INTERPRETATION OF NATURE. 37 



covered in nature which is capable of shedding new light 

 on philosophy. Nay, it is dishonourable to men, if in our 

 age the regions of the material world, that is, the earth, the 

 ocean, and the heavenly bodies, are discovered and dis 

 played to a vast extent, but the boundaries of the intellec 

 tual world are still fixed within the narrow space and 

 knowledge of the ancients. Even the state of Europe at 

 present in a political respect is not averse. England is 

 raised, France at peace, Spain worn out, Italy and Ger 

 many in a state of inaction : so that from the power of the 

 greatest kings being balanced, and the condition of the 

 first rate nations shaken, affairs lean to peace, which is 

 like clear and mild weather for the sciences. Nor is the 

 present state of letters itself unfavourable ; nay, it enjoys a 

 certain facility both from the art of printing unknown to 

 ancient times, by means of which the inventions and 

 thoughts of individuals glance from side to side like light 

 ning : and also by reason of religious controversies, from 

 weariness of which perchance men have been able to turn 

 their minds more readily to the contemplation of the power, 

 the wisdom, and the goodness of God in his works. But 

 if any one is moved by the consent and continuance en 

 joyed by the opinions of the ancients, he will find if he 

 looks more carefully into the matter very few leaders, and 

 the rest followers only and a crowd ; men, that is to say, 

 who have stepped from ignorance into prejudice, and have 

 never met in true consent, which must be after the use 

 of judgment. And on proper reflection, the length of time 

 itself shrinks into a narrow shred. For of the five and 

 twenty centuries with which the memory of man is ac 

 quainted, scarce five can be marked out which have been 

 useful and productive in the increase of knowledge, and 

 even they have been for the most part planted and cul 

 tivated with other knowledges, and not that of nature. 

 For there are reckoned three periods and revolutions of 

 opinions, one with the Greeks, another with the Romans, 

 the last with the western nations of Europe ; the remaining 

 time of the world has been taken up with wars and other 

 pursuits, and, as far as regards the growth of knowledge, 

 is a barren wilderness. 



He thought thus then about time. From the power 

 and nature of chance also he augured thus. Chance in 

 deed has been, without doubt, the author of many inven 

 tions, occasion being taken from the nature of things. Did 

 then the Promethens of New India differ from the European 



