boo:; l] 4PiiO!:is^:s. 300 



clear that this notion is hastily abstracted from water only, and 

 common ordinary liquors, without any due verification of it. 



There are, however, different degrees of distortion and mistake 

 in words. One of the least faulty classes is that of the names 

 of substances, particularly of the less abstract and more defined 

 species (those then of chalk and mud are good, of earth bad) ; 

 words sig^nifying actions are more faulty, as to generate, to cor- 

 rupt, to change ; but the most faulty are those denoting qualities 

 (except the immediate objects of sense), as heavy, light, rare, 

 dense. Yet in all of these there must be some notions a little 

 better than others, in proportion as a greater or less number of 

 things come before the senses. 



LXI. The idols of the theatre are not innate, nor do they in- 

 troduce themselves secretly into the understanding, but they are 

 manifestly instilled and cherished by the fictions of theories and 

 depraved rules of demonstration. To attempt, however, or un- 

 dertake their confutation would not be consistent with our 

 declarations. For since we neither agree in our principles nor 

 our demonstrations, all argument is out of the question. And it 

 is fortunate that the ancients are left in possession of tlicir 

 honours. We detract nothing from them, seeing our whole doc- 

 trine relates only to the path to be pursued. The lame (as they say) 

 in the path outstrip the swift who wander from it, and it is clear 

 that the very skill and swiftness of him who runs not in the right 

 direction must increase his aberration. 



Our method of discovering the sciences is such as to leave 

 little to the acuteness and strength of wit, and indeed rather to 

 level wit and intellect. For as in the drawing of a straight line, 

 or accurate circle by the hand, much depends on its steadiness 

 and practice, but if a ruler or compass be employed there is 

 little occasion for either; so it is with our method. Although, 

 however, we enter into no individual confutations, yet a little 

 must be said, first, of the sects and general divisions of these 

 species of theories ; secondly, something further to show that 

 there are external signs of their weakness ; and, lastly, we must 

 consider the causes of so great a misfortune, and so long and 

 general a unanimity in error, that we may thus render the access 

 to truth less difficult, and that the human understanding may the 

 more readily be purified, and brought to dismiss its idols. 



LXII. The idols of the theatre, or of theories, are numerous, 

 and may, and perhaps will, be still more so. For unless men's 

 minds had been now occupied for many ages in religious and 

 theological considerations, and civil governments (especially 

 monarchies), had been averse to novelties of that nature even in 

 theory (so that men must apply to them with some risk and injury 

 to their own fortunes, and not only without reward, but subject 

 ■^0 contumely and envy); there is no doubt that many other sects 



