1 64 GIORDANO BRUNO PART 



have for its operations a certain matter (material) ; for 

 no agent intending to make something can work without 

 something of which to make it, or wishing to act can do 

 so without something on which to act ; there is there- 

 fore a species of subject or material, of which and in 

 which nature effectuates its operation, its work, and 

 which is by it formed in the many forms presented to 

 the eye of reflection. And as wood by itself has not 

 any artificial form, but may have any or all through the 

 action of the wood-worker, so the matter of which we 

 speak, of itself and in its own nature, has not any natural 

 form, but may have any or all through the agent, the 

 active principle of nature. This natural matter or 

 material is imperceptible, differing so from the material 

 of art, because the matter of nature has absolutely no 

 form, whereas the matter of art is a thing already formed 

 by nature. Art can operate only upon the surface of 

 things formed by nature, as wood, iron, stone, wool, 

 and similar things ; but nature operates from the centre 

 so to speak, of its subject, or matter, which in itself is 

 wholly devoid of form. The subjects of the arts are 

 many of nature one ; for those being diversely formed 

 by nature, are different and various, while the latter, 

 not being formed at all, is entirely indifferent, every 

 difference and variety being due to the form. 1 As it is 

 absolutely formless, this matter cannot be perceived by 

 the senses, which are the media of natural forms, but 

 only by the eye of reason. As visible matter, that of 

 art, remains the same under countless variations of form, 

 the form of a tree becoming that of a trunk, of a beam, 

 of a table, a chair, a stool, a comb, its nature as wood 

 continuing throughout ; so in nature that which was 



1 Lag. 248. 17. The apparent conflict between this and the preceding pages will 

 resolve itself below. 



