90 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



but a speculation in them, that all things by scale did ascend to 

 unity. So then always that knowledge is worthiest which is 

 charged with least multiplicity, which appeareth to be meta- 

 physic ; as that which considereth the simple forms or differ 

 ences of things, which are few in number, and the degrees and 

 co-ordinations whereof make all this variety. The second 

 respect, which valueth and commendeth this part of meta- 

 physic, is that it doth enfranchise the power of man unto the 

 greatest liberty and possibility of works and effects. For 

 physic carrieth men in narrow and restrained ways, subject to 

 many accidents and impediments, imitating the ordinary 

 flexuous courses of nature. But latcK undique sunt sapientibus 

 vice ; to sapience (which was anciently denned to be rerum di- 

 vinarum et humanarum scientia) there is ever a choice of means. 

 For physical causes give light to new invention in sirmh 

 materia. But whosoever knoweth any form, knoweth the 

 utmost possibility of superinducing that nature upon any 

 variety of matter ; and so is less restrained in operation, either 

 to the basis of the matter, or the condition of the efficient ; 

 which kind of knowledge Solomon likewise, though in a more 

 divine sense, elegantly describeth : nan arctabuntur (jressus tui, 

 et currens non habcbis offendiculum. The ways of sapience are 

 not much liable either to particularity or chance. 



(7) The second part of metaphysic is the inquiry of final 

 causes, which I am moved to report not as omitted, but as mis 

 placed. And yet if it were but a fault in order, I would not 

 speak of it ; for order is matter of illustration, but pertaineth 

 not to the substance of sciences. But this misplacing hath 

 caused a deficience, or at least a great improficience in the 

 sciences themselves. For the handling of final causes, mixed 

 with the rest in physical inquiries, hath intercepted the severe 

 and diligent inquiry of all real and physical causes, and given 

 men the occasion to stay upon these satisfactory and specious 

 causes, to the great arrest and prejudice of further discovery. 

 For this I find done not only by Plato, who ever anchoreth 

 upon that shore, but by Aristotle, Galen, and others which do 

 usually likewise fall upon these flats of discoursing causes. For 

 to say that &quot;the hairs of the eyelids are for a quickset and 

 fence about the sight ;&quot; or that &quot; the firmness of the skins and 

 hides of living creatures is to defend them from the extremities 

 of heat or cold ; &quot; or that &quot; the bones are for the columns or 

 beams whereupon the frames of the bodies of living creaturen 

 are built; &quot; or that &quot;the leaves of trees are for protecting of 

 the fruit : &quot; or that the clouds are for watering of the earth ; 

 or that &quot;the solidness of the earth is for the station and 



