NOVUM OliGANUM. 141 



art, and such as excite wonder ; for wonder is engendered 

 by rarity, since that which is rare, although it be com 

 pounded of ordinary natures, always begets wonder. On 

 the contrary, that which is really wonderful, from some 

 specific difference distinguishing it from other species, is 

 carelessly observed, if it be but familiar. Yet the singu 

 lar instances of art should be observed no less than those 

 of nature, which we have before spoken of: and, as in the 

 latter we have classed the sun, the moon, the magnet, and 

 the like, all of them most familiar to us, but yet in their 

 nature singular, so should we proceed with the singular 

 instances of art. 



For example ; paper, a very common substance, is a sin 

 gular instance of art. For if you consider the subject atten 

 tively, you will find that artificial substances are either 

 woven by straight and transverse lines, as silk, woollen, or 

 linen cloth, and the like; or coagulated from concrete juices, 

 such as brick, earthenware, glass, enamel, porcelain, and 

 the like, which admit of a polish if they be compact, but 

 if not, become hard without being polished ; all which lat 

 ter substances are brittle, and not adherent or tenacious. 

 On the contrary, paper is a tenacious substance, which can 

 be cut and torn, so as to resemble and almost rival the skin 

 of any animal, or the leaf of vegetables, and the like works 

 of nature ; being neither brittle like glass, nor woven like 

 cloth, but having fibres and not distinct threads, just as 

 natural substances, so that scarcely any thing similar can 

 be found amongst artificial substances, and it is absolutely 

 singular. And in artificial works we should certainly prefer 

 those which approach the nearest to an imitation of nature, 

 or on the other hand, powerfully govern and change her 

 course. Again in these instances which we term the wit 

 and hands of man, charms and conjuring should not be 

 altogether despised, for although mere amusements, and of 

 little use, yet they may afford considerable information. 



Lastly,- superstition, and magic (in its common accepta 

 tion), are not to be entirely omitted ; for although they be 

 overwhelmed by a mass of lies and fables, yet some investi 

 gation should be made, to see if there be really any latent 

 natural operation in them ; as in fascination, and the forti 

 fying of the imagination, the sympathy of distant objects, 

 the transmission of impressions from spirit to spirit no less 

 than from body to body, and the like. 



32. From the foregoing remarks, it is clear that the five 

 last species of instances (the similar, singular, deviating, 



