NOVUM ORGANUM 405 



air, and the violent fires which are often found to burst from 

 subterraneous spots, the similarity consisting in both being 

 ends and extremes ; the extreme of the nature of cold, for in- 

 stance, is towards the boundary of heaven, and that of the nat- 

 ure of heat towards the centre of the earth, by a similar species 

 of opposition or rejection of the contrary nature. 



Lastly, in the axioms of the sciences, there is a similarity of 

 instances worthy of observation. Thus the rhetorical trope 

 which is called surprise, is similar to that of music termed the 

 declining of a cadence. Again the mathematical postulate, 

 that things which are equal to the same are equal to one an- 

 other, is similar to the form of the syllogism in logic, which 

 unites things agreeing in the middle term. Lastly, a certain 

 degree of sagacity, in collecting and searching for physical 

 points of similarity, is very useful in many respects. 



28. In the seventh rank of prerogative instances, we will 

 place singular instances, which we are also wont to call irreg- 

 ular or heteroclite (to borrow a term from the grammarians). 

 They are such as exhibit bodies in the concrete, of an apparent- 

 ly extravagant and separate nature, agreeing but little with other 

 things of the same species. For, whilst the similar instances 

 resemble each other, those we now speak of are only like them- 

 selves. Their use is much the same with that of clandestine 

 instances : they bring out and unite nature, and discover genera 

 or common natures, which must afterwards be limited by real 

 differences. Nor should we desist from inquiry, until the prop- 

 erties and qualities of those things, which may be deemed mira- 

 cles, as it were, of nature, be reduced to, and comprehended in, 

 some form or certain law ; so that all irregularity or singularity 

 may be found to depend on some common form ; and the 

 miracle only consists in accurate differences, degree, and rare 

 coincidence, not in the species itself. Man's meditation pro- 

 ceeds no further at present, than just to consider things of this 

 kind as the secrets and vast efforts of nature, without an assign- 

 able cause, and, as it were, exceptions to general rules. 



As examples of singular instances, we have the sun and 

 moon amongst the heavenly bodies ; the magnet amongst min- 

 erals; quicksilver amongst metals; the elephant amongst 

 quadrupeds ; the venereal sensation amongst the different kinds 

 of touch ; the scent of sporting dogs amongst those of smell. 

 The letter S, too, is considered by the grammarians as sui gen- 

 eris, from its easily uniting with double or triple consonants, 

 which no other letter will. These instances are of great value, 

 because they excite and keep alive inquiry, and correct an under- 

 standing depraved by habit and the common course of things. 



29. In the eighth rank of prerogative instances, we will place 

 deviating instances, such as the errors of nature, or strange and 



