380 PREFACE TO 



However I am here again getting out of my province. It may be 

 that Bacon's project was visionary ; or it may be that it is only 

 thought visionary, because since his death no heart has been created 

 large enough to believe it practicable. The philosophers must settle 

 that among themselves. But be the cause what it will, it is clear to 

 me on the one hand that the thing has not been seriously attempted ; 

 and on the other, that Bacon was fully satisfied that nothing of worth 

 could be hoped for without it ; therefore that "we have no right to 

 impute to him either the credit of all that has been done by the new 

 philosophy, or the discredit of all that has been left undone. 



A. 



Certainly not ; if you are right as to the fact. But I still think 

 there must be some mistake. How is it possible that among so many 

 distinguished men as have studied Bacon's philosophy with so much 

 reverence, such a large feature can hare been overlooked ? 



B. 



I cannot pretend to explain that. But an appeal to one's own 

 eyes is always lawful. Here is one passage which is enough by 

 itself to settle the question. If you are not satisfied with it, I can 

 quote half a dozen more to the same effect : " Illud interim quod 

 scepe diximus etiam hoc loco prcecipue repetendum esl " 



A. 



Translate ; if you would have me follow. 



B. 



" I must repeat here again what I have so often said; that though all 

 the wits of all the ages should meet in one, though the whole human race 

 should make Philosophy their sole business, though the whole earth were 

 nothing but colleges and academies and schools of learned men, yet with- 

 out such a natural and experimental history as I am going to describe, no 

 progress worthy of the human race in Philosophy and the Sciences could 

 possibly be made : whereas if such a history were once provided and well 

 ordered, with the addition of such auxiliary and light-giving experiments as 

 the course of Interpretation would itself suggest, the investigation of Nature 

 and of all sciences would be the work only of a few years. Either this must 

 be done, therefore, or the business must be abandoned. For in this way and 

 in this way only can the foundation be laid of a true and active Philosophy." 



A. 



Where does he say that ? 



B. 



In the Preface to what he calls the " Parasceve ad Hustoriam 

 naturalem et experimentalem" which is in fact nothing more than a 

 description of the sort of history which he wanted, such a history 

 as a true Philosophy might be built upon, with directions to bo 



