Lib. II. Of the Advancement of Learning. 5 5 



volumes of Modern writers (baftonifh my fenfe 5 for I know very well 

 that Natural Hijioty^ is already extant, ample fortheMaft, for variety 

 delightful, and often curious for the diligence; but if you take from 

 thence Fables and Antiquity^ and Allegations of Authors^ and vain Contro- 

 ver(ies, Thilofophy and Ornaments, which are accommodate to Table- 

 talk, or the night-difcoiirfes o[ Learned men, then will the (equel, for 

 the Injiaiirations of Philofophy, come to no great matter : And to (peak 

 truth, this is far (Iiort of the variety which we intend. For firft thofe 

 two parts of Natural Hijlory, whereof we have (poken , The Hiftory of 

 rr<eter-gcnerations, and of Arts^ matters of great confequence, are there 

 Defcient : then in that third general Part mentioned before, namely of 

 Generations, of five parts thereof^ the Natural Htjiory extant gives fa- 

 tisfaftiononly to one. 



If. For the Hijiory of Generations hath Five fubordinate Parts ; The 

 firft is of Celejiial Bodies, which comprehends the Thtenontena finccre, 

 and not dogmatiz'd into any peremptory alTertions : The fecond of Aic 

 tears with the Comets, and of the Regions, as they call them, of the Air^ 

 neither is there extant any Hiftory concerning Comets, Fiery Meteors, 

 lFinds,Rain,TempeJis,and the rcft,of any value : The third is of the Earth 

 and of the IVater (as they are integral parts of the World J of Moun- 

 tains, of Rivers, of Tydes, o^ Sands, of IVoods , as al(b of the Figure 

 of the continents, as they are ftretcht forth ; in all thefe particulars the 

 Inquiries and Obfervations are rather Natural , than Cofmographical : 

 Fourthly, touching the ^ewer^/ Majj'es of Matter, which we uile the 

 Greater CoUegiats, commonly called the Elements : Neither are there 

 found any narrations touching Fire, Air, Water, and of their Natures, 

 MotionSjWorkingsJmprefljonSjWhich makeup any complete body:The 

 fifth and the laft Part is oithe FerfM and exact Collections, which we 

 entitle the leffcr CoUegiats, commonly called Kinds or Specifickj. la 

 this laft part only the induftry of writers hath appeared, yet fo as was 

 prodigally wafted in fuperfluous matter, fwelling with the outward de- 

 scriptions of living Creatures, or of Plants and fuch like 5 than en- 

 richt with folid and diligent obfervations, which in Natural History 

 Ihould every where be annext and interferted. And tofpeakin a word, 

 all the Natural Il/Jiory we have, as well in regard of the Inquifition, as 

 of the Colleftion, is no way proportionable in reference, to that end 

 whereof we fpeak, namely the Raifing and advancing of Thilofophy :, 

 Wherefore we pronounce InduUive Hilary Deficient. And thus far of 

 natural Hiflory, 



CBAP, 



