126 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [bOOK III 



of nature produces two parts of physics ; the one relating to 

 tlie principles of things, and the other to the structure of the 

 universe ; whilst the third exliibits all the possible varieties 

 and lesser collections of things. And this latter is like a 

 first gloss, or paraphrase in the interpretation of nature. 

 None of the three are deficient entirely, but how justly and 

 solidly they have been treated is another question. 



The third part we again divide into two others, witli regard 

 to concretes and abstracts, or into physics of creatures and 

 physics of natures : the one inquiring into substances, and 

 ,all the variety of their accidents ; the other into accidents 

 through all the variety of substances. Thus if inquiry be 

 made about a lion or an oak ; these support many different 

 accidents : so if the inquiry were about heat or gravity ; 

 these are found in many different substances. But as all 

 pliysics lies in the middle, betwixt natural history and meta- 

 physics ; so the former part approaches nearer to natural 

 history, and the latter to metaphysics. 



Concrete physics has the same division with natural 

 history ; being conversant either about celestial appearances, 

 meteors, and the terrestrial globe j or about the larger 

 assemblages of matter, called the elements ; and the lesser or 

 particular bodies : as also about j^rsetergenerations and 

 mechanics. For in all these, natural history examines and 

 relates the matters of fact ; and physics their instable, or 

 material and efiicient causes. And among these parts of 

 physics, that is absolutely lame and incomplete, which re- 

 gards the celestial bodies, though for the dignity of the 

 subject it claims the highest regard. Astronomy, indeed, is 

 well founded in phenomena; yet it is low and far fi'om solid. 

 But astrology is in many things destitute of all foundation. 

 And to say the truth, astronomy itself seems to offer Prome- 

 theus's sacrifice to the understanding ; for as he would have 

 imposed upon Jupiter a fair large hide, stuffed with straw, 

 and leaves, and twigs, instead of the ox itself, so astronomy 

 gives us the number, situation, motion, and periods of tlio 

 stars, as a beautiful outside of the heavens, whilst the flesh 

 and the entrails are wanting ; that is, a well-fabricated 

 system, or the physical reasons and foundations for a just 

 theory, that should not only solve phenomena, as almost any- 

 ingenious theory may do, but show the substance, motions, 

 and influences of the heavenly bodies, as they really are. For 



