INTRODUCTION, 



XlIE NOVUM ORGANON was first published in the year 1620, 

 five years before the death of its great author. He was, con 

 sequently, advanced in years, when he placed before the eyes 

 of men this portion of the work of which he had dreamed and 

 thought almost from his earliest days. He had, when quite a 

 youth, sketched out the plan of it, giving to it the ambitious 

 title of &quot; Partus temporis maximus ;&quot; and although he after 

 wards withdrew this high-sounding name, it does not appear 

 that he thought the less of his work, or doubted that it would 

 produce effects to be felt throughout all time. We have the 

 testimony of Rawley, in his Life of Bacon, to the care and 

 thought expended upon it ; &quot;I myself,&quot; says the biographer, 

 &quot; have seen at the least twelve copies of the Instauration, re 

 vised year by year one after another, and every year altered 

 and amended in the frame thereof, till at last it came to that 

 model in which it was committed to the press, as many living 

 creatures do lick their young ones, till they bring them to 

 their strength of limbs.&quot; Besides this, Bacon was at the pains 

 to bring out sketches of parts of the Instauration ; some of 

 which are extant, others not. Thus we have a fragment entitled 

 &quot; De Interpretationc Natura? ;&quot; another called &quot; Cogitata et 

 visa,&quot; which contains many of the Aphorisms of the first book 

 of the Novum Organon, and a &quot; Filum Labyrinthi ;&quot; beside 

 the &quot; Parasceue,&quot; a preparation for the 3rd part of the Instau 

 ration, and many other imperfect pieces. His object in sending 



