ORGANUAf. 257 



rupts the light of Nature ; either by reason of his peculiar and indi 

 vidual nature, or of his education and intercourse with others, or of 

 the reading of books and the several authorities of those whom he 

 studies and admires ; or by reason of differences of impressions as 

 they arise in a mind preoccupied and predisposed, or in a mind of 

 even and sedate temperament, or the like ; so that evidently the spirit 

 of man (according to its disposition in each individual) is variable, 

 completely confused, and, as it were, the plaything of chance: whence 

 Heraclitus has well said, &quot; Men seek knowledge in lesser worlds, and 

 not in the greater or common one.&quot; 



xliii. There are also idola arising, as it were, from the mutual inter 

 course and society of mankind, and these we call idola of the market 

 place ^ on account of their reference to the commerce and association 

 of men. For speech is the means of intercourse among men ; but 

 words are imposed upon us according to popular acceptation. And 

 so a bad and foolish imposition of words comes strangely to obstruct 

 the mind. Nor do definitions and explanations, with which the learned 

 have been wont to fortify and clear themselves in some instances, in 

 any way restore the matter to its proper footing. Hut words plainly 

 put constraint upon the intellect, and throw all into confusion, and 

 lead men into vain and innumerable controversies and fallacies. 



xliv. Lastly, there are idola which have passed into the minds of 

 men out of the different dogmas of philosophical systems, and even 

 from the perverted laws of demonstrations, and these we call idola of 

 the theatre : for we consider all the philosophic systems hitherto re 

 ceived or invented as so many plays brought on the stage and acted 

 out, creating each its fictitious and scenic world. Nor do we speak 

 of the systems at present in fashion alone, or even of the old philo 

 sophies and sects, since very many plays of the same kind might be 

 put together and harmonized; for errors the most diverse have never 

 theless, for the most part, common causes. Nor, again, do we under 

 stand this of complete philosophies alone, but even of very many prin 

 ciples and axioms of the Sciences, which have obtained strength from 

 tradition, credulity, and neglect. But we must speak more distinctly, 

 and at large, of each of these kinds of idola, that the human Intellect 

 may be put on its guard. 



xlv. 1 he human Intellect, from its peculiar nature, easily supposes 

 a greater order and equality in things than it actually finds ; and, 

 while there arc many thing?; in Nature unique, and quite irregular, 

 still it feigns parallels, correspondents, and relations which have no 

 existence. Hence that fiction, &quot; that among the heavenly bodies all 

 motion takes place by perfect circles,&quot; spirals and eccentrics being 

 altogether rejected (except in name). Hence the clement of fire, with 

 its orb, is introduced to make up the quaternion with the remaining 

 three which are exposed to our senses. And further, to the elements 

 (as they are called) there is arbitrarily assigned a progression in rarity 

 increasing by powers of ten, and other fancies of this kind. Nor does 

 this trifling prevail in dogmas only, but even in simple conceptions. 



xlvi. The human Intellect, in those things which have once pleased 



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