4 f4 GREA T INSTA URA TION, 



no farther ; for no power is able to loose or break the chain of causes, 

 nor is nature to be conquered but by submission : whence those twin 

 intentions, human knowledge and human power, are really coincident ; 

 and the greatest hinderance to works is the ignorance of causes. 



The capital precept for the whole undertaking is this, that the eye 

 of the mind be never taken off from things themselves, but receive 

 their images truly as they are. And God forbid that ever we should 

 offer the dreams of fancy for a model of the world ; but rather in his 

 kindness vouchsafe to us the means of writing a revelation and true 

 vision of the traces and moulds of the Creator in his creatures. 



May thou, therefore, O Father, who gavest the light of vision as the 

 first fruit of creation, and who hast spread over the fall of man the 

 light of thy understanding as the accomplishment of thy works, guard 

 and direct this work, which, issuing from thy goodness, seeks in return 

 thy glory ! When thou hadst surveyed the works which thy hands had 

 wrought, all seemed good in thy sight, and Thou restedst. But when 

 man turned to the works of his hands, he found all vanity and vexation 

 of spirit, and experienced no rest. If, however, we labour in thy 

 works, Thou wilt make us to partake of thy vision and sabbath ; we, 

 therefore, humbly beseech Thee to strengthen our purpose, that Thou 

 mayst be willing to endow thy family of mankind with new gifts, 

 through our hands, and the hands of those in whom Tkmi sha.lt implant 

 the same spirit: 



