350 BACON 



but is impure and corrupted by logic in the school of Aristotle, 

 by natural theology in that of Plato, by mathematics in the 

 second school of Plato (that of Proclus and others) which ought 

 rather to terminate natural philosophy than to generate or 

 create it. We may, therefore, hope for better results from pure 

 and unmixed natural philosophy. 



97. No one has yet been found possessed of sufficient firm- 

 ness and severity to resolve upon and undertake the task of 

 entirely abolishing common theories and notions, and applying 

 the mind afresh, when thus cleared and leveled, to particular 

 researches ; hence our human reasoning is a mere farrago and 

 crude mass made up of a great deal of credulity and accident, 

 and the puerile notions it originally contracted. 



But if a man of mature age, unprejudiced senses, and clear 

 mind, would betake himself anew to experience and particulars, 

 we might hope much more from such a one ; in which respect 

 we promise ourselves the fortune of Alexander the Great, and 

 let none accuse us of vanity till they have heard the tale, which 

 is intended to check vanity. 



For yEschines spoke thus of Alexander and his exploits : 

 " We live not the life of mortals, but are born at such a period 

 that posterity will relate and declare our prodigies;" as if he 

 considered the exploits of Alexander to be miraculous. 



But in succeeding ages Livy took a better view of the fact, 

 and has made some such observation as this upon Alexander : 

 " That he did no more than dare to despise insignificance." So 

 in our opinion posterity will judge of us, that we have achieved 

 no great matters, but only set less account upon what is con- 

 sidered important; for the mean time (as we have before ob- 

 served) our only hope is in the regeneration of the sciences, by 

 regularly raising them on the foundation of experience and 

 building them anew, which I think none can venture to affirm 

 to have been already done or even thought of. 



98. The foundations of experience (our sole resource) have 

 hitherto failed completely or have been very weak ; nor has a 

 store and collection of particular facts, capable of informing the 

 mind or in any way satisfactory, been either sought after or 

 amassed. On the contrary, learned, but idle and indolent, men 

 have received some mere reports of experience, traditions as it 

 were of dreams, as establishing or confirming their philosophy, 

 and have not hesitated to allow them the weight of legitimate 

 evidence. So that a system has been pursued in philosophy 

 with regard to experience resembling that of a kingdom or state 

 which would direct its councils and affairs according to the 

 gossip of city and street politicians, instead of the letters and 

 reports of ambassadors and messengers worthy of credit. Noth- 

 ing is rightly inquired into, or verified, noted, weighed, or 



