78 NOVUM ORGANUM 



But if a man of mature age, unprejudiced senses, and 

 clear mind, would betake himself anew to experience and 

 particulars, we might hope much more from such a one; in 

 which respect we promise ourselves the fortune of Alex 

 ander the Great, and let none accuse us of vanity till they 

 have heard the tale, which is intended to check vanity. 



For ^Eschines spoke thus of Alexander and his exploits: 

 &quot;We live not the life of mortals, but are born at such a 

 period that posterity will relate and declare our prodigies&quot;; 

 as if he considered the exploits of Alexander to be mirac 

 ulous. 



But in succeeding ages 59 Livy took a better view of the 

 fact, and has made some such observation as this upon 

 Alexander: That he did no more than dare to despise 

 insignificance.&quot; So in our opinion posterity will judge of 

 us, that we have achieved no great matters, but only set 

 less account upon what is considered important; for the 

 meantime (as we have before observed) our only hope is 

 in the regeneration of the sciences, by regularly raising 

 them on the foundation of experience and building them, 

 anew, which I think none can venture to affirm to have 

 been already done or even thought of. 



XCVIII. The foundations of experience (our sole re 

 source) have hitherto failed completely or have been very 

 weak; nor has a store and collection of particular facts, 

 capable of informing the mind or in any way satisfactory, 

 been either sought after or amassed. On the contrary, 

 learned, but idle and indolent, men have received some 



59 See Livy. lib. x. c. 17, where, in a digression on the probable effect of a 

 contest between Rome and Alexander the Great, lie says: &quot;Non cum Dario rem 

 esse dixisset: quem mnlierum ac apadonnm aprmen trahentcm inter purpuram 

 atqne aurum, oneratnm fortun;e appuratibns, pnedam verius quara hostem, nihil 

 aliud quam ausus vaua coutemnere, incruentus devicit. &quot; 



