THE GROWTH OF TRUTH 27 



of his views. He seems to have belonged to that 

 interesting type of man, not uncommon in every age, 

 who knows too much to write. It is not a little remark- 

 able that this reticence of learning has been a strong 

 mental feature in some of the greatest of discoverers. 

 Perhaps it was the motive of Copernicus, who so 

 dreaded the prejudices of mankind that for thirty years 

 he is said to have detained in his closet the Treatise of 

 Revolutions. From what Harvey says, very much the 

 same reasons restrained the publication of his work. 

 To the lesser circulation, with the authority of Galen 

 and Columbus to support it, men 'will give their 

 adhesion', but the general circulation 'is of so novel 

 and unheard-of character that I not only fear injury to 

 myself from the envy of a few, but I tremble lest I have 

 mankind at large for my enemies, so much doth wont 

 and custom, that has become as another nature, and 

 doctrine once sown and that hath struck deep root and 

 rested from antiquity, influence all men '. He felt, as he 

 says to Riolan, that it was in some sort criminal to call 

 in question doctrines that had descended through a 

 long succession of ages and carry the authority of the 

 ancients ; but he appealed unto Nature that bowed to 

 no antiquity and was of still higher authority than the 

 ancients. Men have been for years in conscious posses- 

 sion of some of the greatest of truths before venturing 

 to publish them. Napier spent twenty years developing 

 the theory of Logarithms ; and Bacon kept the Novum 

 Organum by him for twelve years, and year by year 

 touched it up indeed, Rowley states that he saw 

 twelve copies. Two other famous discoveries by 

 Englishmen have the same curious history the two 

 which can alone be said to be greater than the demon- 

 stration of the circulation of the blood. Zachariah 



