NOVUM ORGANISM. 28$ 



errors in times past becomes an argument for hope in the future. 

 And although these have not been left altogether unnoticed in what 

 lias been said above, still it seems good to represent them now again 

 briefly, in plain and simple language. 



xcv. Those who have treated of the Sciences have been either 

 Empirics or Dogmatists. The Empirics arc like the ant, they only 

 bring together and use ; the Rationalists are like spiders, which spin 

 webs out of their own bowels ; but the bee follows a middle course, 

 for she draws her materials from the flowers of the garden and the 

 field, and yet changes and digests them by a power of her own. Nor 

 is the true process of philosophy unlike this, for it does not rely 

 either exclusively or principally on the strength of the mind, nor docs 

 it lay up in the memory materials supplied from Natural History and 

 Mechanical experiments in their raw state, but stores them in the 

 intellect, after having altered and digested them. And so, from a 

 closer and more religious union of these faculties (viz., the experi 

 mental and the rational) than has yet been effected, great hopes may 

 be entertained. 



xcvi. Natural Philosophy is not yet found to be sincere, but is 

 infected and corrupted : in the school of Aristotle, by Logic ; in the 

 school of Plato, by Natural Theology; in the second school of Plato, 

 that of Proclus and others, by Mathematics, which ought to limit 

 Natural Philosophy, and not generate or originate it. But from a 

 Natural Philosophy, pure and unmixed, better things are to be 

 hoped. 



xcvii. No one has been as yet found possessed of sufficient con 

 stancy and fixedness of character to determine and take upon himself 

 the utter abolition of theories and common notions, and the application 

 afresh to particulars of an intellect purified and impartial. And so 

 that human reason which we possess is a sort of farrago and congeries 

 of much credulity and much accident, not to speak of the childish 

 fancies which we imbibed at first. 



But if any one of ripe age, unimpaired senses, and purified mind, 

 would apply himself to Experience and to Particulars anew, better 

 hopes might be entertained of him. And herein we promise ourselves 

 the fortune of Alexander the Great ; and let no one charge us with 

 vanity before he hears the result, which has in view the putting off of 

 all vanity. 



For concerning Alexander and his exploits yEschines spoke thus : 

 &quot; \Ve certainly do not live the life of mortal men, but are born to the 

 end that posterity may relate and declare wonders concerning us. 1 As 

 if he considered the exploits of Alexander miraculous. 



But in a following age T. Livius took a truer view of the matter, 

 and said of Alexander something of this kind : &quot; That he had done 

 nothing but nobly dare to contemn what was vain.&quot; And we imagine 

 that a like judgment will be passed on us in future times : * That we 

 have done nothing great, but have only made less account of those 

 things which are held to be great.&quot; But in the mean time (as we have 

 already said) there is no hope save in the regeneration of the Sciences ; 



