98 NOVUM ORGANUM 



lapse of ages, than it would be of importance to mankind 

 to know whether the new world be the island of Atlantis,&quot; 

 and known to the ancients, or be now discovered for the 

 first time. 



With regard to the universal censure we have bestowed, 

 it is quite clear, to any one who properly considers the 

 matter, that it is both more probable and more modest than 

 any partial one could have been. For if the errors had not 

 been rooted in the primary notions, some well conducted 

 discoveries must have corrected others that were deficient. 

 But since the errors were fundamental, and of such a nature, 

 that men may be said rather to have neglected or passed 

 over things, than to have formed a wrong or false judgment 

 of them, it is little to be wondered at, that they did not ob 

 tain what they never aimed at, nor arrive at a goal which 

 they had not determined, nor perform a course which they 

 had neither entered upon nor adhered to. 



With regard to our presumption, we allow that if we were 

 to assume a power of drawing a more perfect straight line 

 or circle than any one else, by superior steadiness of hand 

 or acuteness of eye, it would lead to a comparison of talent; 

 but if one merely assert that he can draw a more perfect line 

 or circle with a ruler or compasses, than another can by his 

 unassisted hand or eye, he surely cannot be said to boast 

 of much. Now this applies not only to our first original 

 attempt, but also to those who shall hereafter apply them 

 selves to the pursuit. For our method of discovering the 

 sciences merely levels men s wits, and leaves but little to 

 their superiority, since it achieves everything by the most 

 certain rules and demonstrations. Whence (as we have 



66 See Plato s Timjeua. 



