LIB. I. 8284. 75 



LXXXIII. 



Excrevit autem mirum in modum istud malum ex 

 opinione quadam, sive aestimatione inveterata, verum 

 tumida et damnosa ; minui neiiipe mentis humanse 

 majestatem, si experi mentis, et rebus particularibus 

 sensui subjectis, et in materia determinatis, diu ac 

 mul turn versetur: praesertim quum hujusmodi res ad 

 inquirendum laboriosaj, ad meditandum ignobiles, ad 

 dicendum asperse, ad practicam illiberales, numero infi- 

 nitse, et subtilitate tenues esse soleant. Ttaque jam 

 tandem hue res rediit, ut via vera non tantum deserta, 

 sed etiam interclusa et obstructa sit; fastidita expe- 

 rientia, nedum relicta, aut male administrata. 



LXXXIV. 



Rursus vero homines a progressu in scientiis detinuit 

 et fere incantavit reverentia antiquitatis, et viroruin, 

 qui in pliilosophia magni liabiti sunt, auctoritas, atquc 

 delude consensus. Atque de consensu superius dictum 

 est 77 . 



De an tiquitate 78 autem opinio, quam homines de ipsa 



but what is wanted is not a path out of come to the bottoms of the moun- 

 a wood into open country, so much tains :&quot; and so on. 

 as a good arrangement of the trees 76 Something like this contempt 

 in it. The Metaphor is expanded in of particulars will be traced in many 

 a fragment supposed to be his In- of the Ancient Philosophers in 

 troduction to the Fourth fact of the such doctrines (for example) as that 

 Instauration ; there, speaking of the the &quot; ciireipov&quot; is KO.KOV. So too in 

 Sylv. Sylv., he says, &quot; we endea- Plato Rep. Bk. vii. on Education, 

 voured to penetrate and pass through Roger Bacon in the Opus Majus I. 

 the woods of Nature, thick set and ix. says that the contempt for what 

 darkened with a great variety of ex- one does not know is one chief hin- 

 periments, as with leaves ; and en- drance to improvement, 

 tangled and twined together, like 77 superius viz. I. 77. 

 shrubs and bushes, with the sub- 78 Cf. Adv. of Learning, Bk. i. 

 tilty of observations. We are now, p. 47,48. Almost all the opening 

 perhaps, proceeding to the more of Roger Bacon s Opus Majus bat- 

 open parts of Nature, which how- ties with the prejudice in favour of 

 ever are still more difficult; and Antiquity. Opus Majus, I. i. viii. 

 having got through the woods, are See also the Introd. to Locke s 



