268 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



parts active have a correspondence and analogy with the 

 three parts Speculative, Natural History, Physic, and 

 Metaphysic. For many operations have been invented, 

 sometimes by a casual incidence and occurrence, sometimes 

 by a purposed experiment ; and of those which have been 

 found by an intentional experiment, some have been found 

 out by varying or extending the same experiment, some by 

 transferring and compounding divers experiments the one 

 into the other, which kind of invention an empiric may 

 manage. Again, by the knowledge of physical causes 

 there cannot fail to follow many indications and designa- 

 tions of new particulars, if men in their speculation will 

 keep one eye upon use and practice. But these are but 

 coastings along the shore, premendo littus iniquum : for it 

 seemeth to me there can hardly be discovered any radical 

 or fundamental alterations and innovations in nature, either 

 by the fortune and essays of experiments, or by the light 

 and direction of physical causes. If therefore we have 

 reported Metaphysic deficient, it must follow that we do 

 Naturaiis t ^ ie l^e of Natural Magic, which hath relation 

 Magia, thereunto. For as for the Natural Magic whereof 



sivePhysica . . . . 



operativa riow there is mention in books, containing certain 

 credulous and superstitious conceits and observa- 

 tions of Sympathies and Antipathies and hidden proprieties, 

 and some frivolous experiments, strange rather by disguise- 

 ment than in themselves ; it is as far differing in truth of 

 nature from such a knowledge as we require, as the story 

 of King Arthur of Britain, or Hugh of Bourdeaux, differs 

 from Caesar's commentaries in truth of story. For it is 

 manifest that Caesar did greater things de vero than those 

 imaginary heroes were feigned to do. But he did them 

 not in that fabulous manner. Of this kind of learning the 

 fable of Ixion was a figure, who designed to enjoy Juno, 

 the goddess of power ; and instead of her had copulation 

 with a cloud, of which mixture were begotten centaurs and 

 chimeras. So whosoever shall entertain high and vaporous 

 imaginations instead of a laborious and sober inquiry of 

 truth, shall beget hopes and beliefs of strange and impossible 

 shapes. And therefore we may note in these sciences 



