FRANCIS OP VEUULAM S 



GREAT INSTAURATION. 



Announcement of the Author. 



ITRANCTS OF VERULAM THOUGHT THUS. AND SUCH IS THE METHOD 

 WHICH HE DETERMINED WITHIN HIMSELF, AND WHICH HE THOUGHT 

 IT CONCERNED THE LIVING AND POSTERITY TO KNOW. 



BEING convinced, by a careful observation, that the human 

 understanding perplexes itself, or makes not a sober and 

 advantageous use of the real helps within its reach, whence 

 manifold ignorance and inconveniences arise, he was deter 

 mined to employ his utmost endeavours towards restoring 

 or cultivating a just and legitimate familiarity betwixt the 

 mind and things. 



But as the mind, hastily and without choice, imbibes and 

 treasures up the first notices of things, from whence all the 

 rest proceed, errors must for ever prevail, and remain uncor- 

 rected, either by the natural powers of the understanding 

 or the assistance of logic ; for the original notions being 

 vitiated, confused, and inconsiderately taken from things, 

 and the secondary ones formed no less rashly, human know 

 ledge itself, the thing employed in all our researches, is not 

 well put together nor justly formed, but resembles a magni- 

 iicent structure that has no foundation. 



And whilst men agree to admire and magnify the false 

 powers of the mind, and neglect or destroy those that might 

 be rendered true, there is no other course left but with 

 better assistance to begin the work anew, and raise or re 

 build the sciences, arts, and all human knowledge from a 

 firm and solid basis. 



This may at first seem an infinite scheme, unequal to 

 human abilities, yet it will be found more sound and judi* 

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