NO FORMS. CCXC1X 



Copies of the work were sent to the King, the University 

 of Cambridge, Sir Henry Wotton, and Sir Edward Coke. 



who says, &quot; By the word form is meant such a nature 

 as is always present when the sought nature is present ; is 

 absent when the sought nature is absent: increases with 

 its increase, and decreases with its decrease. Thus the 

 form of heat is some peculiar motion always present when 

 heat is present, as in flame ; absent, when it is absent, as 

 in extinguished flame; increasing with its increase, as in 

 raging flame; decreasing in its decrease, as in expiring 

 flame. Now, although the effect of this heat will be 

 different, according to the body, whether living or dead, 

 upon which it acts, it seems not to be very sound reason 

 ing to infer that the agent does not exist because the 

 patient varies. The laws of light exist, although light 

 does not produce the sensation upon a speculum which it 

 produces on the eye: the laws of sound exist, although 

 the sensation which is produced on the ear is not produced 

 on the cavernous places that yield an echo.&quot; 



fruit of this most true opinion, by contemplating and apprehending forms, 

 as absolutely abstract from matters, and not confined and determined by 

 matter; whereupon it came to pass that he turned himself to theological 

 speculations, which infected and distained all his natural philosophy. 

 But if we keep a watchful and a severe eye upon action and use, it will 

 not be difficult to trace and find out what are the forms; the disclosure 

 whereof would wonderfully enrich and make happy the estate of man.&quot; 



&quot; And if any one shall think that our forms have somewhat abstracted in 

 them, because they appear to mix and join together things that are hetero 

 geneous, as the heat of the celestial bodies and the heat of fire ; the fixed 

 redness of a rose, and the apparent redness of the rainbow, the opal, or 

 the diamond; death by drowning, and death by burning, stabbing, the 

 apoplexy, consumption, &c. which, though very dissimilar, we make to 

 agree in the nature of heat, redness, death, &c. he must remember that his 

 own understanding is held and detained by custom, things in the gross, 

 and opinions. For it is certain, that the things above mentioned, however 

 heterogeneous and foreign they may seem, agree in the form, or law, that 

 ordains heat, redness, and death.&quot; 



