88 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



distributed. Nature is collected either into one entire total, 

 or else into the same principles or seeds. So as the first 

 doctrine is touching the contexture or configuration of 

 things, as de mundo, de universitate rerum. The second is the 

 doctrine concerning the principles or originals of things. The 

 third is the doctrine concerning all variety and particularity 

 of things ; whether it be of the differing substances, or their 

 differing qualities and natures ; whereof there needeth no 

 enumeration, this part being but as a gloss or paraphrase that 

 attendeth upon the text of natural history. Of these three 

 I cannot report any as deficient. In what truth or perfection 

 they are handled, I make not now any judgment ; but they are 



\parts of knowledge not deserted by the labour of man. 

 (5) For metaphysic, we have assigned unto it the inquiry of 

 formal and final causes ; which assignation, as to the former of 

 them, may seem to be nugatory and void, because of the 

 received and inveterate opinion, that the inquisition of man is 

 not competent to find out essential forms or true differences ; 

 of which opinion we will take this hold, that the inven 

 tion of forms is of all other parts of knowledge the worthiest 

 to be sought, if it be possible to be found. As for the possi 

 bility, they are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when 

 they can see nothing but sea. But it is manifest that Plato, 

 in his opinion of ideas, as one that had a wit of elevation 

 situate as upon a cliff, did descry that forms were the true 

 object of knowledge ; but lost the real fruit of his opinion, by 

 considering of forms as absolutely abstracted from matter, and 

 not confined and determined by matter ; and so turning his 

 opinion upon theology, wherewith all his natural philosophy is 

 infected. But if any man shall keep a continual watchful and 

 severe eye upon action, operation, and the use of knoAvledge, 

 he may advise and take notice what are the forms, the dis 

 closures whereof are fruitful and important to the state of 

 man. For as to the forms of substances (man only except, 

 of whom it is said, Formavit hominem de limo terrce, et spiravit 

 in faciem ejus spiraculum vitce, and not as of all other creatures, 

 Producant aquce, producat terra), the forms of substances I say 

 (as they are now by compounding and transplanting multiplied) 

 are so perplexed, as they are not to be inquired ; no more than 

 it were either possible or to purpose to seek in gross the forms 

 of those sounds which make words, which by composition and 

 transposition of letters are infinite. But, on the other side, to 

 inquire the form of those sounds or voices which make simple 

 letters is easily comprehensible ; and being known induceth 

 ind manifesteth the forms of all words, which consist and are 



