PHENOMENA OF THE UNIVERSE. 125 



and endless task : when the truth rather is, that there is 

 no bound to mere opinions and disputes, but that those 

 fantasies are condemned to perpetual error and endless 

 uncertainty: but that those particular objects and the 

 informations of sense (taking out individuals and degrees 

 of things, which suffices for the investigation of truth) 

 certainly admit of comprehension, and that neither too 

 wide and extensive, nor too difficult and adventurous. And 

 secondly, that men frequently bear the object in mind, and 

 that when they fall upon the consideration of very many 

 of the most ordinary, small, and apparently trivial and even 

 low subjects, and which, as Aristotle says, seem to require 

 a previous apology, they will not think that I am trifling, 

 or taking down the dignity of the human mind. For these 

 things are not sought out or described for their own sakes, 

 but no other way is open to the human understanding, nor 

 any other method left of pursuing this work ; since we are 

 attempting an object of unrivalled importance and most 

 worthy of the human mind, to kindle in this our age through 

 means offered and applied by the Deity himself, the pure 

 light of nature, the name indeed the boast of men, the 

 thing itself entirely unknown. Nor do I dissemble my 

 opinion that that preposterous subtlety of arguments and 

 imaginations in the time of which the subtlety and truth 

 of the first information or true induction was either passed 

 over or ill set on foot, can never effect a restoration though 

 all the genius of past ages should unite in the design; but 

 that nature like fortune has her hair only upon her fore 

 head. It remains, therefore, that the work be entirely 

 recommenced, and that with greater helps, and laying 

 aside the heats of opinion, an entrance be opened into the 

 kingdom of philosophy and of the sciences (in which all 

 the wealth of man is stored, for nature is overcome only 

 by yielding) in the same manner as into the kingdom of 

 heaven, into which we cannot enter but as little children. 

 But the profit of this work, that plebeian and promiscuous 

 advantage derived from experiments themselves, we do not 

 altogether condemn, since it can doubtless marry desirable 

 suggestions to the observation and invention of men accord 

 ing to their various arts and talents. But we deem it 

 extremely small in comparison of that entrance into human 

 knowledge and power, which through the divine mercy, we 

 look for. And of that mercy we again desire, that it may 

 see fit to enrich anew the human family through our 

 hands. 



The nature of things is either free as in species, or con- 



