292 KOVUM ORGANUM. 



labour is thrown away. But from what has been said, and also from 

 what has not been said, it seems to us that there is abundant ground 

 of hope, not only to justify a stout-hearted man in trying, but even a 

 prudent and sober man in believing. 



cxv. And now we have spoken of the removal of despair, which has 

 been one of the most potent causes of the delay and hindcrance of the 

 progress of the Sciences : and at the same time we have brought to a 

 close whr* we had to say on the signs and causes of the errors, in 

 activity, and ignorance which have prevailed, especially as the more 

 subtle causes, which do not come under popular criticism and 

 observation, should be referred to what has been said concerning the 

 Idols of the human mind. 



And here, at the same time, ought to close the destructive part of 

 our Instauration, which is completed in three confutations : the con 

 futation, namely, of Human Reason, as natural and left to itself; the 

 confutation of Demonstrations ; and the confutation of Theories, or of 

 received Philosophies and Systems of teaching. These confutations 

 have been of the only kind available, namely, by means of signs, and 

 the evidences of causes ; since no other kind of confutation could have 

 been employed by us, dissenting as we do from others both on first 

 principles and demonstrations. 



Wherefore it is time that we should come to the Art and Rule itself 

 for the Interpretation of Nature, and yet something remains to be 

 previously remarked. For since it is our object, in this first book of 

 Aphorisms, to prepare the minds of men to understand, as well as to 

 receive, what follows : now that the field of the mind has been purified, 

 cleaned, and levelled, it follows that we should place it in a good 

 position, and give it, as it were, a favourable aspect for viewing what 

 we shall set forth. For it seems greatly to increase prejudice in a new 

 undertaking, not only that the mind should be strongly preoccupied 

 by an old opinion, but also by a false anticipation and preconception 

 of the matter in hand. And so we shall endeavour to bring about 

 sound and true opinions on the subjects which we introduce, although 

 they are to last for a time only, and serve, as it were, as interest, until 

 the matter itself be thoroughly investigated. 



cxvi. First, then, it seems right to request men not to think that we 

 wish to found any sect in Philosophy, after the manner of the ancient 

 Greeks, or of certain moderns, as Telesius, Patricius, and Severinus ; 

 for peither is this our intention, nor do we think that it is of much 

 importance to the fortunes of men what abstract opinions are held 

 concerning Nature and the Principles of things ; for it is not to be 

 doubted that many old theories of this kind might be revived, and new 

 ones introduced ; just as very many schemes of the heavens have been 

 supplied, which, while they agree well enough with appearances, yet 

 differ among themselves. 



But we do not spend our labour in matters so speculative and useless 

 withal. On the contrary, we have determined to try whether we 

 cannot indeed lay more firmly the foundations and enlarge the limits 

 of human power and glory. And although here and. there, and on 



