FRANCIS OF VERULAM S 



G R II A t I N S T A U R A T I ( ) N. 



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FRANCIS OF VERULAM THOUGHT THUS, AND SUCH IS THE METHOD 

 WHICH UK DETERMINED WITHIN HIMSKI.F, AND WHICH HE 

 THOUGHT IT CONCERNED THE LIVING AND POSTERITY TO KNOW. 



BEING convinced, by .1 careful observation, that the human under 

 standing perplexes itself, or makes not a sober and advantageous use 

 of the real helps within its reach, whence manifold ignorance and 

 inconveniences arise, he was determined to employ his utmost endea 

 vours towards restoring or cultivating a just and legitimate familiarity 

 betwixt the mind and things. 



But as the mind, hastily and without choice, imbibes and treasures 

 up the first notices of things, from whence all the rest proceed, errors 

 must for ever prevail, and remain uncorrected, either by the natural 

 powers of the understanding or the assistance of logic ; for the original 

 notions being vitiated, confused, and inconsiderately taken from things, 

 and the secondary ones formed no less rashly, human knowledge 

 itself, the thing employed in all our researches, is not well put together 

 nor justly formed, but resembles a magnificent structure that has no 

 foundation. 



And whilst men agree to admire and magnify the false powers of 

 the mind, and neglect or destroy thobC that might be rendered true, 

 there is no other course left but with better assistance to begin the 

 work anew, and raise or rebuild the sciences, arts, and all human 

 knowledge from a firm and solid basis. 



This may at first seem an infinite scheme, unequal to human abilities, 

 yet it will be found more sound and judicious than the course hitherto 

 pursued, as tending to some issue ; whereas all hitherto done with 

 regard to the sciences is vertiginous, or in the way of pcipetual 

 rotation. 



Nor is he ignorant that he stands alone in an experiment almost 



