142 NOVUM ORGANUM. 



and bordering instances, and those of power) should not 

 be reserved for the investigation of any given nature, as 

 the preceding and many of the succeeding instances must, 

 but a collection of them should be made at once, in the 

 style of a particular history ; so that they may arrange the 

 matter which enters the understanding, and correct its 

 depraved habit, for it is necessarily imbued, corrupted, per 

 verted, and distorted by daily and habitual impressions. 



They are to be used, therefore, as a preparative, for the 

 purpose of rectifying and purifying the understanding, for 

 whatever withdraws it from habit, levels and planes down 

 its surface for the reception of the dry and pure light of 

 true notions. These instances, moreover, level and prepare 

 the way for the operative branch, as we will mention in its 

 proper place when speaking of the practical deductions. 



33. In the eleventh rank of prerogative instances, we will 

 place Accompanying and Hostile instances. These are such 

 as exhibit any body or concrete, where the required nature 

 is constantly found, as an inseparable companion, or, on the 

 contrary, where the required nature is constantly avoided, 

 and excluded from attendance, as an enemy. From these 

 instances maybe formed certain and universal propositions, 

 either affirmative or negative; the subject of which will 

 be the concrete body, and the predicate the required nature. 

 For particular propositions are by no means fixed, when 

 the required nature is found to fluctuate and change in the 

 concrete, either approaching and acquired, or receding and 

 laid aside. Hence particular propositions have no great 

 prerogative, except in the case of migration, of w 7 hich we 

 have spoken above. Yet such particular propositions are 

 of great use, when compared with the universal, as will be 

 mentioned in its proper place. Nor do we require absolute 

 affirmation or negation, even in universal propositions, for 

 if the exceptions be singular or rare, it is sufficient for our 

 purpose. 



The use of accompanying instances is to narrow the 

 affirmative of form. For as it is narrowed by the migrating 

 instances, where the form must necessarily be something 

 communicated or destroyed by the act of migration, so it is 

 narrowed by accompanying instances, where the form must 

 necessarily be something which enters into the concretion 

 of the body, or, on the contrary, is repugnant to it, and one 

 who is well acquainted with the constitution or formation 

 of the body, will not be far from bringing to light the form 

 of the required nature. 



