NOVUM ORGANUM 147 



creator of forms), and perhaps for angels and intelligences, 

 at once to recognize forms affirmatively at the first glance of 

 contemplation: man, at lest, is unable to do so, and is only 

 allowed to proceed first by negatives, and then to conclude 

 with affirmatives, after every species of exclusion. 



XVI. We must, therefore, effect a complete solution and 

 separation of nature; not by fire, but by the mind, that 

 divine fire. The first work of legitimate induction, in the 

 discovery of forms, is rejection, or the exclusive instances 

 of individual natures, which are not found in some one in 

 stance where the given nature is present, or are found in 

 any one instance where it is absent, or are found to increase 

 in any one instance where the given nature decreases, or the 

 reverse. After an exclusion correctly effected, an affirma 

 tive form will remain as the residuum, solid, true, and well A 

 defined, while all volatile opinions go off in smoke. This i 

 is readily said; but we must arrive at it by a circuitous 

 route. We shall perhaps, however, omit nothing that can 

 facilitate our progress. 



XVII. The first and almost perpetual precaution and 

 warning which we consider necessary is this; that none 

 should suppose from the great part assigned by us to 

 forms, that we mean such forms as the meditations and 

 thoughts of men have hitherto been accustomed to. In 

 the first place, we do not at present mean the concrete 

 forms, which (as we have observed) are in the common 

 course of things compounded of simple natures, as those of 

 a lion, an eagle, a rose, gold, or the like. The moment for 

 discussing these will arrive when we come to treat of the 

 latent process and latent conformation, and the discovery of 

 them as they exist in what are called substances, or concrete 

 natures^ 



SCIENCE Vol. 22 7 



