritus; whereas he shall never come near the other two opinions, but leave them aloof, for the schools and table-talk. Yet those of Aristotle and Plato, because they be both agreeable to popular sense, and the one was uttered with subtilty and the spirit of contradiction, and the other with a style of ornament and majesty, did hold out, and the other give place, &c. of the impediments of knowledge, in handling it by parts, and in slipping off particular sciences from the root and stock of universal knowledge. Being the VIIIth chapter, the whole chapter. Cicero the orator, willing to magnify his own profession, 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 knowledges, so far forth as may appertain to the handling and moving of the minds and affections of men by speech; maketh great complaint of the school of Socrates; 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 words, Socrates divorced them, and withdrew philosophy, and left rhetoric to itself, which by that destitution became but a barren and unnoble science. And in particular sciences we see, that if men fall to subdivide their labours, as to be an oculist in physic, or to be perfect in some one title of the law, or the like, they may prove ready and subtile, but not deep or sufficient, no, not in that subject which they do particularly attend, because of that consent which it hath with the rest. And it is a matter of common discourse, of the chain of sciences, how they are linked together, insomuch as the Grecians, who had terms at will, have fitted it of a name of Circle-Learning. Nevertheless, I that hold it for a great impediment towards the advancement and farther invention of knowledge, that particular arts and sciences have been disincorporated from general knowledge, 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 intend. For I mean not that use which one science hath of another for ornament or help in practice, as the orator hath of knowledge of affections for moving, or as military science may have use of geometry for fortifications; 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 notion. And therefore that example of oculists and title lawyers doth come nearer my conceit than the other two; for sciences distinguished have a dependence upon universal knowledge to be augmented and rectified by the superior light thereof; as well as the parts and members of a science have upon the maxims of the same science, and the mutual light and consent which one part receiveth of another. And therefore the opinion of Copernicus in astronomy, which astronomy itself cannot correct, because it is not repugnant to any of the appearances; yet natural philosophy doth correct. On the other side, if some of the ancient philosophers had been perfect in their observations of astronomy, and had called them to counsel when they made their principles and first axioms, they would never have divided their philosophy, as the cosmographers do their descriptions by globes, making one philosophy for heaven, and another for under heaven, as in effect they do. : That the end and scope of knowledge hath been generally mistaken, and that men were never well advised what it was they sought. Being the IXth chapter, immediately preceding the Inventory, and inducing the same. So if the moral philosophers, that have spent | greatly aiding to the invention and augmentation of such an infinite quantity of debate touching good another. And therefore, without this intercourse, and the highest good, had cast their eye abroad the axioms of sciences will fall out to be neither full upon nature, and beheld the appetite that is in all nor true; but will be such opinions, as Aristotle in things to receive and to give; the one motion affect- some places doth wisely censure, when he saith, ing preservation, and the other multiplication; "These are the opinions of persons that have respect which appetites are most evidently seen in living but to a few things." So then we see, that this note creatures, in the pleasure of nourishment and genera- leadeth us to an administration of knowledge in some tion; and in man do make the aptest and most such order and policy, as the king of Spain, in renatural division of all his desires, being either of gard of his great dominions, useth in state who, sense of pleasure, or sense of power; and in the though he hath particular councils for several coununiversal frame of the world are figured, the one in tries and affairs, yet hath one council of state, or last the beams of heaven which issue forth, and the resort, that receiveth the advertisements and certifiother in the lap of the earth which takes in: and cates from all the rest. Hitherto of the diversion, again, if they had observed the motion of congruity, succession, and conference of wits. or situation of the parts in respect of the whole, evident in so many particulars: and lastly, if they had considered the motion, familiar in attraction of things, to approach to that which is higher in the same kind when, by these observations, so easy and concurring in natural philosophy, they should have found out this quaternion of good, in enjoying or fruition, effecting or operation, consenting or proportion, and approach or assumption; they would have saved and abridged much of their long and wandering discourses of pleasure, virtue, duty, and religion. So likewise in this same logic and rhetoric, or acts of argument and grace of speech, if the great masters of them would but have gone a form lower, and looked but into the observations of grammar concerning the kinds of words, their derivations, deflexions, and syntax, specially enriching the same, with the helps of several languages, with their differing proprietics of words, phrases, and tropes; they might have found out more and better footsteps of common reason, help of disputation, and advantages of cavillation, than many of these which they have propounded. So again, a man should be thought to dally, if he did note how the figures of rhetoric and music are many of them the same. The repetitions and traductions in speech, and the reports and hauntings of sounds in music, are the very same things. Plutarch hath almost made a book of the Lacedæmonian kind of jesting, which joined every pleasure with distaste. "Sir," said a man of art to Philip king of Macedon, when he controlled him in his faculty, "God forbid your fortune should be such as to know these things better than I." In taxing his ignorance in his art, he represented to him the perpetual greatness of his fortune, leaving him no vacant time for so mean a skill. Now in music it is one of the ordinariest flowers to fall from a discord, or hard tune, upon a sweet accord. The figure that Cicero and the rest commend, as one of the best points of elegancy, which is the fine checking of expectation, is no less well known to the musicians, when they have a special grace in flying the close or cadence. And these are no allusions but direct communities, the same delights of the mind being to be found not only in music, rhetoric, but in moral philosophy, policy, and other knowledges, and that obscure in the one, which is more apparent in the other; yea, and that discovered in the one, which is not found at all in the other; and so one science It appeareth then how rarely the wits and labours of men have been converted to the severe and original inquisition of knowledge; and in those who have pretended, what hurt hath been done by the affectation of professors, and the distraction of such as were no professors; and how there was never in effect any conjunction or combination of wits in the first and inducing search, but that every man wrought apart, and would either have his own way, or else would go no farther than his guide, having in the one case the honour of a first, and in the other the ease of a second; and lastly, how in the descent and continuance of wits and labours, the succession hath been in the most popular and weak opinions, like unto the weakest natures, which many times have most children; and in them also the condition of succession hath been rather to defend and to adorn, than to add; and if to add, yet that addition to be rather a refining of a part, than an increase of the whole. But the impediments of time and accidents, though they have wrought a general indisposition, yet are they not so peremptory and binding, as the internal impediments and clouds in the mind and spirit of man, whereof it now followeth to speak. The Scripture, speaking of the worst sort of error, saith, "Errare fecit eos in invio et non in via." For a man may wander in the way, by rounding up and down; but if men have failed in their very direction and address, that error will never by good fortune correct itself. Now it hath fared with men in their contemplations, as Seneca saith it fareth with them in their actions, "De partibus vitæ quisque deliberat, de summa nemo." A course very ordinary with men who receive for the most part their final ends from the inclination of their nature, or from common example and opinion, never questioning or examining them, or reducing them to any clear certainty; and use only to call themselves to account and deliberation touching the means and second ends, and thereby set themselves in the right way to the wrong place. So likewise upon the natural curiosity and desire to know, they have put themselves in way without foresight or consideration of their journey's | tations new had need of some grossness and inculend. For I find that even those that have sought knowledge for itself and not for benefit, or ostentation, or any practical enablement in the course of their life, have nevertheless propounded to themselves a wrong mark, namely, satisfaction, which men call truth, and not operation. For as in the courts and services of princes and states, it is a much easier matter to give satisfaction than to do the business; 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 objections, than such causes as will direct him and give him light to new experiences and inventions. And this did Celsus note wisely and truly, how that the causes which are in use, and whereof the knowledges now received do consist, were in time minors and subsequents to the knowledge of the particulars, out of which they were induced and collected and that it was not the light of those causes which discovered particulars, but only the particulars being first found, men did fall on glossing and discoursing of the causes; which is the reason, why the learning that now is hath the curse of barrenness, and is courtesan-like, for pleasure, and not for fruit. Nay, to compare it rightly, the strange fiction of the poets of the transformation of Scylla, seemeth to be a lively emblem of this philosophy and knowledge: a fair woman upward in the parts of show, but when you come to the parts of use and generation, barking monsters; for no better are the endless distorted questions, which ever have been, and of necessity must be, the end and womb of such knowledge. : cation to make them perceived, and chiefly to the end, that for the time to come, upon the account and state now made and cast up, it may appear what increase this new manner of use and administration of the stock, if it be once planted, shall bring with it hereafter; and for the time present, in case I should be prevented by death to propound and reveal this new light as I purpose, 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 wished; though for mine own part neither do I much build upon my present anticipations, neither do I think ourselves yet learned or wise enough to wish reasonably; for as it asks some knowledge to demand a question not impertinent; so it asketh some sense, to make a wish not absurd. The Inventory, or an enumeration and view of inven tions already discovered in use, together with a note of the wants, and the nature of the supplies. Being the Xth chapter; and this a small fragment thereof, being the preface to the Inventory. The plainest method, and most directly pertinent to this intention, will be to make distribution of sciences, arts, inventions, works, and their portions, according to the use and tribute which they yield and render to the conditions of man's life, and under those several uses, being as several offices of provisions, to charge and tax what may be reasonably exacted or demanded, not guiding ourselves neither by the poverty of experiences and probations, nor according to the vanity of credulous imaginations; But yet, nevertheless, here I may be mistaken, and then upon those charges and taxations to disby reason of some which may have much in their tinguish and present, as it were, in several columns, pen the referring sciences to action and the use of what is extant and already found, and what is deman, which mean quite another matter than I do. fective and farther to be provided. Of which proFor they mean a contriving of directions, and pre- visions, because in many of them, after the manner cepts for readiness of practice, which I discommend of slothful and faulty officers and accomptants, it not, so it be not occasion that some quantity of the will be returned, by way of excuse, that no such are science be lost; for else it will be such a piece of to be had, it will be fit to give some light of the husbandry, as to put away a manor lying somewhat nature of the supplies, whereby it will evidently scattered, to buy in a close that lieth handsomely appear, that they are to be compassed and procured. about a dwelling. But my intention contrariwise is And yet nevertheless on the other side again, it will to increase and multiply the revenues and posses- be as fit to check and control the vain and void sions of man, and not to trim up only, or order with assignations and gifts, whereby certain ignorant, conveniency the grounds whereof he is already | extravagant, and abusing wits have pretended to stated. Wherefore the better to make myself under-endue the state of man with wonders, differing as stood, that I mean nothing less than words, and much from truth in nature, as Cæsar's Commentaries directly to demonstrate the point which we are now differeth from the acts of King Arthur, or Huon of upon, that is, what is the true end, scope, or office Bourdeaux, in story. For it is true that Cæsar did of knowledge, which I have set down to consist not greater things than those idle wits had the audacity in any plausible, delectable, reverend, or admired to feign their supposed worthies to have done; but discourse, or any satisfactory arguments, but in he did them not in that monstrous and fabulous effecting and working, and in discovery of particu- manner. lars not revealed before, for the better endowment and help of man's life; I have thought good to make, as it were, a kalendar, or inventory of the wealth, furniture, or means of man, according to his present estate, as far as it is known; which I do not to show any universality of sense or knowledge, and much less to make a satire of reprehension in respect of wants and errors, but partly because cogi The chapter immediately following the Inventory. It appeareth then, what is now in proposition, not by general circumlocution, but by particular note, no former philosophy varied in terms or method; no new placet or speculation upon particulars al ready known; no referring to action, by any manual | that then, &c. as glass or crystal, being beaten to of practice; but the revealing and discovering of new fine powder, by the interposition of the air becometh inventions and operations. This to be done without white; the white of an egg, being clear of itself, receivthe errors and conjectures of art, or the length or ing air by agitation becometh white, receiving air by difficulties of experience; the nature and kinds of concoction becometh white; here you are freed from which inventions have been described as they could water, and advanced to a clear body, and still tied to be discovered; for your eye cannot pass one kenning air. Let the third direction exclude or remove the without farther sailing: only we have stood upon restraint of an uncoloured body, as in amber, sapthe best advantages of the notions received, as upon phires, &c. which beaten to fine powder, become a mount, to show the knowledges adjacent and con- white in wine and beer; which brought to froth, fining. If therefore the true end of knowledge, not become white. Let the fourth direction exclude propounded, hath bred large error, the best and per- the restraint of a body more grossly transparent than fectest condition of the same end, not perceived, will air, as in flame, being a body compounded between cause some declination. For when the butt is set air and a finer substance than air: which flame, if up, men need not rove, but except the white be it were not for the smoke, which is the third subplaced, men cannot level. This perfection we mean, stance that incorporateth itself and dieth, the flame not in the worth of the effects, but in the nature of would be more perfect white. In all these four dithe direction; for our purpose is not to stir up men's rections air still beareth a part. Let the fifth dihopes, but to guide their travels. The fulness of rection then be, that if any bodies, both transparent, direction to work, and produce any effect, consisteth but in an unequal degree, be mingled as before, in two conditions, certainty and liberty. Certainty whiteness will follow: as oil and water beaten to is, when the direction is not only true for the most an ointment, though by settling, the air which part, but infallible. Liberty is, when the direction | gathereth in the agitation be evaporate, yet remainis not restrained to some definite means, but com- eth white and the powder of glass, or crystal put prehendeth all the means and ways possible; for into water, whereby the air giveth place, yet rethe poet saith well, "Sapientibus undique latæ sunt maineth white, though not so perfect. Now are you viæ;" and where there is the greatest plurality of freed from air, but still are you tied to transparent change, there is the greatest singularity of choice. bodies. To ascend farther by scale I do forbear, Besides as a conjectural direction maketh a casual partly because it would draw on the example to an effect, so a particular and restrained direction is no over-great length, but chiefly because it would open less casual than uncertain. For those particular that which in this work I determine to reserve; for means whereunto it is tied, may be out of your power, to pass through the whole history and observations of or may be accompanied with an overvalue of preju- colours and objects visible, were too long a digresdice; and so if for want of certainty in direction, sion; and our purpose is now to give an example you are frustrated in success, for want of variety in of a free direction, thereby to distinguish and dedirection you are stopped in attempt. If therefore scribe it: and not to set down a form of interpretayour direction be certain, it must refer you, and tion how to recover and attain it. But as we intend point you to somewhat, which if it be present, the not now to reveal, so we are circumspect not to miseffect you seek will of necessity follow, else may lead; and therefore, this warning being given, reyou perform and not obtain. If it be free, then must turning to our purpose in hand, we admit the sixth it refer you to somewhat, which if it be absent the direction to be, that all bodies, or parts of bodies, effect you seek will of necessity withdraw, else may which are unequal equally, that is, in a simple proyou have power and not attempt. This notion portion, do represent whiteness; we will explain Aristotle had in light, though not in use. For the this, though we induce it not. It is then to be untwo commended rules by him set down, whereby the derstood, that absolute equality produceth transpaaxioms of sciences are precepted to be made con- rence, inequality in simple order or proportion provertible, and which the latter men have not without duceth whiteness, inequality in compound or reelegancy surnamed, the one the rule of truth, be- spective order or proportion produceth other colours, cause it preventeth deceit; the other the rule of and absolute or orderless inequality produceth blackprudence, because it freeth election; are the same ness; which diversity, if so gross a demonstration thing in speculation and affirmation, which we now be needful, may be signified by four tables; a blank, observe. An example will make my meaning at- a chequer, a fret, and a medley; whereof the fret is tained, and yet percase make it thought that they evident to admit great variety. Out of this asserattained it not. tion are satisfied a multitude of effects and observaLet the effect to be produced be whiteness; let tions, as that whiteness and blackness are most inthe first direction be, that if air and water be inter-compatible with transparence; that whiteness keepmingled, or broken in small portion together, whiteness will ensue; as in snow, in the breaking of the ways of the sea and rivers, and the like. This direction is certain, but very particular; and restrained, being tied but to air and water. Let the second direction be, that if air be mingled as before with any transparent body, such nevertheless as is uncoloured and more grossly transparent than air itself, VOL. I. eth light, and blackness stoppeth light, but neither passeth it; that whiteness or blackness are never produced in rainbows, diamonds, crystals, and the like; that white giveth no dye, and black hardly taketh dye; that whiteness seemeth to have an affinity with dryness, and blackness with moisture; that adustion causeth blackness, and calcination whiteness; that flowers are generally of fresh co Neither do I contend, but that this notion, which I call the freeing of a direction in the received phi lours, and rarely black, &c. all which I do now | medium, with a motion which successively is conmention confusedly by way of derivation, and not by veyed to the eye, and with the act of sense, wherein way of induction. The sixth direction, which II should likewise open that which I think good to have thus explained, is of good and competent withdraw, I will omit. liberty, for whiteness fixed and inherent; but not for whiteness fantastical, or appearing, as shall be afterwards touched. But first do you need a reduc-losophies, as far as a swimming anticipation could tion back to certainty or verity; for it is not all take hold, might be perceived and discerned; being position or contexture of unequal bodies that will not much other matter than that which they did not produce colours; for aqua fortis, oil of vitriol, &c. only aim at in the two rules of axioms before remore manifestly, and many other substances more membered, but more nearly also than that which obscurely, do consist of very unequal parts, which they term the form or formal cause, or that which yet are transparent and clear. Therefore the re- they call the true difference; both which nevertheduction must be, that the bodies or parts of bodies | less, it seemeth, they propound rather as impossiso intermingled as before, be of a certain grossness, bilities and wishes, than as things within the comor magnitude; for the unequalities which move the pass of human comprehension: for Plato casteth sight must have a farther dimension and quality, his burthen, and saith," that he will revere him as than those which operate many other effects. Some a God, that can truly divide and define;" which canfew grains of saffron will give a tincture to a tun of not be but by true forms and differences, wherein I water, but so many grains of civet will give a per- join hands with him, confessing as much, as yet fume to a whole chamber of air. And therefore assuming to myself little; for if any man can, by when Democritus, from whom Epicurus did borrow the strength of his anticipations, find out forms, I it, held that the position of the solid portions was will magnify him with the foremost. But as any the cause of colours; yet in the very truth of this of them would say, that if divers things, which assertion he should have added, that the portions many men know by instruction and observation, are required to be of some magnitude. And this is another knew by revelation, and without those one cause why colours have little inwardness and means, they would take him for somewhat supernecessitude with the nature and properties of things, natural and divine; so I do acknowledge, that if any those things resembling in colour, which otherwise man can by anticipations reach to that which a weak differ most, as salt and sugar and contrariwise dif- and inferior wit may attain to by interpretation, he fering in colour, which otherwise resemble most, as cannot receive too high a title. Nay, I for my part the white and blue violets, and the several veins of do indeed admire to see how far some of them have one agate or marble, by reason that other virtues proceeded by their anticipations; but how? it is as consist in more subtile proportions than colours do; I wonder at some blind men, to see what shift they and yet are there virtues and natures which require make without their eye-sight; thinking with myself a grosser magnitude than colours, as well as scents that if I were blind, I could hardly do it. Again, and divers other require a more subtile; for as the Aristotle's school confesseth, that there is no true portion of a body will give forth scent, which is too knowledge but by causes, no true cause but the form, small to be seen, so the portion of a body will show no true form known except one, which they are colours, which is too small to be endued with pleased to allow; and therefore thus far their eviweight; and therefore one of the prophets with dence standeth with us, that both hitherto there great elegancy describing how all creatures carry hath been nothing but a shadow of knowledge, and no proportion towards God the Creator, saith," that that we propound now that which is agreed to be all the nations in respect of him are like the dust worthiest to be sought, and hardest to be found. upon the balance;" which is a thing appeareth, but There wanteth now a part very necessary, not by weigheth not. But to return, there resteth a farther way of supply, but by way of caution: for as it is freeing of this sixth direction: for the clearness of seen for the most part, that the outward tokens and a river or stream showeth white at a distance, and badge of excellency and perfection are more incident crystalline glasses deliver the face or any other ob- to things merely counterfeit, than to that which is ject falsified in whiteness, and long beholding the true, but for a meaner and baser sort; as a dubline snow, to a weak eye, giveth an impression of azure, is more like a perfect ruby than a spinel, and a rather than of whiteness. So as for whiteness in counterfeit angel is made more like a true angel, apparition only, and representation, by the qualify- than if it were an angel coined of China gold; in ing of the light, altering the intermedium, or affect like manner, the direction carrieth a resemblance ing the eye itself, it reacheth not. But you must of a true direction in verity and liberty, which infree your direction to the producing of such an in- deed is no direction at all. For though your direccidence, impression, or operation, as may cause a tion seem to be certain and free, by pointing you to precise and determinate passion of the eye, a matter nature that is unseparable from the nature you inwhich is much more easy to induce than that which quire upon; yet if it do not carry you on a degree we have passed through; but yet because it hath a or remove nearer to action, operation, or light, to full coherence both with that act of radiation, which make or produce, it is but superficial and counterhath hitherto been conceived and termed so unpro- feit. Wherefore to secure and warrant what is a perly and untruly, by some, an effluxion of spiritual true direction, though that general note I have given species, and by others, an investing of the inter- be perspicuous in itself, for a man shall soon cast |