THE FIRST BOOK. 33 



imagination of man than with his reason, are three in 

 number ; astrology, natural magic, and alchemy : of which 

 sciences, nevertheless, the ends or pretences are noble. 

 For astrology pretendeth to discover that correspondence 

 or concatenation, which is between the superior globe and 

 the inferior : natural magic pretendeth to call and reduce 

 natural philosophy from variety of speculations to the 

 magnitude of works : and alchemy pretendeth to make 

 separation of all the unlike parts of bodies, which in 

 mixtures of nature are incorporate. But the derivations 10 

 and prosecutions to these ends, both in the theories and in 

 the practices, are full of error and vanity ; which the great 

 professors themselves have sought to veil over and conceal 

 by enigmatical writings, and referring themselves to auri 

 cular traditions and such other devices, to save the credit of 

 impostures : and yet surely to alchemy this right is due, 

 that it may be compared to the husbandman whereof ^Esop 

 makes the fable ; that, when he died, told his sons that he 

 had left unto them gold buried under ground in his vine 

 yard ; and they digged over all the ground, and gold they 20 

 found none ; but by reason of their stirring and digging the 

 mould about the roots of their vines, they had a great 

 vintage the year following : so assuredly the search and stir 

 to make gold hath brought to light a great number of good 

 and fruitful inventions and experiments, as well for the 

 disclosing of nature, as for the use of man's life. 



And as for the overmuch credit that hath been given 

 unto authors in sciences, in making them dictators, that 

 their words should stand, and not consuls to give advice ; 

 the damage is infinite that sciences have received thereby, 30 

 as the principal cause that hath kept them low, at 

 a stay without growth or advancement. For hence it hath 

 come, that in arts mechanical the first deviser comes 

 shortest, and time addeth and perfecteth ; but in sciences 

 the first author goeth furthest, and time leeseth and 

 corrupteth. So, we see, artillery, sailing, printing, and the 



c 



