442 BACON 



doses of nature (borrowing a word from medicine). They are 

 such as measure the powers by the quantity of bodies, and point 

 out the effect of the quantity in the degree of power. And in 

 the first place, some powers only subsist in the universal quan- 

 tity, or such as bears a relation to the confirmation and fabric 

 of the universe. Thus the earth is fixed, its parts fall. The 

 waters in the sea flow and ebb, but not in the rivers, except 

 by the admission of the sea. Then, again, almost all particular 

 powers act according to the greater or less quantity of the body. 

 Large masses of water are not easily rendered foul, small are. 

 New wine and beer become ripe and drinkable in small skins 

 much more readily than in large casks. If an herb be placed in 

 a considerable quantity of liquid, infusion takes place rather 

 than impregnation ; if in less, the reverse. A bath, therefore, 

 and a light sprinkling, produce different effects on the human 

 body. Light dew, again, never falls, but is dissipated and in- 

 corporated with the air ; thus we see that in breathing on gems, 

 the slight quantity of moisture, like a small cloud in the air, 

 is immediately dissolved. Again, a piece of the same magnet 

 does not attract so much iron as the whole magnet did. There 

 are some powers where the smallness of the quantity is of more 

 avail ; as in boring, a sharp point pierces more readily than a 

 blunt one; the diamond, when pointed, makes an impression 

 on glass, and the like. 



Here, too, we must not rest contented with a vague result, 

 but inquire into the exact proportion of quantity requisite for 

 a particular exertion of power ; for one would be apt to suppose 

 that the power bears an exact proportion to the quantity ; that 

 if a leaden bullet of one ounce, for instance, would fall in a given 

 time, one of two ounces ought to fall twice as rapidly, which is 

 most erroneous. Nor does the same ratio prevail in every kind 

 of power, their difference being considerable. The measure, 

 therefore, must be determined by experiment, and not by prob- 

 ability or conjecture. 



Lastly, we must in all our investigations of nature observe 

 what quantity, or dose, of the body is requisite for a given effect, 

 and must at the same time be guarded against estimating it at 

 too much or too little. 



48. In the twenty-fourth rank of prerogative instances we 

 will place wrestling instances, which we are also wont to call 

 instances of predominance. They are such as point out the 

 predominance and submission of powers compared with each 

 other, and which of them is the more energetic and superior, or 

 more weak and inferior. For the motions and effects of bodies 

 are compounded, decomposed, and combined, no less than the 

 bodies themselves. We will exhibit, therefore, the principal 

 kinds of motions or active powers, in order that their compara- 



