THE SECOND BOOK 301 



or triangle or straight line amongst such an infinite number ; 

 so differing an harmony there is between the spirit of Man 

 and the spirit of Nature. 



Let us consider again the false appearances imposed 

 upon us by every man's own individual nature and custom, 

 in that feigned supposition that Plato maketh of the cave : 

 for certainly if a child were continued in a grot or cave 

 under the earth until maturity of age, and came suddenly 

 abroad, he would have strange and absurd imaginations ; 

 so in like manner, although ^iu^persons live in the view of 

 heaven, yet our spirits are included in the caves of our own 

 complexions and customs ; which minister unto us infinite 

 errors and vain opinions., if_they_be not^recalled to examina- 

 tion. But hereof we have given many examples in one of 

 the errors, or peccant humours, which we ran briefly over 

 in our first book. 



And lastly, (let us consider the false appearances that are 

 imposed upon us by words, which are framed and applied ^ t 

 according to the conceit and capacities of the vulgar sort : 

 and although we think we govern our words, and prescribe 

 it well, Loquendum ut vulgus, sentiendum ut sapienfes, yet 

 certain it is that words, as a Tartar's bow, do shoot back 

 upon the understanding of the wisest, and mightily entangle 

 and pervert the judgment ; so as it is almost necessary in 

 all controversies and disputations to imitate the wisdom of 

 the Mathematicians, in setting down in the very beginning 

 the definitions of our words and terms, that others may 

 know how we accept and understand them, and whether 

 they concur with us or no., 4 For it cometh to pass for want 

 of this, that we are sure to end there where we ought to 

 have begun, which is in questions and differences about 

 words. To conclude therefore, it must be confessed that 

 it is not possible to divorce ourselves from these 

 fallacies and false appearances, because they are insepar- 

 able from our nature and condition of life ; 

 so yet nevertheless the caution of them (for 

 all clenches, as was said, are but cautions) 

 doth extremely import the true conduct of 

 human judgment. The particular clenches or cautions 





