XOVUM ORGAN UM. 33 



Still more is this the case in axioms and inferior proposi 

 tions derived from syllogisms. 



18. The present discoveries in science are such as lie 

 immediately beneath the surface of common notions. It 

 is necessary, however, to penetrate the more secret and 

 remote parts of nature, in order to abstract both notions 

 and axioms from things, by a more certain and guarded 

 method. 



19. There are and can exist but two ways of investigat 

 ing and discovering truth. The one hurries on rapidly 

 from the senses and particulars to the most general 

 axioms; and from them as principles and their supposed 

 indisputable truth derives and discovers the intermediate 

 axioms. This is the way now in use. The other constructs 

 its axioms from the senses and particulars, by ascending 

 continually and gradually, till it finally arrives at the most 

 general axioms, which is the true but unattempted way. 



20. The understanding when left to itself proceeds by 

 the same way as that which it would have adopted under 

 the guidance of logic, namely, the first. For the mind is 

 fond of starting off to generalities, that it may avoid labour, 

 and after dwelling a little on a subject is fatigued by expe 

 riment. But these evils are augmented by logic, for the 

 sake of the ostentation of dispute) 



21. The understanding when left to itself in a man of a 

 steady, patient, and reflecting disposition (especially when 

 unimpeded by received doctrines), makes some attempt in 

 the right way, but with little effect ; since the understand 

 ing, undirected and unassisted, is unequal to and unfit for 

 the task of vanquishing the obscurity of things. 



22. Each of these two ways begins from the senses and 

 particulars, and ends in the greatest generalities. But they 

 are immeasurably different; for the one merely touches 

 cursorily the limits of experiment, and particulars, whilst 

 the other runs duly and regularly through them ; the one 

 from the very outset lays down some abstract and useless 

 generalities, the other gradually rises to those principles 

 which are really the most common in nature. 



23. There is no small difference between the idols of the 

 human mind, and the ideas of the divine mind ; that is to 

 say between certain idle dogmas, and the real stamp and 

 impression of created objects, as they are found in nature. 



24. Axioms determined upon in argument can never 

 assist in the discovery of new effects : for the subtilty of 

 nature is vastly superior to that of argument. But axioms 



VOL. XIV. I) 



