384 NOVUM ORGANUM. 



not been well investigated. In some cases it seems to be referable to 

 no cause ; but this, as we think, is not really the case. For if we 

 inquire why the heavens revolve from east to west, rather than from 

 west to east, or why they turn on poles placed near the Bears, rather 

 than round Orion, or any other part of the heavens, such a question 

 seems to be a sort of rhapsody, since these things ought rather to be 

 received on the authority of experience, as positive truths. There are, 

 indeed, in Nature some things which are ultimate, and referable to no 

 cause ; but this does not seem to be one of them, being caused, in our 

 opinion, by a certain harmony and consent of the universe, which has 

 hitherto escaped observation. And if we admit the motion of the 

 earth from west to east, the same questions remain. For it also moves 

 on certain poles. And why, it may be asked, should these poles be 

 placed where they are, rather than anywhere else ? Again, the 

 polarity, the direction, and declination of the magnet are referable 

 to this motion. There are also found in bodies both natural and 

 artificial, especially such as possess consistency, and are not fluid, a 

 certain collocation and position of parts, and a kind of threads and 

 fibres, which ought to be carefully investigated ; for until their Nature 

 is discovered, these bodies cannot be conveniently handled or governed. 

 But those eddyings in fluids by which, when pressed, before they can 

 free themselves, they relieve each other, that the compression may be 

 more evenly distributed, are more correctly assigned to the Motion of 

 Liberty. 



15. Let the fifteenth Motion be the Motion of Pertransition, or 

 Motion according to tlie Passages^ by which the virtues of bodies are 

 more or less impeded or promoted by their media, according to the 

 Nature of the bodies and of the virtues operating on them, and also 

 of the medium. For one medium suits light, another sound, another 

 heat and cold, another magnetic virtues, and so on with others. 



16. Let the sixteenth Motion be that which we call Regal, or Poli 

 tical^ by which the predominant and commanding parts in any body 

 restrain, tame, subdue, and arrange the rest, and compel them to 

 unite, separate, stand still, be moved, be placed, not according to 

 their own inclinations, but in such order as may conduce to the well- 

 being of that commanding part ; so that there is a sort of rule or polity 

 exercised by the ruling part over those which are subordinate. This 

 motion is most especially observable in the spirits of animals, where, 

 as long as it is in vigour, it controls the motions of all the other parts. 

 It is also found in other animals in an inferior degree, as has been 

 said of blood and urine, which are not dissolved until the spirit, which 

 has been mingling and restraining their parts, is expelled or stifled. 

 Nor is this motion peculiar to spirits alone, although in many bodies 

 the spirits predominate, owing to the swiftness of their motion and 

 penetration. But in bodies of greater condensation, which are not 

 filled with a lively and energetic spirit (such as exists in quicksilver 

 and vitriol), the thicker parts predominate, so that, unless some art is 

 used to shake off this rein and yoke, there is no hope of any new 

 transformation in bodies of this kind. But let no one suppose tha^ 



