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tration and polity of learning, of which we have spoken, having 

 usually pressed too harshly upon the growth of the Sciences. 



xci. And besides, supposing this objection to have ceased, still 

 it is enough to restrain the growth of the Sciences, that industrious 

 attempts of this kind have no reward. For the prizes of Science are 

 not in the hands of its cultivators. The increase of the Sciences 

 proceeds from great abilities ; but their prizes and rewards are in the 

 hands of the vulgar or of great men, who (with a very few exceptions) 

 have an indifferent stock of learning. And further, progress of this 

 kind is destitute, not only of rewards and benefits, but even of popular 

 praise : for it is above the grasp of the greatest part of mankind, and 

 is easily overwhelmed and extinguished by the gales of public opinion. 

 And so it is not to be wondered that an undertaking does not end 

 prosperously which is not held in honour. 



xcii. But by far the greatest obstacle to the progress of the Sciences, 

 and to the undertaking new tasks and provinces therein, is found in 

 the tendency of man to despair, and to suppose things impossible. For 

 prudent and strict men are accustomed, in matters of this kind, to be 

 thoroughly distrustful, bearing in mind the obscurity of Nature, the 

 shortness of life, the fallacies of the senses, the infirmity of judgment, 

 the difficulty of experiments, and the like. And so they think that 

 the Sciences ebb and How in the revolutions of time and of the ages 

 of the world ; at some seasons increasing and flourishing, at others 

 declining and fading away ; yet in such a way, that, when they have 

 arrived at a certain degree and standing, they can go no further. 



And so, if any one believes or promises any greater result, they 

 think it proceeds from a weak and unripe mind, and believe that 

 attempts of this kind, though they have prosperous beginnings, are of 

 difficult continuance and end confusedly. And since thoughts of this 

 kind easily present themselves to men of gravity and superior judg 

 ment, care must really be taken that we be not smitten with the desire 

 of something very good and beautiful, and so relax or diminish the 

 stringency of our judgment ; we must look sedulously what gleams of 

 hope there may be, and from what quarter they show themselves; and 

 must, rejecting the lighter aspirations of hope, review and weigh those 

 which seem to have more solidity. Moreover, civil prudence must be 

 summoned and brought to counsel, which is distrustful by prescription, 

 and takes the worst view of human affairs. And so we must now also 

 speak concerning hope, especially as we arc not vain promisers, and 

 do not aim at forcing or ensnaring men s judgments, but wish to lead 

 them by the hand, and with their own content. And although by far 

 the most potent means of impressing hope will come into play when 

 we bring men to particulars, especially as digested and set in order in 

 our Tables of Discovery (which belong partly to the second, but much 

 more to the fourth part of our Instauration) ; since this is not hope 

 simply, but, as it were, the thing itself ; yet, that all may be done 

 gently, we must proceed in our plan of preparing men s minds, of 

 which preparation that exhibition of hope constitutes no trifling part. 

 For without it the rest rather causes men to despond (that is to say, 



