80 NOVUM ORGANUM. 



nor do we think that peculiar abstract opinions on nature 

 and the principles of things, are of much importance to 

 men s fortunes ; since it were easy to revive many ancient 

 theories, and to introduce many new ones ; as for instance, 

 many hypotheses with regard *;-the heavens can be formed, 

 differing in themselves, and yet sufficiently according with 

 the phenomena. 



We bestow not our labour on such theoretical and, at 

 the same time, useless topics. On the contrary, our deter 

 mination is that of trying, whether we can lay a firmer 

 foundation, and extend to a greater distance the boundaries 

 of human power and dignity. And although, here and 

 there, upon some particular points, we hold (in our own 

 opinion) more true and certain, and I might even say, more 

 advantageous tenets, than those in general repute (which 

 we have collected in the fifth part of our Instauration), yet 

 we offer no universal or complete theory. The time does 

 not yet appear to us to be arrived, and we entertain no 

 hope of our life being prolonged to the completion of the 

 sixth part of the Instauration (which is destined for philo 

 sophy discovered by the interpretation of nature), but are 

 content if we proceed quietly and usefully in our interme 

 diate pursuit, scattering, in the mean time, the seeds of 

 less adulterated truth for posterity, and, at least, commence 

 the great work. 



117. And, as we pretend not to found a sect, so do we 

 neither offer nor promise particular effects : which may 

 occasion some to object to us, that since we so often speak 

 of effects, and consider every thing in its relation to that 

 end, we ought also to give some earnest of producing them. 

 Our course and method however (as we have often said, 

 and again repeat) is such as not to deduce effects from 

 effects, nor experiments from experiments (as the empirics 

 do), but in our capacity of legitimate interpreters of nature 

 to deduce causes and axioms from effects and experiments ; 

 and new effects and experiments from those causes and 

 axioms. 



And although any one of moderate intelligence and abi 

 lity will observe the indications and sketches of many 

 noble effects in our tables of inventions (which form the 

 fourth part of the Instauration), and also in the examples 

 of particular instances cited in the second part, as well as 

 in our observations on history (which is the subject of the 

 third part) ; yet we candidly confess that our present na 

 tural history, whether compiled from books, or our own 



