

II.l ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 175 



History I find deficient, which I understand neither to be so infinite 

 as to extend to every common case, nor so reserved, as to admit none 

 but wonders ; for many things are new in the manner, which are not 

 new in the kind ; and if men will intend to observe, they shall find 

 much worthy to observe. 



In the inquiry which is made by anatomy, I find much deficicnce : 

 for they inquire of the parts, and their substances, figures, and collo 

 cations ; but they inquire not of the diversities of the parts, the 

 secrecies of the passages, and the seats or nestlings of the humours, 

 nor much of the footsteps and impressions of diseases; the reason of 

 which omission I suppose to be, because the first inquiry may be 

 satisfied in the view of one or a few anatomies ; but the latter, being 

 comparative and casual, must arise from the view of many. And as 

 to the diversity of parts, there is no doubt but the facture or framing 

 of the inward parts is as full of difference as the outward, and in that 

 is the cause continent of many diseases, which not being observed, they 

 quarrel many times with the humours, which arc not in fault, the fault 

 being in the very frame and mechanic of the part, which cannot be 

 removed by medicine alterative, but must be accommodated and 

 palliated by diets and medicines familiar. And for the passages and 

 pores, it is true, which was anciently noted, that the more subtile of 

 them appear not in anatomies, because they are shut and latent in 

 dead bodies, though they be open and manifest in life : which being 

 supposed, though the inhumanity of anatomiavii orum was by Cclsus 

 justly approved ; yet in regard of the great use of this observation, the 

 inquiry needed not by him so slightly to have been relinquished 

 altogether, or referred to the casual practices of surgery, but might 

 have been well diverted upon dissection of beasts alive, which, not 

 withstanding the dissimilitude of their parts, may sufficiently satisfy 

 this inquiry. And for the humours, they are commonly passed over in 

 anatomies as purgaments, whereas it is most necessary to observe, 

 what cavities, nests, and receptacles the humours do find in the parts, 

 with the differing kind of the humour so lodged and received. And as 

 for the footsteps of diseases, and their devastations of the inward parts, 

 impostumations, exulcerations, discontinuations, putrefactions, con 

 sumptions, contractions, extensions, convulsions, dislocations, obstruc 

 tions, repletions, together with all preternatural substances, as stones, 

 carnosities, excrescences, worms, and the like; they ought to have 

 been exactly observed by multitude of anatomies, and the contribution 

 of men s several experiences, and carefully set down, both historically, 

 according to the appearances, and artificially, with a reference to the 

 diseases and symptoms which resulted from them, in case where the 

 anatomy is of a defunct patient : whereas now, upon opening of bodies, 

 they are passed over slightly and in silence. 



In the inquiry k of diseases they do abandon the cures of many, some 

 as in their nature incurable, and others as past the period of cure ; so 

 that Sylla and the triumvirs never proscribed so many men to die, as 

 they do by their ignorant edicts, whereof numbers do escape with less 

 difficulty, then they did in the Roman proscriptions. Therefore I will 



