NOTE BBB. 



namely, the compiling of a natural and experimental history, which must be 

 the main foundation of a true and active philosophy.&quot; Such are the causes 

 assigned by Lord Bacon, each deserving a separate consideration. 



The first of these two reasons is, &quot; because I number my days, and would 

 have it saved/ The meaning of this cannot be mistaken. Bacon was born in 

 the year 1560. His health was always delicate. Etiam, he says, nonnihil 

 hominibus spei fieri putamus ab exemplo nostro proprio ; neque jactantiae causa 

 hoc dicimus, sed quod utile dictu sit. Si qui diffidant, me videant, hominem 

 inter homines Eetatis mea? civilibus negotiis occupatissimum, nee firma admodurn 

 valetudine (quod magnum habet temporis dispendium), atque in hac re plane 

 protopirum, et vestigia nullius secutum, neque haec ipsa cum ullo mortalium 

 communicantem ; et tamen veram viam constanter ingressum, et ingemum 

 rebus submittentem, hsec ipsa aliquatenus (ut existimamus) provexisse. 



In the year 1617, when he was fifty-seven years of age, the great seals were 

 offered to him. Unmindful of the feebleness of his constitution; unmindful of 

 his love of contemplation, and that genius is rarely prompt in action, or con 

 sistent in general conduct : unmindful of his own words, &quot; I ever bore a mind 

 to serve his majesty in some middle place that I could discharge, not as a man 

 born under Sol, that loves honour; nor under Jupiter, that loves business ; for 

 the contemplative planet carries me away wholly.&quot; Unmindful of his own 

 words, &quot; Men in great place are thrice servants : servants of the sovereign in 

 state ; servants of fame ; and servants of business : so as they have no freedom 

 neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in their times. Power they 

 seek, and lose liberty : they seek power over others, and lose power over them 

 selves.&quot; Unmindful of his admonition, &quot; Accustom your mind to judge of the 

 proportion or value of things, and do that substantially and not superficially ; 

 for if you observe well, you shall find the logical part of some men s minds 

 good, but the mathematical part nothing worth : that is, they can judge well of 

 the mode of attaining the end, but ill of the value of the end itself; and hence 

 some men fall in love with access to princes ; others, with popular fame and 

 applause, supposing they are things of great purchase, when in many cases, 

 they are but matters of envy, peril, and impediment. Unmindful of hi& own 

 doctrine, how much &quot; worldly pursuits divert and interrupt the prosecution and 

 advancement of knowledge, like unto the golden ball thrown before Atalanta, 

 which, while she goeth aside and stoopeth to take up, the race is hindered 



Declinat cursus, aurumque volubile tollit.&quot; 



One of the consequences was the publication of the Novum Organum in its 

 present state ; the sacrifice of his favourite work, upon which he had been 

 engaged for thirty years, and had twelve times transcribed with his own hand. 



The second reason assigned by Lord Bacon for the publication of the Novum 

 Organum in 1620 is, &quot; to try whether I can get help in one intended part of 

 this work, namely, the compiling of a natural and experimental history, which 

 must be the foundation of a true and active philosophy.&quot; The meaning of this 

 seems also to be obvious. Lord Bacon s conviction of the importance of 

 Natural History, as the primitive matter of philosophy, appears in every part of 

 his works ; in the Advancement of Learning ; the Sylva Sylvarum ; the New 

 Atlantis; the Wisdom of the Antients ; and the Novum Organum. It seems 

 probable, therefore, that he availed himself of the moment when power was 

 entrusted to him, to induce the king to assist in the formation of &quot; such a col 

 lection of natural history as he had measured out in his mind, and such as really 

 ought to be procured, which is,&quot; he says, &quot;a great and royal work, requiring 

 the purse of a prince, and the assistance of a people.&quot; He, therefore, in his 

 presentation letter to the king, expresses his anxiety for the compiling a Natural 

 History, and he renews his solicitation in his next letter to the king. 



Copies of the work were presented to the King, to the University of Cam 

 bridge, to Sir Henry Wotton, and to Sir Edward Coke. The following are the 

 letters of presentation and the answers. 



