322 BACON 



more allied to man's own nature, than the system of the uni- 

 verse, and from this source they have wonderfully corrupted 

 philosophy. But he would be an unskilful and shallow philoso- 

 pher who should seek for causes in the greatest generalities, 

 and not be anxious to discover them in subordinate objects. 



49. The human understanding resembles not a dry light, but 

 admits a tincture of the will and passions, which generate their 

 own system accordingly ; for man always believes more readily 

 that which he prefers. He, therefore, rejects difficulties for 

 want of patience in investigation ; sobriety, because it limits 

 his hope ; the depths of nature, from superstition ; the light of 

 experiment, from arrogance and pride, lest his mind should 

 appear to be occupied with common and varying objects ; para- 

 doxes, from a fear of the opinion of the vulgar; in short, his 

 feelings imbue and corrupt his understanding in innumerable 

 and sometimes imperceptible ways. 



50. But by far the greatest impediment and aberration of the 

 human understanding proceeds from the dulness, incompe- 

 tency, and errors of the senses ; since whatever strikes the senses 

 preponderates over everything, however superior, which does 

 not immediately strike them. Hence contemplation mostly 

 ceases with sight, and a very scanty, or perhaps no regard is 

 paid to invisible objects. The entire operation, therefore, of 

 spirits enclosed in tangible bodies is concealed, and escapes us. 

 All that more delicate change of formation in the parts of 

 coarser substances (vulgarly called alteration, but in fact a 

 change of position in the smallest particles) is equally un- 

 known ; and yet, unless the two matters we have mentioned be 

 explored and brought to light, no great effect can be produced 

 in nature. Again, the very nature of common air, and all 

 bodies of less density (of which there are many) is almost un- 

 known ; for the senses are weak and erring, nor can instru- 

 ments be of great use in extending their sphere or acuteness 

 all the better interpretations of nature are worked out by in- 

 stances, and fit and apt experiments, where the senses only 

 judge of the experiment, the experiment of nature and the thing 

 itself. 



51. The human understanding is, by its own nature, prone to 

 abstraction, and supposes that which is fluctuating to be fixed. 

 But it is better to dissect than abstract nature ; such was the 

 method employed by the school of Democritus, which made 

 greater progress in penetrating nature than the rest. It is best 

 to consider matter, its conformation, and the changes of that 

 conformation, its own action, and the law of this action or 

 motion ; for forms are a mere fiction of the human mind, unless 

 you will call the laws of action by that name. 



52. Such are the idols of the tribe, which arise either from 



