THE SECOND BOOK 139 



receive particular topics, that is, places or directions of 

 invention and inquiry in every particular knowledge, 

 as things of great use, being mixtures of logic with the 

 matter of sciences. For in these it holdeth, ' ars in- 

 veniendi adolescit cum inventis ' ; for as in going of 

 a way, we do not only gain that part of the way which 

 is passed, but we gain the better sight of that part of the 

 way which remaineth : so every degree of proceeding 

 in a science giveth a light to that which foUoweth ; which 

 light if we strengthen by drawing it forth into questions 

 or places of inquiry, we do greatly advance our pvirsuit. 

 XIV. 1. Now we pass unto the arts of judgement, 

 which handle the natures of proofs and demonstrations ; 

 which as to induction hath a coincidence with invention. 

 For in all inductions, whether in good or vicious form, 

 the same action of the mind which inventeth, judgeth ; 

 all one as in the sense. But otherwise it is in proof by 

 syllogism ; for the proof being not immediate, but by 

 mean, the invention of the mean is one thing, and the 

 judgement of the consequence is another ; the one 

 exciting only, the other examining. Therefore, for the 

 real and exact form of judgement, we refer ourselves to 

 that which we have spoken of interpretation of nature. 



2. For the other judgement by syllogism, as it is a 

 thing most agreeable to the mind of man, so it hath 

 been vehemently and excellently laboured. For the 

 nature of man doth extremely covet to have somewhat 

 in his understanding fixed and unmoveable, and as a 

 rest and support of the mind. And therefore as Aris- 

 totle endeavoureth to prove, that in all motion there is 

 some point quiescent ; and as he elegantly expoundeth 

 the ancient fable of Atlas (that stood fixed, and bare up 

 the heaven from falling) to be meant of the poles or axle- 

 tree of heaven, whereupon the conversion is accom- 

 plished : so assuredly men have a desire to have an 

 Atlas or axle-tree within to keep them from fluctuation, 

 which is like to a perpetual peril of falling. Therefore 

 men did hasten to set doAvn some principles about which 

 the variety of their disputations might turn. 



3. So then this art of judgement is but the reduction 



