136 NOVUM ORGANUM 



Table of the Degrees or Comparative Instances of Heat 



We will first speak of those bodies which exhibit no 

 degree of heat sensible to the touch, but appear rather to 

 possess a potential heat, or disposition and preparation for 

 it. We will then go on to others, which are actually warm 

 to the touch, and observe the strength and degree of it. 



1. There is no known solid or tangible body which is by 

 its own nature originally warm; for neither stone, metal, 

 sulphur, fossils, wood, water, nor dead animal carcasses are 

 found warm. The warm springs in baths appear to be 

 heated accidentally, by flame, subterraneous fire (such as 

 is thrown up by Etna and many other mountains), or by the 

 contact of certain bodies, as heat is exhibited in the dissolu 

 tion of iron and tin. The degree of heat, therefore, in 

 inanimate objects is not sensible to our touch; but they 

 differ in their degrees of cold, for wood and metal are not 

 equally cold. 24 This, however, belongs to the Table of 

 Degrees of Cold. 



2. But with regard to potential heat and predisposition 

 to flame, we find many inanimate substances wonderfully 

 adapted to it, as sulphur, naphtha, and saltpetre. 



3. Bodies which have previously acquired heat, as horse 

 dung from the animal, or lime, and perhaps ashes and soot 

 from fire, retain some latent portion of it. Hence distilla 

 tions and separations of substances are effected by burying 



i4 Bacon here mistakes sensation confined to ourselves for an internal prop 

 erty of distinct substances. Metals are denser than wood, and our bodies con 

 sequently coming into contact with more particles of matter when we touch 

 them, lose a greater quantity of heat than in the case of lighter sub 

 stances. Ed. 



