NOVUM ORGANUM. 87 



till we arrive regularly at generalities by the intermediate 

 steps, and thus keep the judgment in suspense and lead to 

 uncertainty. But our object is not uncertainty but fitting 

 certainty, for we derogate not from the senses but assist 

 them, and despise not the understanding but direct it. It 

 is better to know what is necessary, and not to imagine we 

 are fully in possession of it, than to imagine that we are 

 fully in possession of it, and yet in reality to know nothing 

 which we ought. 



127. Again, some may raise this question rather than 

 objection, whether we talk of perfecting natural philo 

 sophy alone according to our method, or the other sciences 

 also, such as logic, ethics, politics. We certainly intend to 

 comprehend them all. And as common logic, which regu 

 lates matters by syllogisms, is applied not only to natural 

 but also to every other science, so our inductive method 

 likewise comprehends them all. For we form a history 

 and tables of invention for anger, fear, shame, and the 

 like, and also for examples in civil life, and the mental 

 operations of memory, composition, division, judgment, and 

 the rest, as well as for heat and cold, light, vegetation, and 

 the like. But since our method of interpretation, after 

 preparing and arranging a history, does not content itself 

 with examining the operations and disquisitions of the mind 

 like common logic ; but also inspects the nature of things, 

 we so regulate the mind that it may be enabled to apply it 

 self in every respect correctly to that nature. On that 

 account we deliver numerous and various precepts in our 

 doctrine of interpretation, so that they may apply in some 

 measure to the method of discovering the quality and con 

 dition of the subject matter of investigation. 



128. Let none even doubt whether we are anxious to 

 destroy and demolish the philosophy, arts, and sciences, 

 which are now in use. On the contrary, we readily cherish 

 their practice, cultivation, and honour. For we by no 

 means interfere to prevent the prevalent system from en 

 couraging discussion, adorning discourses, or being em 

 ployed serviceably in the chair of the professor or the 

 practice of common life, and being taken, in short, by 

 general consent as current coin. Nay, we plainly declare, 

 that the system we offer will not be very suitable for such 

 purposes, not being easily adapted to vulgar apprehensions, 

 except by effects and works. To show our sincerity in 

 professing our regard and friendly disposition towards the 

 received sciences, we can refer to the evidence of our pub 

 lished writings (especially our books on the advancement 



