NOVUM ORGANUM 323 



the uniformity of the constitution of man's spirit, or its preju- 

 dices, or its limited faculties or restless agitation, or from the 

 interference of the passions, or the incompetency of the senses, 

 or the mode of their impressions. 



53. The idols of the den derive their origin from the peculiar 

 nature of each individual's mind and body, and also from edu- 

 cation, habit, and accident ; and although they be various and 

 manifold, yet we will treat of some that require the greatest 

 caution, and exert the greatest power in polluting the under- 

 standing. 



54. Some men become attached to particular sciences and 

 contemplations, either from supposing themselves the authors 

 and inventors of them, or from having bestowed the greatest 

 pains upon such subjects, and thus become most habituated to 

 them. If men of this description apply themselves to philoso- 

 phy and contemplations of a universal nature, they wrest and 

 corrupt them by their preconceived fancies, of which Aristotle 

 affords us a signal instance, who made his natural philosophy 

 completely subservient to his logic, and thus rendered it little 

 more than useless and disputatious. The chemists, again, have 

 formed a fanciful philosophy with the most confined views, 

 from a few experiments of the furnace. Gilbert, too, having 

 employed himself most assiduously in the consideration of the 

 magnet, immediately established a system of philosophy to co- 

 incide with his favorite pursuit. 



55. The greatest and, perhaps, radical distinction between 

 different men's dispositions for philosophy and the sciences is 

 this, that some are more vigorous and active in observing the 

 differences of things, others in observing their resemblances; 

 for a steady and acute disposition can fix its thoughts, and dwell 

 upon and adhere to a point, through all the refinements of dif- 

 ferences, but those that are sublime and discursive recognize 

 and compare even the most delicate and general resemblances ; 

 each of them readily falls into excess, by catching either at nice 

 distinctions or shadows of resemblance. 



56. Some dispositions evince an unbounded admiration of 

 antiquity, others eagerly embrace novelty, and but few can pre- 

 serve the just medium, so as neither to tear up what the ancients 

 have correctly laid down, nor to despise the just innovations 

 of the moderns. But this is very prejudicial to the sciences and 

 philosophy, and instead of a correct judgment we have but the 

 factions of the ancients and moderns. Truth is not to be 

 sought in the good fortune of any particular conjuncture of 

 time, which is uncertain, but in the light of nature and experi- 

 ence, which is eternal. Such factions, therefore, are to be ab- 

 jured, and the understanding must not allow them to hurry it 

 on to assent. 



