ADVANCEMENT OF. LEARNING 147 



for though success be indeed more pleasing, yet failure, fre- 

 quently, is no less informing ; and it must ever be remembered, 

 that experiments of light are more to be desired than experi- 

 ments of profit. And so much for learned experience, as we 

 call it, which thus appears to be rather a sagacity, or a scenting 

 of nature, as in hunting, than a direct science. 



As regards the Novum Organum, we shall state here noth- 

 ing either summarily or in detail, it being our intention, with 

 the Divine assistance, to devote an entire treatise to that sub- 

 ject, which is more important than all the rest. 



CHAPTER III 



Division of the Invention of Arguments into Promptuary, or Places 

 of Preparation, and Topical, or Places of Suggestion. The Division 

 of Topics into General and Particular. An Example of Particular 

 Topics afforded by an Inquiry into the Nature of the Qualities of 

 Light and Heavy 



The invention of arguments is not properly an invention ; 

 for to invent, is to discover things unknown before, and not 

 to recollect or admit such as are known already. The office 

 and use of this kind of invention seems to be no more than dex- 

 terously to draw out from the stock of knowledge laid up in the 

 mind such things as make to the present purpose ; for one who 

 knows little or nothing of a subject proposed, has no use of 

 topics or places of invention, whilst he who is provided of suit- 

 able matter, will find and produce arguments, without the help 

 of art and such places of invention, though not so readily and 

 commodiously ; whence this kind of invention is rather a bare 

 calling to memory, or a suggestion with application, than a real 

 invention. But since the term is already received, it may still 

 be called invention, as the hunting in a park may be called hunt- 

 ing no less than that in the open field. But not to insist upon 

 the word, the scope and the end of the thing itself, is a quick and 

 ready use of our thoughts, rather than any enlargement or in- 

 crease of them. 



There are two methods of procuring a stock of matter for 

 discourse ; viz., i. either by marking out, and indicating the 

 parts wherein a thing is to be searched after, which is what we 

 call the topical way ; or 2. by laying up arguments for use, that 



