NOVUM ORGANUM. 145 



dictating to nature according to his habit, and dogmatically 

 assigning the cause of generation to the approach of the 

 sun and that of corruption to its retreat ; whilst in fact 

 each circumstance indifferently and not respectively con 

 tributes both to generation and corruption; for unequal 

 heat tends to generate and corrupt, as equable heat does to 

 preserve. 4. The fourth difference between the heat of the 

 sun and fire is of great consequence ; namely, that the sun, 

 gradually, and for a length of time, insinuates its effects, 

 whilst those of fire (urged by the impatience of man) are 

 brought to a termination in a shorter space of time. But 

 if any one were to pay attention to the tempering of fire, 

 and reducing it to a more moderate and gentle degree 

 (which may be done in various ways), and then were to 

 sprinkle and mix a degree of humidity with it, and above 

 all were to imitate the sun in its inequality, and lastly were 

 patiently to suffer some delay (not such, however, as is pro 

 portioned to the effects of the sun, but more than men 

 usually admit of in those of fire), he would soon banish the 

 notion of any difference, and would attempt, or equal, or 

 perhaps sometimes surpass the effect of the sun, by the heat 

 of fire. A like instance of alliance, is that of reviving but 

 terflies, benumbed and nearly dead from cold, by the gentle 

 warmth of fire, so that fire is no less able to revive animals 

 than to ripen vegetables. We may also mention the cele 

 brated invention of Fracastorius, of applying a pan consi 

 derably heated to the head in desperate cases of apoplexy, 

 which clearly expands the animal spirits, when compressed 

 and almost extinguished by the humours and obstructions 

 of the brain, and excites them to action, as the fire would 

 operate on water or air, and in the result produces life. 

 Eggs are sometimes hatched by the heat of fire, an exact 

 imitation of animal heat ; and there are many instances of 

 the like nature, so that no one can doubt that the heat of 

 fire, in many cases, can be modified till it resemble that of 

 the heavenly bodies and of animals. 



Again, let the required natures be motion and rest. There 

 appears to be a settled classification, grounded on the 

 deepest philosophy, that natural bodies either revolve, move 

 in a straight line, or stand still and rest. For there is either 

 motion without limit, or continuance within a certain limit, 

 or a translation towards a certain limit. The eternal motion 

 of revolution appears peculiar to the heavenly bodies, rest 

 to this our globe, and the other bodies (heavy and light 



VOL. XIV. L 



