NOVUM ORGANUM 325 



no existence (for as some objects are from inattention left with- 

 out a name, so names are formed by fanciful imaginations which 

 are without an object), or they are the names of actual objects, 

 but confused, badly defined, and hastily and irregularly ab- 

 stracted from things. Fortune, the primum mobile, the plan- 

 etary orbits, the element of fire, and the like fictions, which owe 

 their birth to futile and false theories, are instances of the first 

 kind. And this species of idols is removed with greater facility, 

 because it can be exterminated by the constant refutation or 

 the desuetude of the theories themselves. The others, which 

 are created by vicious and unskilful abstraction, are intricate 

 and deeply rooted. Take some word for instance, as moist, and 

 let us examine how far the different significations of this word 

 are consistent. It will be found that the word moist is nothing 

 but a confused sign of different actions admitted of no settled 

 and defined uniformity. For it means that which easily dif- 

 fuses itself over another body ; that which is indeterminable and 

 cannot be brought to a consistency ; that which yields easily in 

 every direction ; that which is easily divided and dispersed ; that 

 which is easily united and collected ; that which easily flows and 

 is put in motion ; that which easily adheres to, and wets another 

 body; that which is easily reduced to a liquid state though 

 previously solid. When, therefore, you come to predicate or 

 impose this name, in one sense flame is moist, in another air is 

 not moist, in another fine powder is moist, in another glass is 

 moist; so that it is quite clear that this notion is hastily ab- 

 stracted from water only, and common ordinary liquors, with- 

 out any due verification of it. 



There are, however, different degrees of distortion and mis- 

 take in words. One of the least faulty classes is that of the 

 names of substances, particularly of the less abstract and more 

 defined species (those then of chalk and mud are good, of earth 

 bad) ; words signifying actions are more faulty, as to generate, 

 to corrupt, to change ; but the most faulty are those denoting 

 qualities (except the immediate objects of sense), as heavy, 

 light, rare, dense. Yet in all of these there must be some no- 

 tions a little better than others, in proportion as a greater or less 

 number of things come before the senses. 



61. The idols of the theatre are not innate, nor do they in- 

 troduce themselves secretly into the understanding, but they 

 are manifestly instilled and cherished by the fictions of theories 

 and depraved rules of demonstration. To attempt, however, 

 or undertake their confutation would not be consistent with 

 our declarations. For since we neither agree in our principles 

 nor our demonstrations, all argument is out of the question. 

 And it is fortunate that the ancients are left in possession of 

 their honors. We detract nothing from them, seeing our whole 



