INTRODUCTION. xi 



that score, excellent practice for students ; a great part of 

 whose education, it should ever be remembered, lies in obtain 

 ing the power of grasping the truths contained in books in the 

 best way, i. c. in the power of reading with attention and 

 profit; by no means one of the easiest parts of education. And, 

 thirdly, though the method of the Novum Organon is errone 

 ous, or, at least, inapplicable, as a whole ; parts of it (as, for 

 example, the ; scala ascensoria et descensoria,&quot;) are most ad 

 mirable ; and are of constant use in the progress of the 

 sciences. 



I trust then that I shall be pardoned if I spend a little time 

 in detailing the manner in which I believe the Novum Organon 

 may be best studied ; and in recommending a few of the works 

 which may be profitably read with it. 



First ; it will be well to limit the amount to be studied. 

 There is a natural division of the book, as near the middle as 

 possible ; and the two halves may be taken quite separately. 

 Physical students, who from curiosity take an interest in the 

 history of the growth of natural sciences, will find much to re 

 pay them in the latter half of the Book. For although many 



X. v o 



of the &quot;Prerogative Instances&quot; arc fanciful, and some arc coin- 

 fused ; and though the examples adduced are such as now 

 would not be allowed : still many of the chapters contain very 

 judicious hints and statements ; and sonic of the Instances 

 (such as, for example, the y taring or the crucial] arc ex 

 tremely useful in physical discovery at this day. There are, 

 too, guesses and suggestions, which have since been verified : 

 and as a curious record of the state of knowledge at the be 

 ginning of the seventeenth century, these Aphorisms (II. 22 

 52) are worthy of attention. 



But the general reader will be content to give a rapid 

 glance at these latter Aphorisms, and will spend his time 

 chiefly on the first Book and the first ten Aphorisms of the 

 second ; for these contain the valuable part of the work. The 

 &quot; vindemiatio prima de forma calidi.&quot; (i. e. II. ir 20) will 



