INTERPRETATION OF NATURE. 27 



bers imply something physical) are mostly of that kind, 

 which lead rather to the founding of some religious order, 

 than to the opening of a school in philosophy ; which 

 the event proved : for this philosophy had more weight 

 in the heresy of the Manichseans, and the superstition 

 of Mahomet, than among men of science. The rest how 

 ever were certainly natural philosophers ; and there are 

 some of them who have dived into nature much deeper 

 and more acutely than Aristotle. But he busied himself, 

 like the Ottomans, in destroying his brothers; and suc 

 ceeded in it to his wish. Now he had the same opinion of 

 Aristotle as of the other Greek philosophers, namely, that 

 such systems and theories were, like the different argu 

 ments of dramatic pieces, moulded into a certain keeping 

 with nature, some with more nicety, others more negligently 

 and roughly ; and that, as belongs to fiction, they appeared 

 more trim arid symmetrical than real accounts. Nor could 

 the wanderings and searchings of the human mind rest or 

 limit themselves in those theories which were uttered and 

 published. For, had not the customs and affections of 

 men, and the pursuits of business, been adverse and blight 

 ing to novelties of this kind, even in matters of contempla 

 tion, many other sects would doubtless have been formed 

 in natural philosophy. For, as it is in astronomy with 

 those who decide that the earth moves in a circle, and those 

 who explain it by elliptical and epicyclic motion, that their 

 systems to account for appearances in the heavens, are 

 alike pleadings for a side, and amount not to conviction, 

 nay, even the calculations of the tables answer with each : 

 in the same way it would be much easier to devise various 

 theories in natural philosophy, all widely differing with one 

 another, and yet each consistent with itself, and using un 

 fairly the suffrage of popular zeal, which in questions of 

 this kind often guides the judgment, and drawing it over 

 to opposite sides. 



There has indeed been no want of men who in this 

 age and the last have meditated new systems of natural 

 philosophy. For within our recollection Telesio has ap 

 peared on the stage, and exhibited a new plot, not so 

 well rewarded with applause, as the probability of its ar 

 guments merited : and Fracastoro, not long since, though 

 he did not set up a new sect, yet was staunch in using 

 liberty of judgment and inquiry : Cardan too was as bold 

 but less steady. Very lately also, our countryman Gilbert, 

 after most laboriously examining the nature of the magnet 

 with great sagacity and perseverance, and with a host and 



