THE SECOND BOOK 151 



the plant, it is no matter for the roots ; but if you mean 

 to remove it to grow, then it is more assured to rest 

 upon roots than slips ; so the delivery of knowledges (as 

 it is now used) is as of fair bodies of trees without the 

 roots ; good for the carpenter, but not for the planter. 

 But if you will have sciences grow, it is less matter for 

 the shaft or body of the tree, so you look well to the 

 taking up of the roots. Of which kind p emethodo 

 of delivery the method of the mathe- sincera, sin 

 matics, in that subject, hath some adfiiios 

 shadow : but generally I see it neither 

 put in ure nor put in inquisition, and therefore note it 

 for deficient. 



5. Another diversity of method there is, which hath 

 some affinity with the former, used in some cases by 

 the discretion of the ancients, but disgraced since by 

 the impostures of many vain persons, who have made 

 it as a false light for their counterfeit merchandises ; and 

 that is, enigmatical and disclosed. The pretence 

 whereof is, to remove the vulgar capacities from being 

 admitted to the secrets of knowledges, and to reserve 

 them to selected auditors, or wits of such sharpness as 

 can pierce the veil. 



6. Another diversity of method, whereof the conse 

 quence is great, is the delivery of knowledge in aphor 

 isms, or in methods ; wherein we may observe that it 

 hath been too much taken into custom, out of a few 

 axioms or observations upon any subject, to make a 

 solemn and formal art, filling it with some discourses, 

 and illustrating it with examples, and digesting it into 

 a sensible method. But the writing in aphorisms hath 

 many excellent virtues, whereto the writing in method 

 doth not approach. 



7. For first, it trieth the writer, whether he be super 

 ficial or solid : for aphorisms, except they should be 

 ridiculous, cannot be made but of the pith and heart of 

 sciences ; for discourse of illustration is cut off ; recitals 

 of examples are cut off ; discourse of connexion and 

 order is cut off ; descriptions of practice are cut off. 

 So there remaineth nothing to fill the aphorisms but 



