LIB. I. 84, 85. 77 



Auctores vero quod attinet 80 , summae pusillanimita- 

 tis est, auctoribus infinita tribuere, auctori autem auc- 

 torum, atque adeo onmis auctori tatis, tempori, jus simm 

 denegare. Recte enini veritas tempori s filia dicitur, 

 non auctoritatis. Itaque miruni non est, si fascina ista 

 antiquitatis, et auctorum, et consensus, hominum vir- 

 tutem ita ligaverint, ut cum rebus ipsis consuescere 

 (tanquam maleficiati) non potuerint. 



LXXXV. 



Neque solum admiratio antiquitatis, auctoritatis, et 

 consensus, hominum industriam in iis, quae jam inventa 

 sunt, acquiescere compulit ; verum etiam operum ipso- 

 rum admiratio, quorum copia jampridem facta est hu- 

 mano generi. Etenim quum quis rerum varietatem, et 

 pulcherrimum apparatum, qui per artes mechanicas 81 

 ad cultum humanum congestus et introductus est, ocu- 

 lis subjecerit, eo certe inclinabit, ut potius ad opulentiae 

 humanse admirationem, quam ad inopice sensum acce- 

 dat; minime advertens primitivas hominis observatio- 

 nes, atque naturae operationes, (quoe ad omnem illam 

 varietatem instar animas sunt, et primi motus) nee 

 multas, nee alte petitas esse ; caetera ad patientiam 

 hominum tantum, et subtilem et ordinatum manus vel 



80 Man s love of rest (referred to all, &quot;Truth is the child of Time:&quot; 

 I. 20) would readily lead him to but is not Time here (to a great ex- 

 acquiesce in the judgments of others, tent) revised and rectified Author- 

 Besides this there is our crush of ity ? Just as is the case with Con- 

 work, which produces in us a habit sent, which is perhaps also a form 

 of taking statements on trust so of Authority. If men were perfect 

 introducing the &quot; division of la- there might be no need of it : but 

 hour&quot; principle a principle which as we are we seem to require guides, 

 helps things on, but has a very What Bacon is opposing is idle 

 narrowing effect on men s minds : trusting in others, instead of verify- 

 then there is veneration, and hum- ing statements; and appealing to 

 ble distrust of self a good quality men, instead of to facts. 

 with a bad tendency (and what good 81 Cf. supr. I. 66. 74. 

 quality has not such?). And after 



