XOVUM ORGANUM. 77 



useful matters are yet treasured up in the bosom of nature, 

 bearing no relation or analogy to our actual discoveries, but 

 out of the common track of our imagination, and still undis 

 covered ; and which will doubtless be brought to light in 

 the course and lapse of years, as the others have been be 

 fore them ; but in the way we now point out, they may 

 rapidly and at once be both represented and anticipated. 



110. There are moreover some inventions which render 

 it probable that men may pass and hurry over the most 

 noble discoveries which lie immediately before them. For 

 however the discovery of gunpowder, silk, the compass, 

 sugar, paper, or the like, may appear to depend on peculiar 

 properties of things and nature, printing at least involves 

 no contrivance which is not clear and almost obvious. But 

 from want of observing that although the arrangement of 

 the types of letters required more trouble than writing with 

 the hand, yet these types once arranged serve for innumer 

 able impressions, whilst manuscript only affords one copy ; 

 and again, from want of observing that ink might be thick 

 ened so as to stain without running (which was necessary, 

 seeing the letters face upwards, and the impression is made 

 from above), this most beautiful invention (which assists so 

 materially the propagation of learning) remained unknown 

 for so many ages. 



The human mind is often so awkward and ill regulated 

 in the career of invention, that it is at first diffident, and 

 then despises itself. For it appears at first incredible that 

 any such discovery should be made, and when it has been 

 made, it appears incredible that it should so long have 

 escaped men s research. All which affords good reason for 

 the hope that a vast mass of inventions yet remains, which 

 may be deduced not only from the investigation of new 

 modes of operation, but also from transferring, comparing 

 and applying these already known, by the method of what 

 we have termed literate experience. 



111. Nor should we omit another ground of hope. Let 

 men only consider (if they will) their infinite expenditure of 

 talent, time, and fortune, in matters and studies of far 

 inferior importance and value : a small portion of which 

 applied to sound and solid learning would be sufficient to 

 overcome every difficulty. And we have thought right to 

 add this observation, because we candidly own that such a 

 collection of natural and experimental history as we have 

 traced in our own mind, and as is really necessary, is a 

 great and as it were royal work, requiring much labour and 

 expense. 



