16 THE GREAT IttSTAURATIOIT, 



induction, and the just form thereof. Whence the doctrine 

 of purging the understanding requires three kinds of con 

 futations, to fit it for the investigation of truth ; viz., the 

 confutation of philosophies, the confutation of demonstrations, 

 and the confutation of the natural reason. But when these 

 have been completed, and it has been clearly seen what 

 results are to be expected from the nature of things, and the 

 nature of the human mind, we shall have then furnished a 

 nuptial couch for the mind and the universe, the divine 

 goodness being our bridemaid. And let it be the prayer of 

 our Epithalamium, that assistance to man may spring from 

 this union, and a race of discoveries, which will contribute to 

 his wants and vanquish his miseries. And this is the second 

 part of the work. 



But as we propose not only to pave and show the way, 

 but also to tread in it ourselves, we shall next exhibit the 

 phenomena of the universe ; that is, such experience of all 

 kinds, and such a natural history, as may afford a foundation 

 to philosophy. For as no fine method of demonstration, or 

 form of explaining nature, can preserve the mind from 

 error, and support it from falling ; so neither can it hence 

 receive any matter of science. Those, therefore, who deter 

 mine not to conjecture and guess, but to find out and know; 

 not to invent fables and romances of worlds, but to look into, 

 and dissect the nature of this real world, must consult only 

 things themselves. Nor can any force of genius, thought, or 

 argument, be substituted for this labour, search, and in 

 spection ; not even though all the wits of men were united : 

 this, therefore, must either be had, or the business be deserted 

 for ever. 



But the conduct of mankind has hitherto been such, that 

 it is no wonder nature has not opened herself to them. For 

 the information of the senses is treacherous and deceitful ; 

 observation careless, irregular, and accidental ; tradition 

 idle, rumorous, and vain ; practice narrow arid servile ; 

 experience blind, stupid, vague, and broken ; and natural 

 history extremely light and empty : wretched materials for 

 the understanding to fashion into philosophy and the sciences ! 

 Then comes in a preposterous subtilty of argumentation and 

 sifting, as a last remedy, that mends not the matter one jot, 

 nor separates the errors. Whence there are absoluteljr 00 



