I9 o BACON 



this felicity extends to casual things, which human virtue can 

 hardly reach. So when Caesar said to the master of the ship in 

 a storm, " Thou earnest Caesar and his fortune " ; if he should 

 have said," Thou earnest Caesar and his virtue," it had been but 

 a small support against the danger. 2. Because those things 

 which proceed from virtue and industry are imitable, and lie 

 open to others ; whereas felicity is inimitable, and the preroga- 

 tive of a singular person : whence, in general, natural things are 

 preferred to artificial, because incapable of imitation ; for what- 

 ever is imitable seems common, and in every one's power. 3. 

 The things that proceed from felicity seem free gifts unpur- 

 chased by industry, but those acquired by virtue seem bought : 

 whence Plutarch said elegantly of the successes of Timoleon (an 

 extremely fortunate man), compared with those of his contem- 

 poraries Agesilaus and Epaminondas, " that they were like 

 Homer's verses, and besides their other excellencies, ran pe- 

 culiarly smooth and natural." 4. Because what happens unex- 

 pectedly is more acceptable, and enters the mind with greater 

 pleasure ; but this effect cannot be had in things procured by 

 our own industry. 



Sophism 12 



What consists of many divisible parts is greater, and more one 

 than what consists of fewer; for all things when viezved in 

 their parts seem greater, whence also a plurality of parts 

 shows bulky; but a plurality of parts has the stronger effect, 

 if they lie in no certain order, for thus they resemble infinity 

 and prevent comprehension 



This sophism appears gross at first sight ; for it is not plu- 

 rality of parts alone, without majority, that makes the total 

 greater; yet the imagination is often carried away, and the 

 sense deceived with this color. Thus to the eye the road upon 

 a naked plain may seem shorter, than where there are trees, 

 buildings, or other marks, by which to distinguish and divide 

 the distance. So when a moneyed man divides his chests and 

 bags, he seems to himself richer than he was ; and therefore a 

 way to amplify anything is to break it into several parts, and 

 examine them separately. And this makes the greater show, 

 if done without order ; for confusion shows things more numer- 

 ous than they are. But matters ranged and set in order appear 

 more confined, and prove that nothing is omitted ; whilst such 



