436 WOVUM ORGANUM. [bOOK L 



is attended with tlie loss of a little human labour, the latter with 

 that of an immense benefit. For these and other reasons it 

 appears to us that there is abundant ground to hope, and to 

 induce not only those who are sanguine to make experiment, but 

 even those who are cautious and sober to give their assent. 



CXV. Such are the grounds for banishing despair, hitherto 

 one of the most powerful causes of the delay and restraint to 

 which the sciences have been subjected ; in treating of which we 

 have at the same time discussed the signs and causes of the errors, 

 idleness, and ignorance, that have prevailed ; seeing especially 

 that the more refined causes, which are not open to popular 

 judgment and observation, may be referred to our remarks on the 

 idols of the human mind. 



Here, too, we should close the demolishing branch of our 

 instauration, which is comprised in three confutations : 1, the 

 confutation of natural human reason left to itself ; 2, the confu- 

 tation of demonstration; 3, the confutation of theories, or 

 received systems of philosophy and doctrines. Our confutation 

 has followed such a course as was open to it, namely, the exposing 

 of the signs of error, and the producing evidence of the causes of 

 it : for we could adopt no other, differing as we do both in first 

 principles and demonstrations from others. 



It is time for us therefore to come to the art itself, and the 

 rule for the interpretation of nature : there is, however, still 

 something which must not be passed over. For the intent of 

 this first book of aphorisms being to prepare the mind for under- 

 standing, as well as admitting, what follows, we must now, after 

 having cleansed, polished, and levelled its surface, place it in a 

 good position, and as it were a benevolent aspect towards our 

 propositions ; seeing that prejudice in new matters may be pro- 

 duced not only by the strength of preconceived notions, but also 

 by a false anticipation or expectation of the matter proposed. 

 We shall therefore endeavour to induce good and correct opinions 

 of what we ofier, although this be only necessary for the moment, 

 and as it were laid out at interest, until the matter itself be well 

 understood. 



CXVI. First, then, we must desire men not to suppose that 

 we are ambitious of founding any philosophical sect, like the 

 ancient Greeks, or some moderns, as Telesius, Patricius, and 

 Severinus.' For neither is this our intention, nor do we think 



f* \ti Bacon very frequently cites these authors, a slight notice of their 

 labours may not be unacceptable to the reader. Bernardinus Telesius, 

 hnxi\ at Cosenza, in 1508, combated the Aristotelian system in a work 

 entitled " De Rerum Natura juxta propria principia," i. e. according to 

 principles of his own. The proem of tne work ^xnnounces his design 

 vaa to s»ow that " the construction of the world, the magnitude *nd 



