L I B. II. Of the Advancement of Learning. c 3 



ipeculation and confiderationofthem, (if they be clofely purfued^vve 

 may attain a profitable direftion , not only for the right diicerning of 

 offences in this kind of guilty perfons 3 but for the farther difclofing of 

 the fecrets of Nature. Neither furely ought a man to make Scruple of 

 entring and penetrating the vaults and recelTes of thele Arts, that pro- 

 pofethtohimfelf only the inquifition oi Truth^ as your Majefty hath KHmeti. 

 confirmed in your own example: For you have with the two clear and *''^d*™»' 

 quick-fighted eyes of Religion and Natural Fhilojophy^ fo wifely and "''' '^^' 

 throughly enlightened thefefiadorvsj that you have proved your (elf 

 mofl: like the Sun which pafleth through polluted places, yet is not di- 

 ftained. But this I would admonilh,that thele Narrations which have 

 mixture with Supcrjiition^ bcfortedby themfelves, and not be mingled 

 with the Narrations, which are purely and fincerely Natural. As for 

 the Narrations touching the Prodigies and Miracles of Religions, they 

 are either not true, or no way Natural, and therefore pertain not to 

 Natural Hijlory. 



IV. For Hiftory of Nature, wrought and fubdued by the hand, which -9 

 we are wont to call Mechanical^ I find indeed fome colleftions made 

 of Agriculture, and likewile of many Manual Arts :> but commonly 

 (which in this kind of knowledge is a great detriment) withanegleft 

 andTejed:ion o^ Experiments familiar andvulgar ■) which yet, tothe/V/- 

 terpretation of Nature^ do as much, ifnot more, conduce, than Expe- 

 riments of a higher quality. But it is eftecraed a kind of diflionour and 

 ^(perfion unto Learning,if learned men (hould, upon occafion perchance, 

 defcend to the Inquiry or Oblervation of Matters Mechanical^ except 

 they be reputed for .ycov// of Art ^ or Rarities^ or Subtilties, Which 

 humour of vain and fupercilious arrogance, p/^/<j juftly derideth, where 

 he brings in Hippias a vaunting Sophift, difputiug with Socrates a fevere 

 and (olid inquifitor of Truth, where the fubjedt being of Beauty, So- 

 crates after his wandnng and loofe manner of difputing, brought in 

 firft an example of a fair Virgin, thanof afair Horfe, than of a fair Pot 

 well glaz'd, at this laft inftance ////)/?/4/' fomewhat mov'd (aid; IVere inujpp^ 

 it not for courtejiefaks^ Ij/jould difdain to difpute xoith any that alledged Major. 

 Juch bafe and fordid injiances j to whom Socrates^ Ton have reafon^ and 

 it becomes you weU^ being a manfo trim in your vefiments^ dndfo neat 

 in your fliooes , and fo goes on in an Irony. And certainly this may be 

 averr'd for truth, that they be not the higheft inflances, that give the 

 beft and furefi: information. This is not unaptly exprefl: in the Tale, 

 fo common, of the Philolbpher, That while he gax^'d upward fo the fiars Th*f'''* 

 fell into the water : for if he had lookt down, he might have (een the ^' 



ftars in the water 5 but looking up to heaven he could not (ee the water 

 in the ftars. In like manner it often comes to pals that fmall and mean 

 things conduce more to the difcovery ofgreat matters, than great things 

 to thedifcovery of fmall matters, and therefore y^r//?<:'if/e notes well, 

 that the Nature of every thing if befl feeh in his fmalleji Portions, For Pol.Iib. a* 

 that caufe he enquires the Nature of a Common-wealth, firft in a Fa- 

 mily and the fimple conjugationsof Society, Man and Wife, Parents 

 and Children; Mafter and Servant, which are in every cottage. So 

 likewile the Nature of this great City of the world, and the Policy 

 thereof, muft be fought in every firft Concordances and leaft Portions 

 of things. So we fee that fecrct of Nature (eftecmed one of the great 



myfteries) 



