VII. i.] THE SECOND BOOK. Ill 



philosophy. If then it be true that Democritus said, 

 that tht truth of nature lieth hid in certain deep mines and 

 caves ; and ir it be true likewise that the alchemists do so 

 much inculcate, that Vulcan is a second nature, and im- 

 itateth that dextercmsly and compendiously which nature 

 worketh by ambages and length of time ; it were good to 

 divide natural philosophy into the mine and the furnace, 

 and to make two profess ; ons or occupations of natural 

 philosophers, some to be pioneers and some smiths ; 

 some to dig, and some to refine and hammer. And surely 

 I do best allow of a division of that kind, though in more 

 familiar and scholastical terms ; namely, that these be the 

 two parts of natural philosophy, the inquisition of causes, 

 and the production of effects ; speculative, and operative ; 

 natural science, and natural prudence. For as in civil 

 matters there is a wisdom of discourse, and a wisdom of 

 direction; so is it in natural. And here I will make a 

 request, that for the latter (or at least for a part thereof) 

 I may revive and reintegrate the misapplied and abused 

 name of natural magic; which in the true sense is but 

 natural wisdom, or natural prudence ; taken according to 

 the ancient acception, purged from vanity and super 

 stition. Now although it be true, and I know it well, 

 that there is an intercourse between causes and effects, 

 so as both these knowledges, speculative and operative, 1 

 have a great connexion between themselves ; yet because 

 all true and fruitful natural philosophy hath a double 

 scale or ladder, ascendent and descendent, ascending 

 from experiments to the invention of causes, and de 

 scending from causes to the invention of new experi 

 ments ; therefore I judge it most requisite that these two 

 parts be severally considered and handled. 



2. Natural science or theory is divided into physic and 



