18 INTERPRETATION OF NATURE. 



He thought also, when men did set before themselves the 

 variety and exquisite perfection of works supplied for human 

 life by the mechanical arts ; they are apt rather to admire 

 the provisions of man, than to apprehend his want; not 

 considering that the original observations of man and ope 

 rations of nature, which are, as it were, the breath and life 

 of all that variety, are not many nor deeply fetched ; and 

 that the rest belongs to man s patience, and the subtle and 

 ruled motion of his hand or instruments; and that in this 

 the shop is very like the library, which exhibits such a 

 variety of books, in which, if one carefully examine, he will 

 find nothing but infinite iterations of the same thing, varied 

 in the form and mode of treatment, but preoccupied in in 

 vention. So he saw plainly, that opinion of abundance 

 was one of the causes of want ; and that both works and 

 doctrines appear many, but are, when examined, few. 



He thought also that those doctrines which we have, are 

 presented with a kind of ambition and pretension, and 

 come before us dressed up and in form, as if each art were 

 in every branch perfect and finished. For it is reduced 

 into such methods and divisions, as seem to embrace and 

 include all treatises that can possibly bear on that subject. 

 And however weakly the parts are filled, and destitute of 

 any living seeds of things ; yet they carry the show and 

 reason of a total ; and it is brought to this, that a few 

 writings of some received authors, yet not the best chosen, 

 go for the very art in its perfection. Whereas the earliest 

 searches for truth in better faith, and with more fortunate 

 event, used to throw into aphorisms or sentences short, 

 scattered, and unconfined by method, the knowledge which 

 it was their object to gather from the consideration of things, 

 and to store up for use ; which, as they showed simple 

 representations of things discovered, and evident spaces and 

 vacancies for things not discovered, were less fallacious; 

 and invited men s talents and thoughts alike to criticism 

 and invention. But now sciences are exhibited in such 

 forms, as to claim belief, not solicit judgment, and check 

 with a sullen authority the generous springings of inven 

 tion : so that every succession and devolution of philosophy 

 bears the character of master and disciple, not of inventor 

 and continuer; whence it necessarily follows that sciences 

 continue in their own steps, and never stir from their ground. 

 This has been done for many ages, so that what is positive 

 is fixed, and that which is question is kept question, and 

 remains wholly in the same state. And, therefore, he saw 



