394 NOVUM ORGANUM. 



operation of the sun ; as we have sketched out in the Aphorism on 

 the Instances of Alliance. For the operations of Nature arc per 

 formed by far smaller portions at a time, and by arrangements far 

 more exquisite and varied than the operations of lire as now applied. 

 Then, indeed, may we expect to see a real increase in the power of 

 man, when, by artificial heats and other influences, the operations of 

 Nature can be represented in form, perfected in virtue, varied in 

 abundance, and also accelerated in time. For the rust of iron takes 

 a long lime to form, but the turning into crocus man is takes place 

 directly ; and the same is the case with virdigris and white lead : 

 again, crystal is a long time in forming, glass is blown immediately. 

 Stones are long in growing, bricks are baked at once, c. Meanwhile 

 (and this is our business at present) heats of every kind, with their 

 affections, must be carefully and industriously collected and investi 

 gated in all quarters ; the heat of the heavenly bodies by their rays 

 direct, reflected, refracted, and combined in burning lenses ; the heat 

 of lightning, flame, and coal fire ; of fire from different materials ; of 

 fire opened, confined, straitened, and overflowing, in a word, as 

 qualified by furnaces of different constructions ; of fire excited by the 

 blast, and also quiescent and non-excited ; of fire removed to a greater 

 or less distance; of fire passing through different media; of moist 

 heats, as that of the water-bath, of dung, of animal heat external and 

 internal, of confined hay ; of dry heats, as of asb.es, lime, warm sand ; 

 in short, heats of all kinds with their degrees. 



But especially we must try to investigate and discover the effects 

 and operations of heat, which approaches and retires gradually, 

 orderly, and periodically, by due intervals both of space and time. 

 For this orderly inequality is in truth the daughter of the heavens and 

 mother of generation : nor is any great result to be expected from 

 heat that is either vehement, precipitate, or that comes by fits and 

 starts. And this is most manifest in vegetables. And also in the 

 wombs of animals there is a great inequality of heat, arising from the 

 motion, sleep, nourishment, and passions of the pregnant females : 

 lastly, in the wombs of the earth itself, those, we mean, in which 

 metals and fossils are found, this inequality has place and force. And 

 this renders more remarkable the unskilfulness of some of the alche 

 mists of the reformed school, who have thought that they can effect 

 the wishcd-for result by employing the equable heats of lamps, and 

 the like, burning uniformly. And thus much concerning the effects of 

 heat. It would be unseasonable to examine them thoroughly until the 

 Forms of things and the Structures of bodies have been further 

 investigated and brought to light. For it will be time to seek, apply, 

 and fit our instruments, when we have determined on our models. 



4. The fourth mode of operating is by Continuance, which is indeed 

 the steward and, as it were, the almoner of Nature. We call it Con 

 tinuance when any body is left to itself for a considerable time, being 

 meanwhile protected from external force. For then only the internal 

 motions exhibit and perfect themselves, when the extraneous and 

 adventitious motions cease. Now the results of time are far more- 



