FRANCIS BACON 3 



salvation is to begin the whole labor of the mind again ; not leaving it 

 to itself, but directing it perpetually from the very first, and attain- 

 ing our end as it were by mechanical aid. If men, for instance, had 

 attempted mechanical labors with their hands alone, and without the 

 power and aid of instruments, as they have not hesitated to carry on 

 the labors of their understanding with the unaided efforts of their 

 mind, they would have been able to move and overcome but little, 

 though they had exerted their utmost and united powers. And 

 just to pause awhile on this comparison, and look into it as a mirror ; 

 let us ask, if any obelisk of a remarkable size were perchance required 

 to be moved, for the purpose of gracing a triumph or any similar pag- 

 eant, and men were to attempt it with their bare hands, would not 

 any sober spectator avow it to be an act of the greatest madness? 

 And if they should increase the number of workmen, and imagine that 

 they could thus succeed, would he not think so still more? But if 

 they chose to make a selection, and to remove the weak, and only 

 employ the strong and vigorous, thinking by this means, at any rate, 

 to achieve their object, would he not say that they were more fondly 

 deranged? Nay, if not content with this, they were to determine on 

 consulting the athletic art, and were to give orders for all to appear 

 with their hands, arms, and muscles regularly oiled and prepared, 

 would he not exclaim that they were taking pains to rave by method 

 and design ? Yet men are hurried on with the same senseless energy 

 and useless combination in intellectual matters, as long as they expect 

 great results either from the number and agreement, or the excellence 

 and acuteness of their wits ; or even strengthen their minds with logic, 

 which may be considered as an athletic preparation, but yet do not 

 desist (if we rightly consider the matter) from applying their own 

 understandings merely with all this zeal and effort. Whilst nothing 

 is more clear, than that in every great work executed by the 

 hand of man without machines or implements, it is impossible for 

 the strength of individuals to be increased, or that of the multitude 

 to combine. 



Having premised so much, we lay down two points on which we 

 would admonish mankind lest they should fail to see or to observe 

 them. The first of these is, that it is our good fortune (as we con- 

 sider it), for the sake of extinguishing and removing contradiction 

 and irritation of mind, to leave the honor and reverence due to the 



