432 PREFACE TO THE 



because it may no doubt have been added afterwards ; 

 and the word partitionem at the end of the paragraph 

 in page 443 may seem to imply that it -was meant for 

 the Partitioned Seientiarum, and therefore written after 

 the plan of the Imtauratio Magna had been laid out 

 in its ultimate form. 



The miscellaneous character of these meditations 

 makes the loss of the rest of less consequence. It is 

 easy to strike into the argument of each, and to refer 

 it to its proper place in Bacon s philosophy. It may 

 be convenient however, as they are for the most part 

 without explanatory titles, to give here a list of the 

 several pieces, with a note of the subjects to which 

 they refer. 



FIRST FRAGMENT. 



1. (Cog. 3.) Of the limits and end of Knowledge : the 



same argument which is handled in the first 



o 



chapter of Valerius Terminus, and the opening 

 of the Advancement of Learning. (The be 

 ginning wanting.) 



2. (Cog. 4.) Of the Use of Knowledge. 



3. (Cog. 5.) The fable of Metis. 



4. (Cog. 6.) The fable of the Sister of the Giants. 



5. (Cog. 7.) The fable of Ccelum. 



6. (Cog. 8.) The fable of Proteus. 



1. (Cog. 9.) Of the error in supposing a difference in 



point of eternity and mutability between things 



celestial and things sublunary. 

 8. (Cog. 10.) Of Natural History considered as the 



groundwork of Natural Philosophy. (Imperfect 



at the end.) 



