204 ADVANCEMENT OV LEAtlNI»a [UOOK V, 



upon it, because what is sought we both find and judge of, 

 by the same operation of the mind. Nor is the matter here 

 transacted by a medium, but directly almost in the same 

 manner as by the sense ; for sense, in its primary objects, at 

 once seizes the image of the object, and assents to the truth 

 of it. It is otherwise in syllogism, whose proof is not direct, 

 but mediate ; and, therefore, the invention of the medium 

 is one thing, and judgment, as to the consequence of an 

 argument, another : for the mind first casts about, and after- 

 wards acquiesces. But for the corrupt form of induction, 

 we entirely ignore it, and refer the genuine one to our 

 method of interpreting nature. And thus much of judg- 

 ment by induction. 



The other by syllogism is worn by the file of many a sub- 

 tile genius, and reduced to numerous fragments, as having a 

 great sympathy with the human understanding ; for the 

 mind is wonderfully bent against fluctuating, and endeavours 

 to find something fixed and unmovable, upon which, as a 

 firm basis, to rest in its inquiries. And as Aristotle endea« 

 vours to prove that, in all motion of bodies, there is some- 

 thing still at rest, and elegantly explains the ancient fable of 

 Atlas, sustaining the heavens on his shoulders, of the i)oles 

 of the world, about which the revolutions are performed : ^ 

 so men have a strong desire to retain within themselves an 

 atlas, or pole for their thoughts, in some measure to govern 

 the fluctuations and revolutions of the understanding, as 

 otherwise fearing their heaven should tumble. And hence 

 it is, that they have been ever hasty in laying the principles 

 of the sciences, about which all the variety of disputes might 

 turn without danger of falling ; not at all regarding, that 

 whoever too hastily catches at certainties shall end in doubts, 

 as he who seasonably withholds his judgment shall arrive at 

 certainties. 



It is therefore manifest that this art of judging by 

 syllogism is nothing more than a reduction of propositions 

 to their principles by middle terms. *^ But principles are 



* Animal. Mot. 3. 



' Bacon here only gives us a loose translation of the Dictum de om'.tt 

 tt nullo, as inclosing the essentiality of the syllogism. Thus, to develop 

 his thought, when a certain attribute does not appear to belong to a 

 proposed subject, the logician presents another subject, in which the con- 

 tested quality is admitted by his hearers to enter, and having shown that 



