NOVUM ORGANUM 435 



extent of air with its perfume ; that a cloud of smoke should be 

 raised by a little incense; that such accurate differences of 

 sound as articulate words should be conveyed in all directions 

 through the air, and even penetrate the pores of wood and 

 water (though they become much weakened), that they should 

 be, moreover, reflected, and that with such distinctness and 

 velocity; that light and color should for such an extent and 

 so rapidly pass through solid bodies, such as glass and water, 

 with so great and so exquisite a variety of images, and should 

 be refracted and reflected; that the magnet should attract 

 through every description of body, even the most compact; 

 but (what is still more wonderful) that in all these cases the 

 action of one should not impede that of another in a common 

 medium, such as air ; and that there should be borne through 

 the air, at the same time, so many images of visible objects, so 

 many impulses of articulation, so many different perfumes, as 

 of the violet, rose, etc., besides cold and heat, and magnetic 

 attractions ; all of them, I say, at once, without any impediment 

 from each other, as if each had its paths and peculiar passage set 

 apart for it, without infringing against or meeting each other. 



To these lancing instances, however, we are wont, not with- 

 out some advantage, to add those which we call the limits of 

 such instances. Thus, in the cases we have pointed out, one 

 action does not disturb or impede another of a different nature, 

 yet those of a similar nature subdue and extinguish each other ; 

 as the light of the sun does that of the candle, the sound of a 

 cannon that of the voice, a strong perfume a more delicate one, 

 a powerful heat a more gentle one, a plate of iron between the 

 magnet and other iron the effect of the magnet. But the proper 

 place for mentioning these will be also amongst the supports of 

 induction. 



44. We have now spoken of the instances which assist the 

 senses, and which are principally of service as regards informa- 

 tion ; for information begins from the senses. But our whole 

 labor terminates in practice, and as the former is the beginning, 

 so is the latter the end of our subject. The following instances, 

 therefore, will be those which are chiefly useful in practice. 

 They are comprehended in two classes, and are seven in num- 

 ber. We call them all by the general name of practical in- 

 stances. Now there are two defects in practice, and as many 

 divisions of important instances. Practice is either deceptive 

 or too laborious. It is generally deceptive (especially after a 

 diligent examination of natures), on account of the power and 

 actions of bodies being ill defined and determined. Now the 

 powers and actions of bodies are defined and determined either 

 by space or by time, or by the quantity at a given period, or by 

 the predominance of energy ; and if these four circumstances 



