o8 Of the Advancement of Learning. Lib. III. 



to this knowledge. Firfl, by Experiments future, then by Experiments 

 paji : Agairij by Tradition 5 laft of all, by natural Reaforts. Now for fu' 

 ture Experiments, to what end (hould we fpeak much of them t fteing 

 to make up a competent number of Inftances, fo many ages are requifite , 

 as it were, but loft labour, to think to comprehend it ? As for Expert- 

 stents paji, they indeed are within the compafs and reach of men, al- 

 though it is a matter will require much labour, and much leifure to ac- 

 complilh. For Ajirologians (if they be not wanting to their ProfeCB- 

 on^ may make a colleftion from the f«thful reports of Hiftory, of all 

 greater contigences; zs Inundations^ Pejiilences, JVars, Seditions, and 

 (if the ftate fo require) the deaths of Kings : and may contemplate the 

 fitMation of the Heavens, not according to the fubtilty oi Figures ; but ac- 

 cording to thofe general rules which we have already fet down, to 

 know in what poftures the Heavens were, at thofe times, when fuch ef- 

 fefts came to pafs 5 that fo where there is a clear, and evident confent, 

 and concurrence of events 5 there a probable rule of Fredi^ion may 

 be inferred. As for Traditions, they ought to be fo examined and 

 fifred.rhat fuch as manifeftly oppugn FhyficalReafons,^o\x\d bedifcard- 

 erd ;, but fuch as well confent, (hould be valid even of their own au- 

 thority. Lajlly, as for Fbyfical or Natural reafont , they are the apteft 

 for this inquiry ; which make inquiry of the Catholick, and more uni- 

 verfal inclinations and PafSons of Matter, and of the fimple and ge- 

 nuine motions of Bodies , for by thefo wings we (afely foar and mount 

 uptothofeceleftial materiare fubftances. Thus much concerning A" 

 jirologia fana. 



§ There is another Portion of Alirological Frenzie ("befidcs thole fig- 

 ments which we have noted at the beginning) which is wont to be ft- 

 perate from Ajirologie, and to be transferred into CeleSiial Magic^, as 

 they call it. This hath purchafed a ftrange Glofs , from the working 

 C. Agrip. fancie of mans wit ; namely , That a benevolent fituation or afpeH of 

 deOcculr. stars, may be taken in feals and Jignet-rings (be it of Metals, or of any 

 ^*'''' Gcmm, capable of fuch impreffion) which may arrejl the felicity of that 

 hour, which otherwife wouldfwiftly pafs away , and as it were, fix it, being 

 volatilous. As the Poet paffionately complains of this fo noble Art, 

 among the Ancients, now long ago buried in oblivion. 



Annulus infufo non vivit mirus Olympo, 

 jkj j^ Non magis ingentes humilifub lumine Phebos 



Fert Gemma, aut Celfo divulfas cardine lunas. 



Indeed the Church qf Rome hath imbraced the Reliques of Saints'^ 

 and their virtues, (for in Divine and immateriate things, the flux of 

 time hath no power to abate the force and efficacy) but that the Reliquet 

 of Heaven (hould be fo lodged, as that the hour which is paft, and, as it 

 were, dead, (hould revive and be continued ; is a meer fuperftition,and 

 impofture. Wherefore let us let go thefe idle fancies, unlels the Mulies 

 be grown doting old Wives. 



IV, Abfira& Pbyjick^ in our judgement, may very well be divided into 

 two Parts, into the Do^rine of the Schemes of Matter , and into the do- 

 Urine of Appetites or Motions. We will run them both over briefly, 

 from whence the delineations of the true Phylick of Ab(trads may be 



drawn 



