82 NOVUM ORGANUM. 



that they have hitherto been used to do nothing but refer 

 and adapt the causes of things of rare occurrence to those 

 of things which more frequently happen, without any in 

 vestigation of the causes of the latter, taking them for 

 granted and admitted. 



Hence they do not inquire into the causes of gravity, the 

 rotation of the heavenly bodies, heat, cold, light, hardness, 

 softness, rarity, density, liquidity, solidity, animation, in 

 animation, similitude, difference, organic formation, but 

 taking them to be self-evident, manifest, and admitted, they 

 dispute and decide upon other matters of less frequent and 

 familiar occurrence. 



But we (who know that no judgment can be formed of 

 that which is rare or remarkable, and much less any thing 

 new brought to light, without a previous regular examina 

 tion and discovery of the causes of that which is common, 

 and the causes again of those causes) are necessarily com 

 pelled to admit the most common objects into our history. 

 Besides, we have observed that nothing has been so inju 

 rious to philosophy as this circumstance, namely, that fami 

 liar and frequent objects do not arrest and detain men s con 

 templation, but are carelessly admitted, and their causes 

 never inquired after ; so that information on unknown 

 subjects is not more often wanted than attention to those 

 which are known. 



120. With regard to the meanness or even the filthiness 

 of particulars, for which (as Pliny observes) an apology is 

 requisite, such subjects are no less worthy of admission 

 into natural history than the most magnificent and costly : 

 nor do they at all pollute natural history, for the sun enters 

 alike the palace and the privy, and is not thereby polluted. 

 We neither dedicate nor raise a capitol or pyramid to the 

 pride of man, but rear a holy temple in his mind, on the 

 model of the universe, which model therefore we imitate. 

 For that which is deserving of existence is deserving of 

 knowledge, the image of existence. Now the mean and 

 splendid alike exist. Nay, as the finest odours are some 

 times produced from putrid matter (such as musk and 

 civet), so does valuable light and information emanate from 

 mean and sordid instances. But we have already said too 

 much, for such fastidious feelings are childish and effe 

 minate. 



121. The next point requires a more accurate conside 

 ration, namely, that many parts of our history will appear 

 to the vulgar, or even any mind accustomed to the present 



