74 NOVUM ORGANUM. 



(such as are termed the principles of arts and things), and 

 thus prove and make out their intermediate axioms accord 

 ing to the supposed unshaken truth of the former. This, 

 however, has always been done to the present time from 

 the natural bent of the understanding, educated too and 

 accustomed to this very method by the syllogistic mode of 

 demonstration. But we can then only augur well for the 

 sciences, when the ascent shall proceed by a true scale 

 and successive steps, without interruption or breach, from 

 particulars to the lesser axioms, thence to the interme 

 diate (rising one above the other), and lastly to the most 

 general. For the lowest axioms differ but little from bare 

 experiment, the highest and most general (as they are 

 esteemed at present) are notional, abstract, and of no real 

 weight. The intermediate are true, solid, full of life, and 

 upon them depend the business and fortune of mankind ; 

 beyond these are the really general, but not abstract, 

 axioms, which are truly limited by the intermediate. 



We must not then add wings but rather lead and ballast 

 to the understanding, to prevent its jumping or flying, 

 which has not yet been done ; but whenever this takes 

 place we may entertain greater hopes of the sciences. 



105. In forming axioms, we must invent a different form 

 of induction from that hitherto in use; not only for the 

 proof and discovery of principles (as they are called), but 

 also of minor intermediate, and in short every kind of 

 axioms. The induction which proceeds by simple enume 

 ration is puerile, leads to uncertain conclusions, and is ex 

 posed to danger from one contradictory instance, deciding 

 generally from too small a number of facts, and those only 

 the most obvious. But a really useful induction for the 

 discovery and demonstration of the arts and sciences should 

 separate nature by proper rejections and exclusions, and 

 then conclude for the affirmative after collecting a suffi 

 cient number of negatives. Now this has not been done, or 

 even attempted, except perhaps by Plato, who certainly 

 uses this form of induction in some measure, to sift defini 

 tions and ideas. But much of what has never yet entered 

 the thoughts of man, must necessarily be employed in order 

 to exhibit a good and legitimate mode of induction, or de 

 monstration; so as even to render it essential for us to 

 bestow more pains upon it than have hitherto been bestowed 

 on syllogisms. The assistance of induction is to serve us 

 not only in the discovery of axioms, but also in defining our 

 notions. Much indeed is to be hoped from such an induc 

 tion as has been described. 



