346 NOVUM ORGANUM. 



to imitate the heat of the sun in its inequality ; and lastly, if he would 

 patiently endure delay (not, indeed, proportioned to the operation of 

 the sun, but yet greater than that which men usually allow to the 

 operations of fire), he would easily get rid of that notion of hetero 

 geneous heat, and would either approach, or else equal, or in some 

 cases even surpass, the operations of the sun with the heat of fire. 

 A similar Instance of Alliance is found in the revival of butterflies, 

 torpid and, as it were, dead with cold, by warming them a little at a 

 fire ; so that you may easily see that fire possesses the power of vivify 

 ing animals, as well as that of ripening vegetables. So also that cele 

 brated invention of Fracastorius, of a pan strongly heated, with which 

 doctors cover the heads of apoplectic patients in desperate cases, 

 manifestly expands the animal spirits, compressed and, as it were, 

 extinguished by the humours and obstructions of the brain, and 

 excites them to motion, in the same manner as fire acts upon water or 

 air. Again, eggs are sometimes hatched by the heat of fire, which 

 is an exact imitation of animal heat ; and there are many other things 

 of that kind ; so that no one can doubt but that the heat of fire may in 

 many subjects be modified so as to resemble that of heavenly bodies 

 and of animals. 



In like manner let the Natures inquired into be Motion and Rest. 

 It seems to be a usual division, and one originating in the deepest 

 philosophy, that natural bodies either revolve, or move in a straight 

 line, or else stand still and at rest. For there is either motion with 

 out limit, or rest in a limit, or progress towards a limit. Now this 

 perpetual motion of rotation seems peculiar to heavenly bodies ; 

 station or rest seems to belong to the globe of the earth ; while other 

 bodies (which they call heavy and light), being placed out of their 

 natural position, are carried in a straight line toward masses or con 

 gregations of similar bodies, the light upwards towards the circum 

 ference of heaven, the heavy downwards towards the earth. But this 

 is pleasing talk. 



Again, one of the lower Comets is an Instance of Alliance; in that, 

 though far below the heaven, it yet revolves. And Aristotle s fiction, 

 of a comet being tied to some star, or following close upon it, has long 

 been exploded ; not only because it is improbable in reason, but on 

 account of our manifest experience of the discursive and irregular 

 motion of comets through the various regions of the heavens. 



Again, another Instance of Alliance on this subject is the Motion 

 of Air, which within the tropics (where the circles of revolution are 

 larger) seems also itself to revolve from east to west. 



And again, another Instance would be the Flow and Ebb of the Sea, 

 provided that the waters themselves are found to be carried by motion 

 of revolution (however flow and evanescent) from the east to the west ; 

 so, however, that they be brought back twice a day. Therefore, if 

 this be the case, it is manifest that that motion of revolution is not 

 limited to heavenly bodies, but is shared by air and water. 



Even the property which light bodies have of tending upwards is 

 somewhat exceptionable. And in this case a Bubble of Water may 



