18 THE GREAT INSTAUK A.TION. 



to Lave shown more care than the other writers of natural 

 history; as receiving nothing but upon ocular demonstration, 

 or the strictest scrutiny of examination ; and not heightening 

 what is delivered to increase its miraculousness, but thoroughly 

 purging it of superstition and fable. Besides this, we reject, 

 with a particular mark, all those boasted and received false 

 hoods, which by a strange neglect have prevailed for so man) 

 ages, that they may no longer molest the sciences. For aa 

 the idle tales of nurses do really corrupt the minds or 

 children, we cannot too carefully guard the infancy ol&quot; 

 philosophy from all vanity and superstition. And when any 

 new or more curious experiment is offered, though it may 

 seem to us certain and well founded; yet we expressly add 

 the manner wherein it was made; that, after it shall 1x3 

 understood how things appear to us, men may beware of 

 any error adhering to them, and search after more infallible 

 proofs. We, likewise, all along interpose our direction?, 

 scruples, and cautions j and religiously guard against phan 

 toms and illusions. 



Lastly, having well observed how far experiments and 

 history distract the mind ; and how difficult it is, especially 

 for tender or prejudiced persons, to converse with nature 

 from the beginning, we shall continually subjoin out 

 observations, as so many first glances of natural history at 

 philosophy ; and this to give mankind some earnest, that 

 they shall not be kept perpetually floating upon the waves of 

 history ; and that when they come to the work of the 

 understanding, and the explanation of nature, they may 

 find all things in greater readiness. This will conclude the 

 third part. 



After the understanding has been thus aided and fortified, 

 we shall be prepared to enter upon philosophy itself. But 

 in so difficult a task, there are certain things to be observed, 

 as well for instruction as for present use. The first is to 

 propose examples of inquiry and investigation, according to 

 our own method, in certain subjects of the noblest kind, 

 but greatly differing from each other, that a specimen may 

 be had of every sort. By these examples we mean not 

 illustrations of rules and precepts, but perfect models, which 

 exemplify the second part of this work, and represent, 



it were, to the eye, the whole progress of the mind, and 



