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1 02 Of the Advancement of Learning. L i b. III. 



cius the t^enetian ; who hath fublimated the fumes of the rUtonijis 5 or 

 of Gilbert our Countryman, who hath reftored to light the opinions 

 ofPhilolaiisj or ofany other whatfoever, if he be of merit. And be- 

 cau(e the volumes of thefe Authors are wholly extant, there may be a^' 

 bridgements made only of them, and fo annext, by way of reference 

 to the reft. And thus much of Natural rhilofophy^ and the Appendices 

 thereof. 



VI. As for Adctaphyfick^^ we have ajjlghed ttnto it, the inquiry of V or - 

 mal and Final caufes 5 which application, as to Forms, may jeem to he 

 ■k nugatory and void. For an opinion hath prevailed , and is grown in- 

 rerma.Rt' vetcratc, that the effential Forms and true Differences o^l\{\ngs, can by 

 fum. no diligence of Man be found out. Which opinion in the mean, gives 

 and grants us thus much j that the Invention of Forms, is of all other 

 parts of knowledge the worthieft to be (ought ; if it be poffible they 

 may be found. And as for Poffibility of Invention,there are fome faint- 

 hearted difcoverers , who when they fee nothing but Air and Water, 

 think there is no farther Land. But it is manifeft that Tlato, a man of 

 In Tifflco an elevated wit, and who beheld all things as from a high cliff, in his 

 ** '* doftrine of Ideas, did defcry, that forms were the true objeS of l^now' 

 ledge, however he loathe real fruit of this moU true opinion, by contem^ 

 plating and apprehending Forms, as abfolutely abjiraii from matters 5 and 

 not confined and determined by matter : whereupon it came to pafs that 

 he turned himfelfto Theological Jpeculationi, which infeHedand drjiained 

 all his Natural rhilofophy. But if we keep a watchful, and a (evere eye 

 upon Aftion and life, it will not be difficult, to trace and find out what 

 are the Forms --y the difclofure whereof would wonderfully enrich and 

 make happy the eftateof man. For the Forms offubjiances, (man onv 

 Gen. 2. ly except, of whom it is laid, Formavit hominem dehmoterne, C^fpira" 

 Gen. I. vit jnjaciem ejus fpiraculum vit<e 5 not as of all other kinds, Producat a- 

 qua, producat terra) I fay the fpecies of creatures, as they are now 

 multiplied by compounding and tranfplanting, are fo perplext and com- 

 plicate, as it is either altogether loft labour to make enquiry of them, 

 or the inquifition thereof, (uch as as may be had, fhould be fulpended 

 for a time, and when the Ftfr«// of nature, in hermorefimpleexiftence 

 are rightly fought and found out, then to be determin'd and fet down. 

 For, as it were not a thing eafie, nor any way ufeful, tofeel^ the Form 

 of that found, which makes a wordj being that words through compo- 

 fition, and tranfpofition of letters are infinite : but to enquire the Form 

 ofjound, which exprejfeth fome fmple letter (mmdymth what collifion, 

 with what application of the inftruments of voice it is made) is a thing 

 comprehenfible and eafie , which form of letters once known, prefently 

 leads us to the form of words. In the fame manner to enquire the form 

 of a Lyon, of an Oak, of Gold, nay of Water, of Air,is avainpur- 

 fuit; but to enquire the Forms oi>Denfc, Rare-, Hot, Cold:, Heavy, 

 Light-, Tangible, Pneumatick, 5 Volatile, Fixt •■, and the like, 'bott) of 

 Figurations and of Motions j whereof the moft of them we have enu. 

 merated when we handled rhyfick,, and are wont to call them, Forms 

 of the fir fi rank.or order 5 and which (as the letters of the Alphabet) are 

 not fo many in number, and yet build up and fupport the Effences and 

 Forms ot all fubftances. And this is that very point,which we aim at, 

 and endeavour tocompafs ; and which conftitutes and defines that part 



of 



