NOVUM ORGANUM. 301 



just as we are deeply indebted to light because it enables us to enter 

 upon our way, to exercise Arts, to read, to distinguish one another, 

 and nevertheless the sight of light is itself nx&amp;gt;re excellent and beautiful 

 than the manifold uses of it ; so, assuredly, the very contemplation of 

 things as they are, without superstition or imposture, without error or 

 confusion, is in itself more worthy than all the produce of discoveries. 



Lastly, let none be moved by the objection that the Arts and 

 Sciences will be degraded to the ends of malice, luxury, and the like. 

 For the same may be said of every earthly good of wit, bravery, 

 strength, beauty, riches, light itself, and the rest. Let the human 

 race only recover the rights over Nature which by God s endowment 

 belong to it ; and let power be given it, right Reason and sound 

 Religion will direct its application, 



cxxx. Hut now it is time for us to propound the Art itself of Inter 

 preting Nature, which, though we think that we have given for it 

 precepts most useful and true, we yet do not assert to be absolutely 

 necessary (as if nothing could be accomplished without it\ nor even 

 to be perfect. For we are of opinion that if men had in their hands 

 a just History of Nature and Experience, and exercised themselves 

 diligently therein, and could impose two conditions upon themselves ; 

 first, to lay aside received opinions and notions ; and secondly, to 

 restrain their minds for a time from the highest generalities, and 

 those next to them ; they might, by the proper and genuine power of 

 their minds, without any other art, fall into our form of Interpretation. 

 For Interpretation is the true and natural operation of the mind after 

 the removal of the obstacles. Nevertheless, we are certain that by our 

 precepts everything will be made more ready and much more stable. 



Nor do we affirm that nothing can be added to these things ; on 

 the contrary, we who regard the mind, not only in its own faculties, 

 but as it is connected with things, are bound to hold that the Art of 

 Discovery may keep pace with discoveries themselves. 



liOOK II. 



A PI/OK IS MS Ot\ THE INTERPRETATIONS OF NATURE 

 OR THE KINGDOM OF MAN. 



I. I F ON a given body to generate and superinduce a new Nature or 

 Natures, is the work and aim of human power. And to discover the 

 Form of a Natuie, or its true difference, or the Nature originating 

 Nature, or the source of emanation (for these are the available terms 

 which approach nearest to a description of the thing\ is the work and 

 aim of human Knowledge. And surbordinatc to these primary 

 works are two others which are secondary, and of an inferior stamp : 

 to the former, the transformation of concietc bodies from one into 

 another, within possible limits ; to the latter, the discovery, in all 



