#2 NOVUM ORGANUM 



no universal or complete theory. The time does not yet 

 appear to us to be arrived, and we entertain no hope of our 

 life being prolonged to the completion of the sixth part of 

 the Instauration (which is destined for philosophy discovered 

 by the interpretation of nature), but are content if we pro 

 ceed quietly and usefully in our intermediate pursuit, scat 

 tering, in the meantime, the seeds of less adulterated truth 

 for posterity, and, at least, commence the great work. 



CXYII. And, as we pretend not to found a sect, so do 

 we neither offer nor promise particular effects; which may 

 occasion some to object to us, that since we so often speak 

 of effects, and consider everything in its relation to that end, 

 we ought also to give some earnest of producing them. Our 

 course and method, however (as we have often said, and 

 again repeat), is such as not to deduce effects from effects, 

 nor experiments from experiments (as the empirics do), but 

 in our capacity of legitimate interpreters of nature, to de 

 duce causes and axioms from effects and experiments; and 

 new effects and experiments from those causes and axioms. 



And although any one of moderate intelligence and abil 

 ity will observe the indications and sketches of many noble 

 effects in our tables of inventions (which form the fourth 

 part of the Instauration), and also in the examples of par 

 ticular instances cited in the second part, as well as in our 

 observations on history (which is the subject of the third 

 part); yet we candidly confess that our present natural his 

 tory, whether compiled from books or our own inquiries, is 

 not sufficiently copious and well ascertained to satisfy, or 

 even assist, a proper interpretation. 



If, therefore, there be any one who is more disposed and 

 prepared for mechanical art, and ingenious in discovering 

 effects, than in the mere management of experiment, we 



