BOOK 1.] AfnonisMa 413 



of the ancient pKilosophers subsisted long aftef that event, even 

 to the time of Cicero, and the subsequent ages. But at a later 

 period, when human learning had, as it were, been wrecked in 

 the inundation of barbarians into the Eoman empire, then thp 

 systems of Aristotle and Plato were preserved in the waves o.. 

 ages, like planks of a lighter and less solid nature. 2nd. The 

 notion of unanimity, on a clear inspection, is found to be 

 fallacious. For tr«.e unanimity is that which proceeds from 

 a free judgment, arriving at the same conclusion, after an in- 

 vestigation of the fact. Now, by far the greater number of 

 those who have assented to the philosophy of Aristotle, have 

 bound themselves down to it from prejudice and the authority of 

 others, so that it is rather obsequiousness and concurrence than 

 unanimity. But even if it were real and extensive unanimity, 

 so far from being esteemed a true and solid confirmation, it should 

 even lead to a violent presumption to the contrary. For there 

 is no worse augury in intellectual matters than that derived from 

 unanimity, with the exception of divinity and politics, where 

 suffrages are allowed to decide. For nothing pleases the multi- 

 tude, unless it strike the imagination or bind down the under- 

 standing, as we have observed above, with the shackles of vulgar 

 notions. Hence we may well transfer Phocion's remark from 

 morals to the intellect ; *' That men should immediately examine 

 what error or fault they have committed, when the multitude 

 concurs with, and applauds them."' This then is one of the 

 most unfavourable signs. All the signs, therefore, of the truth 

 and soundness of the received systems of philosophy and the 

 sciences are unpropitioun, whether taken from their origin, their 

 fruits, their progress, the confessions of their authors, or from 

 unanimity. 



LXXVIII. We now come to the causes of errors,* and of such 

 perseverance in them for ages. These are sufficiently numerous 

 and powerful to remove all wonder, that what we now offer 

 should have so long been concealed from, and have escaped the 

 notice of mankind, and to render it more worthy of astonishment, 

 that it should even now have entered any one's mind, or become 

 the subject of his thoughts ; and that it should have done so, 

 Ave consider rather the gift of fortune than of any extraordinary 

 talent, and as the offspring of time rather than wit. But, in the 

 first place, the number of ages is reduced to very narrow limits, 

 on a proper consideration of the matter. For out of twenty-five* 



' Becanse the vulgar make up the overwhelming majority in such 

 decisions, and generally allow their judgments to be swayed by passion 

 or prejudice. 



• See end of Axiom Ixi. The subject extends to Axiom xc. 



* If we adopt the statement of Herodotus, who places the Homerig 



