EXPERIMENTAL METHOD ai 



learned and prudent friends. Thus having recently made 

 many experiments especially in regard to the origin of 

 those living creatures considered, to the present day, by 

 all schools to have been generated by chance, that is 

 spontaneously, without paternal seed ; and being distrust- 

 ful of myself, but still desirous of submitting the results 

 of my labors to other minds, it occurred to me that I 

 might have recourse to you, Signor Carlo, as you have 

 graciously given me a place among your closest friends. 

 Your great knowledge fortified by philosophy and nobly 

 adorned with varied erudition is admired by all men of 

 learning, and is the pride of Tuscany, who envies neither 

 Latium her Varros, nor Greece her Plutarchs. There- 

 fore I beg you to take the trouble to read this letter in 

 your leisure moments and to give me your sincere opin- 

 ion of it, together with your friendly advice and wise 

 counsel, by the aid of which I shall be enabled to remove 

 all superfluous and trivial matter and to add whatever 

 may be necessary. 



" Perchance I may with greater diligence 

 And patient study yet perfect this work." 



Many have believed that this beautiful part of the uni- 

 verse which we commonly call the earth, on leaving the 

 hands of the Eternal, began to clothe itself in a kind of 

 green down, which gradually increasing in perfection 

 and in vigor, by the light of the sun and nourishment 

 from the soil, became plants and trees, which afforded 

 food to the animals that the earth subsequently produced 

 of all kinds, from the elephant to the most minute and 

 invisible animalcule. But the Earth, not content with 

 producing dumb animals, desired the glory of being the 

 Mother of Man. Hence, we are told by Lactantius that 



