x INTRODUCTION. 



JOT- knowledge since liy Nature we mean the hand of (iod 

 Himself. 



And, as 1 have before said, the Novum Organon is the in- 

 strniuent to be used for this end. It is the means of preparing 

 us for the entry of Truth. The Intellect is to be purified, and 

 levelled, so that, like a polished mirror, (to use Bacon s o\vn 

 simile.) it mav reflect with truth (he rays of light which fall 

 u])on it. 



Nor do I know any higher praise that can be given to 

 Bacon than that Nc\\ton evidently had studied his works 

 deeply, used his terms, and practically carried on the work he 

 had IK inm : verifying many of his guesses, and interpreting 

 triumphantly the facts of Nature, into whose constitution he 

 had obtained a deep and true insight. 



And vet as a Method the Novum Organon cannot be said 

 to be successful it certainly is not followed at this day as 

 such: it did its work, and has been superseded: and if we 

 were to study Bacon for the sake of the Method, we should 

 become subject to &quot; Idola Theatri&quot; almost as untrue and dan 

 gerous, as those against which lie himself fights so manfully in 

 the first book. We may look into the method as a matter of 

 curiosity : but we must not endeavour. I think, to accept or to 

 apply it. 



What then. 1 Is the use of the Novum Organon thus to be 

 narrowed in its limits ( And is it worth our while to spend 

 labour on it. if it is but a matter of curiosity, and has even a 

 tendency to lead us astray ? These are questions which na 

 turally surest themselves, and deserve consideration. 



In the first place, I need not repeat myself as to the intrin 

 sic worth of much of the Novum Organon. No one who has 

 studied the work with any attention can fail to recognise this. 

 Every sentence, in a great part of the book, is pregnant with 

 suggestions and thoughts which will richly repay us for the 

 labour expended on it. Secondly, there is enough difficulty in 

 the manner in which the book is put together to make it. on 



