i2o BACON 



confined and difficult. And this part of medicine we note as 

 deficient, under the name of the physicians' clue or directory. 

 And these are the things wanting in the doctrine of medicine, 

 for the cure of diseases ; but there still remains one thing more, 

 and of greater use than all the rest ; viz., a genuine and active 

 natural philosophy, whereon to build the science of physic. 



We make the third part of medicine regard the prolongation 

 of life : this is a new part, and deficient, though the most noble 

 of all ; for if it may be supplied, medicine will not then be wholly 

 versed in sordid cures, nor physicians be honored only for neces- 

 sity, but as dispensers of the greatest earthly happiness that 

 could well be conferred on mortals ; for, though the world be 

 but as a wilderness to a Christian travelling through it to the 

 promised land, yet it would be an instance of the divine favor, 

 that our clothing, that is, our bodies, should be little worn while 

 we sojourn here. And as this is a capital part of physic, and as 

 we note it for deficient, we shall lay down some directions 

 about it. 



And, first, no writer extant upon this subject has made any 

 great or useful discovery therein. Aristotle, indeed, has left 

 us a short memoir, wherein there are some admonitions after 

 his manner, which he supposes to be all that can be said of the 

 matter ; but the moderns have here written so weakly and super- 

 stitiously, that the subject itself, through their vanity, is reputed 

 vain and senseless. 2. The very intentions of physicians upon 

 this head are of no validity, but rather lead from the point than 

 direct to it. For they talk as if death consisted in a destitution 

 of heat and moisture, and therefore that natural heat should be 

 comforted, and radical moisture cherished ; as if the work were 

 to be effected by broths, lettuce, and mallows ; or, again, by 

 spices, generous wines, spirits, or chemical oils ; all which rather 

 do hurt than good. 3. We admonish mankind to cease their 

 trifling, and not weakly imagine that such a great work as re- 

 tarding the course of nature can be effected by a morning's 

 draught, the use of any costly medicines, pearls, or aurum pota- 

 bile itself ; but be assured, that the prolongation of life is a labori- 

 ous work, that requires many kinds of remedies, and a proper 

 continuation and intermixture thereof; for it were stupidity 

 to expect, that what was never yet done, should be effected, 

 otherwise than by means hitherto unattempted. 4. Lastly, we 

 admonish them rightly to observe and distinguish betwixt what 



