116 NOVUM ORGANUM 



generation and transformation of bodies only, but in all 

 other alterations and fluctuations we must in like manner 

 inquire; what precedes, what succeeds, what is quick, what 

 is slow, what produces and what governs motion, and the 

 like. All which matters are unknown and unattempted by 

 the sciences, in their present heavy and inactive state. For, 

 since every natural act is brought about by the smallest 

 efforts, 8 or at least such as are too small to strike our senses, 

 let no one hope that he will be able to direct or change na 

 ture unless he have properly comprehended and observed 

 these efforts. 



VII. In like manner, the investigation and discovery of 

 the latent conformation in bodies is no less new, than the 

 discovery of the latent process and form. For we as yet are 

 doubtless only admitted to the antechamber of nature, and 

 do not prepare an entrance into her presence-room. But 

 nobody can endue a given body with a new nature, or trans 

 form it successfully and appropriately into a new body, 

 without possessing a complete knowledge of the body so to 

 be changed or transformed. For he will run into vain, or, 

 at least, into difficult and perverse methods, ill adapted to 

 the nature of the body upon which he operates. A clear 

 path, therefore, toward this object also must be thrown 

 open, and well supported. 



Labor is well and usefully bestowed upon the anatomy 

 of organized bodies, such as those of men and animals, 

 which appears to be a subtile matter, and a useful examina 

 tion of nature. The species of anatomy, however, is that of 

 first sight, open to the senses, and takes place only in organ- 



8 Bacon here first seems pregnant with the important development of the 

 higher calculus, which, in the hands of Newton and Descartes, was to effect: 

 as great a revolution in philosophy as his method. Ed. 



