1 48 Of the Advancement of Learning, L i b. V» 



a part ofjome Art^ into a diverfe part of the fame Art. Of 7r an fat ion 

 from Nature, or chance into Art, there are innumerable examples 5' for 

 that almoft all Mechanical Arts owe their originals from flender be- 

 ginnings prefented by PJ^cff«rc or C/j4«£^e. It is a received Proverb, That 

 Grapes cuttforted with Grapes fooner come to maturity : Which from the 

 Nature f)f mutual alF^iancc and friendQiip grew popular. But our ma- 

 kers of Syder, which is a wine of Apples, do well imitate this: For 

 they provide that they be not ftampt or prefl:, before, by being caft 

 intoheapsfor a time 5 they mature by mutual contad^ whereby the a- 

 cidity and tartnels of the liquor is correfted. SothQ imitation of Arti- 

 ficial Rainbows by the fpifs alperfion of little drops, is by an eafie deri- 

 vation from natural Rain- bows compofed of a dewy Cloud. So the 

 manner of drfiilling might be taken either from above, as fromfliovvers 

 or dew, or from that homely experiment of Drops adhering to Co- 

 Panciroi- vers put upon Pots of boyling water. And a man would have been a- 

 par.2. r^^j^ („ fjjyg imitated Thunder and Light ning^if (he Pot-lid of that chyntick^ 

 Monl{ had notj/y being tcji up into the air, infiru&cd him. But the more 

 plentiful this experiment is of examples, the fewer we need to produce. 

 And if men would be at leifure toimploy their ftudies in the inquiry 

 of things profitable 5 they fhould view attentively, by degrees and of 

 fet purpose all the workmanfhip, and the particular workings of Na- 

 ture '■) and perpetually, and thoroughly meditate with themfelves, 

 V/hich of thofe may be transfer'd to Arts, For Nature is the Mirror of 

 Art: And the experiments are as many which may be tranflated frem 

 Art into Art '-i or from one Tra&ice into another, though this is not ^o 

 muchinufe: For nature every way is obvious to all men, but Arts 

 appropriate to particular Profeffors, are only known to them. Spe- 

 Backs are invented to help a weak fight 3 might there be contrived an 

 inltrument which faftned to the ear, might help fuch as are thick of 

 hearing ? So embalming, and honey conferve dead Corps '-, might not fome 

 of thole ingredients be transfer'd into a medicine, which might be ufe- 

 ful to bodies alive? So the practice of Seals upon wax 3 cements for 

 wallsjand upon Lead ij an:ient; but this invention (hewed the way to 

 Imprefiion upon Paper, or the Art of Printing. So in the Art ofCookt- 

 ry,filtfeafonsflef), and that better in Winter, than in Summer : Might 

 not this be profitably tranflated to Baths and their temperament, as 

 occafion (hall require 5 either to imprefs fome good moifture, or ex- 

 trad fome peccant humour. So fait \n the new-found experiment of 

 Artificial Conglaciations is fiund to have great power to condenfe ; 

 Might not this be transfer'd to the condenfation of Metals 5 (eeing it 

 is known longfince that ftrong-waters,beingcompofited of fome kinds 

 offalts, have a power to dejeft and precipitate fmall lands of Gold 

 out of certain Metals, not fo denfe and compaftas Gold ? So painting 

 revives the memory of athingjy the Image of a PiCfure: Is not this tradu- 

 ced into an Art, which they call the Art of Memory? Let this in genC". 

 ral ferve for admonition 3 that nothing can fb much conduce to the 

 drawing down, as it were, from heaven, a whole (howr of new and 

 profitable Inventions, as this, that the experiments ofjaany Mccha- 

 nick Arts, may come to the knowledge ofcne man, orlWefcw, who 

 by mutual conference may whet and (harpen one another 3 that fo by 

 tiiis v\ hicli we call Travfiation ofExperimet.ts, Arts may nouri(h,and as 



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