340 NOl VAf ORGANUM, 



also ; and again, he who knows her deviations will more accurately 

 describe her ways. 



And they differ from Xittjfufar/HxfaMcYSin this also, that they furnish 

 much more assistance for practice ami active operation. For to 

 generate new species would he a very difficult task ; but to vary known 

 species, and thence to pioduce many things that a IT tare and unusual, 

 is less difficult. It is easv to pass from miracles of Nature to miracles 

 of Art. For if Natuie be once caught in the act of variation, and the 

 cause of il be made clear ; it will be easy to bring Nature by means 

 of Art to the point whither she wandered by accident. And not only 

 thither, but elsewhere ; for errors in one direction show and open out 

 a way to errors and deflections in every direction. Hut here the 

 abundance of examples renders it unnecessary to produce them. For 

 there must be made a collection or particular Natural History of all 

 prodigies and monstrous births of Nature; of everything, in short, that 

 is new, rare, and unusual in Nature. Hut this must be accompanied 

 by a most rigid scrutiny, that confidence may be established. Ami 

 those are most to be suspected which aic connected in any way with 

 Religion) as the prodigies ol I. ivy ; and no less those which arc found 

 in writers on Natural Magic or Alchemy, and men of that kind, who 

 are, as it were, suitors and lovers of fables. Hut these must be 

 drawn from grave and trustworthy hisloiy, and from true reports. 



xxx. Among /V&amp;lt;vvi,w//Vv ///.\7.///&amp;lt;r.v we shall put in the ninth place, 

 Limiting ///.v A///I v.v, which we also call l*tirticiMfS. They are those 

 which exhibit species of bodies that seem to be compounded of two 

 species, or to be rudimentary between one species and another. 

 Now these may rightly be counted among Sin&amp;lt;^n/&amp;lt;ir Instances or 

 llctcnh //A .v, for they are in the whole range of things rare and 

 extraordinary ; yet, on account &amp;lt;&amp;gt;l their dignity, they must be treated 

 and ranked sepaialcly. For tliev are most useful in indicating the 

 composition ami structure of things, and in suggesting causes for the 

 number and quality of the ordinary species in the Universe, and in 

 leading the Understanding liom that which is to that which may be. 



As examples of these, we have moss, between putridity ami a plant ; 

 some comets, between stars and fiery meteors ; (lying fish, between 

 birds and fishes ; bats, between birds and quadrupeds ; also, 



11 .SV //// ,/ ,/H,IIII \imilis, //////////,; l&amp;gt;&amp;lt;-.\fi,i, ;/. , /\.&quot; 

 (&quot; lUscst of IKMMS, tin- ;i|u % , liovv apitij; u ! &quot;) 



Hi formed births of animals, mules, ami the like. 



xxxi. Among Prerogative ///.vAi//v.\- we shall put in the tenth place, 

 ///./&amp;lt;///( v.v &amp;lt;&amp;gt;f / cTc .v, or &amp;lt;/ ///&amp;lt; / &amp;lt;/.f&amp;lt;v.v (borrowing the word from the 

 insignia of empire), which we also call the \\ it or ///&amp;lt; I hind of !/&amp;lt;///. 

 They are the greatest and noblest works, ami, as it were, the master 

 pieces of each several art. For since it is our principle business to 

 make Natuie render homage to the alVairs and convenience of man, it 

 is very suitable that the works which are already in man s power (like 

 provinces previously occupied and subdued) should be noted and 

 registered ; especially those which arc most complete and perfect, 



