404 GREA T INSTA URA TION. 



clown to us what is light and tumid, but sunk what was ponderous and 

 solid. As to those who have set up for teachers of the sciences, when 

 they drop their character, and at intervals speak their sentiments, they 

 complain of the subtilty of nature, the concealment of truth, the 

 obscurity of things, the entanglement of causes, and the imperfections 

 of the human understanding ; thus rather choosing to accuse the 

 common state of men and things, than make confession of themselves. 

 It is also frequent with them to adjudge that impossible in an art, 

 which they find that art does not affect ; by which means they screen 

 indolence and ignorance from the reproach they merit. The knowledge 

 delivered down to us is barren in effects, fruitful in questions, slow and 

 languid in improvement, exhibiting in its generalities the counterfeits 

 of perfection, but meagre in its details, popular in its aim, but suspected 

 by its very promoters, and therefore defended and propagated by 

 artifice and chicanery. And even those who by experience propose to 

 enlarge the bounds of the sciences, scarce ever entirely quit the 

 received opinions, and go to the fountain-head, but think it enough to 

 add somewhat of their own ; as prudentially considering, that at the 

 time they show their modesty in assenting, they may have a liberty of 

 adding. But whilst this regard is shown to opinions and moral con 

 siderations, the sciences are greatly hurt by such a languid procedure ; 

 for it is scarce possible at once to admire and excel an author : as 

 water rises no higher than the reservoir it falls from. Such men, 

 therefore, though they improve some things, yet advance the sciences 

 but little, or rather amend than enlarge them. 



There have been also bolder spirits, and greater geniuses, who 

 thought themselves at liberty to overturn and destroy the ancient 

 doctrine, and make way for themselves and their opinions ; but without 

 any great advantage from the disturbance ; as they did not effectively 

 enlarge philosophy and arts by practical works, but only endeavoured 

 to substitute new dogmas, and to transfer the empire of opinion to 

 themselves, with but small advantage ; for opposite errors proceed 

 mostly from common causes. 



As for those who, neither wedded to their own nor others opinions, 

 but continuing friends to liberty, make use of assistance in their 

 inquiries, the success they met with did not answer expectation, the 

 attempt, though laudable, being but feeble ; for pursuing only the 

 probable reasons of things, they were carried about in a circle of 

 arguments, and taking a promiscuous liberty, preserved not the rigour 

 of true inquirers ; whilst none of them duly conversed with experience 

 and things themselves. Others again, who commit themselves to 

 mechanical experience, yet make their experiments at random, without 

 any method of inquiry. And the greatest part of these have no 

 considerable views, but esteem it a great matter if they can make a 

 single discovery; which is both a trifling and unskilful procedure, as 

 no one can justly or successfully discover the nature of any one thing 

 in that thing itself, or without numerous experiments which lead to 

 farther inquiries. And we must not omit to observe, that all the 

 industry displayed in experiment has been directed by too indiscreet a 



