52 Of the Advancement of Learning, L i b . II. 



material fo things be managed in a right order, for theproduftion of 

 fuch an efFedt, whether this be done by the Art of Manor without the 

 Art of Man. Gold is fometimes digefted and purged from crudities 

 and impurities, by fire 5 fometimes found pure in fmallfands. Nature 

 performing her own work. So the Rain-Bow is formed of a dewy 

 cloud in the Air above 5 form'd alfo by afperfion of water by us below. 

 Therefore Nature commandeth all, and thefe three are her fubftitute 

 Adminiftrators, The courfe of Nature j the Expatiation of Nature and 

 Art '■} or the Cooperation of Man with Nature in particulars. Wherefore 

 r pjin it is very proportionable, that thefe three be comprized in Natural Hi- 

 Nat.Hift. ftory, which C. Plinius for moft part performed, who alone compre- 

 hended N^fwra/ H//?orj/ according to the dignity thereof; but what he 

 thus comprehended he hath not handled as was meet, nay rather foully 

 abufed. 



III. The fiirfl of thefe is extant in fome good per feftion : The two lat- 

 ter are handled fo weakly andfe unprofitably, that they may be referr'd to 

 «t the lijl ofDejicients. For you (hall find no fufficient and competent col- 

 lediionofthofe works of N^f«re which have a Digrejjion andDefleSion 

 from the ordinary courfe ofGenerations, Produ&ions and Motions j whe- 

 ther they be the Angularities of certain Countries and Places, or the 

 ftrange events of times 3 or the wit of chance, or theeffeds of latent 

 proprieties 5 or Monodicals of Nature in their kind. It is true, there 

 are a number of Books more than enough, full fraught with fabulous 

 Experiments, forged Secrets, and frivolous Impoftures, forpleafure 

 and ftrangenefs 5 but a fubftantial and fevere Colleliien ofHeteroclites, 

 and of the wonders of Nature, diligently examined and faithfully de- 

 fcribed, thk, I fay, Ifind not, efpecially with due rejeftion, and, as it 

 were, publick prolcription of untruths and fables, which have got up 

 into credit. For as the matter is now carried, if any untruths toucit- 

 ing Nature be once on foot and celebrated (whether it be the Reverence 

 of Antiquity, that can thus far countenance them; or that it is a trou- 

 ble to call them unto a re-examination ; or that they are held to-be rare 

 ornaments of fpeecb, for (imilitudes and comparifons) they are never af^ 

 ter exterminate and called in. The ufe of this work honour'd with 2 

 BeMifab. pj-gfidgnt in Arijiotle, is nothing left than to give contentment to curi- 

 ous and vain wits, as the manner of Mirahilaries and the fpreaders of 

 invented Prodigies is to do ; but for two reafons ferious and grave ; the 

 one tocorreft the partiality of Axioms, which are commonly grounded 

 upon common and popular examples ; the other becaufe from the won- 

 ders of Nature, a fair and open pafTage is made to the wonders of Art, 

 For the bufinefs in this matter is no more than by quick fent to trace out 

 the footings of nature in her wilful wandrings 3 that fb afterward you 

 ' may be able at your pleafure, to lead or force her to to the fame place 

 and poftures again. 



§ Neither do I give in precept, that fuperftitious Narrations of Sorce* 

 ries. Witch-crafts, Inchantments, Dreams, Divinations, and the like, 

 where there is clear evidence of the faft and and deed done, be altoge- 

 ther excluded from this Hijlory of Marvails. For it is not yet known, 

 in what cafes, and how far, eifefts attributed to fuperftition, do partici- 

 pate of Natural Caufes 5 and therefore, howfbever the u(e and praftice 

 of thefe Arts, in my opinion, is juftly to be condemned ; yet from the 



fpeculation 



