XOVUM ORGANUM. 79 



one of the most powerful causes of the delay and restraint 

 to which the sciences have been subjected ; in treating of 

 which, we have at the same time discussed the signs and 

 causes of the errors, idleness, and ignorance, that have pre 

 vailed : seeing especially that the more refined causes, which 

 are not open to popular judgment and observation, may be 

 referred to our remarks on the idols of the human mind. 

 Here too we should close the demolishing branch of our 

 Instauration, which is comprised in three confutations. 



1. The confutation of natural human reason left to itself. 



2. The confutation of demonstration. 3. The confutation 

 of theories, or received systems of philosophy and doctrines. 

 Our confutation has followed such a course as was open to 

 it, namely, the exposing of the signs of error, and the pro 

 ducing evidence of the causes of it : for we could adopt no 

 other, differing as we do both in first principles and demon 

 strations from others. 



It is time for us therefore to come to the art itself, and the 

 rule for the interpretation of nature : there is however still 

 something which must not be passed over. For the intent 

 of this first book of aphorisms being to prepare the mind 

 for understanding, as well as admitting, what follows, we 

 must now, after having cleansed, polished, and levelled its 

 surface, place it in a good position, and as it were a bene 

 volent aspect towards our propositions ; seeing that pre 

 judice in new matters may be produced not only by the 

 strength of preconceived notions, but also by a false antici 

 pation or expectation of the matter proposed. We shall 

 therefore endeavour to induce good and correct opinions 

 of what we offer, although this be only necessary for the 

 moment, and as. it were laid out at interest, until the matter 

 itself be well understood. 



116. First then, we must desire men not to suppose that 

 we are ambitious of founding any philosophical sect, like 

 the ancient Greeks, or some moderns, as Telesius,* Patri- 

 cius,f and Severinus. J For neither is this our intention, 



* Bernardino Telesio, a Neapolitan. He studied at Padua, and published 

 his &quot; De rerum natura juxta propria principia&quot; in 1565, in opposition to Aris 

 totle. He applied mathematics to physics, and held some notions similar to those 

 of Parmenides. 



t Francesco Patrizio, born in Cherso, on the coast of Dalmatia, in 1 529. He 

 studied at Padua, and was afterwards professor of Platonic philosophy at Home 

 till his death in 1597. He impugned Aristotle s philosophy in his Nova de 

 Universis Philosophia. 



f Marco Aurelio Severini, a learned physician of Naples, who published an 

 attack on Aristotle s Natural History, and several other works. He was born in 

 1580. 



