224 PREPARATION FOR A NATURAL 



spungy. This last circumstance renders it a matter not 

 worthy of much wonder, that the one root should always 

 sink and the other swim, though this too has been consi 

 dered marvellous, and has added weight to the reputed 

 virtues of the plant. 



ix. There now remain certain useful accessories to natural 

 history, for the purpose of bending and adapting it more 

 readily to the labour of the interpreter which is to follow. 

 They are five in number. 



In the first place queries are to be subjoined (not of 

 causes but of facts), in order to challenge and court further 

 inquiry. As, for instance, in the history of the earth and 

 sea, whether the Caspian has any tide and the period of 

 it ? whether there is any southern continent or only islands? 

 and the like. 



Secondly, in relating any new and delicate experiment, 

 the method adopted in making it should be added, in order 

 to allow free scope to the reader s judgment upon the 

 soundness or fallacy of the information derived from it, and 

 also to spur on men s industry in searching for more accu 

 rate methods, if such there be. 



Thirdly, if there be any particle of doubt or hesitation 

 as to the matter related, we would by no means have it 

 suppressed or passed over, but it should be plainly and 

 clearly set out, by way of note or warning. For we would 

 have our first history written with the most religious par 

 ticularity, and as though upon oath as to the truth of 

 every syllable, for it is a volume of God s works, and (as 

 far as the majesty of things divine can brook comparison 

 with the lowliness of earthly objects) is, as it were, a second 

 scripture. 



Fourthly, it will be proper to intersperse some observa 

 tions, as Pliny has done. Thus, in the history of the earth 

 and sea, we may observe, that the figure of the earth (as 

 far as it is known to us), when compared with that of the 

 sea, is narrow and pointed towards the south, broad and 

 expanded towards the north, the contrary to that of the 

 sea : and that vast oceans divide the continents with chan 

 nels extended from north to south, not from east to west, 

 except perhaps near the poles. Canons also (which are 

 only general and universal observations) are very properly 

 introduced ; as in the history of the heavens, that Venus is 

 never more than forty-six degrees distant from the sun, nor 

 Mercury more than twenty-three; and that theplanets, which 

 are placed above the sun, move most slowly when farthest 



