the advancement of learning-第22部分

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f　nature　can　neither　be　invented　with　sufficient　subtilty；　nor　demonstrated　with　sufficient　perspicuity；　nor　accommodated　unto　use　with　sufficient　dexterity；　without　the　aid　and　intervening　of　the　mathematics；　of　which　sort　are　perspective；　music；　astronomy；　cosmography；　architecture；　enginery；　and　divers　others。

In　the　Mathematics　I　can　report　no　deficience；　except　it　be　that　men　do　not　sufficiently　understand　the　excellent　use　of　the　Pure　Mathematics；　in　that　they　do　remedy　and　cure　many　defects　in　the　wit　and　faculties　intellectual。　For　if　the　wit　be　too　dull；　they　sharpen　it；　if　too　wandering；　they　fix　it；　if　too　inherent　in　the　sense；　they　abstract　it。　So　that　as　tennis　is　a　game　of　no　use　in　itself；　but　of　great　use　in　respect　it　maketh　a　quick　eye　and　a　body　ready　to　put　itself　into　all　postures；　so　in　the　Mathematics；　that　use　which　is　collateral　and　intervenient　is　no　less　worthy　than　that　which　is　principal　and　intended。　＇＇　And　as　for　the　Mixed　Mathematics；　I　may　only　make　this　prediction；　that　there　cannot　fail　to　be　more　kinds　of　them；　as　nature　grows　further　disclosed。　Thus　much　of　Natural　Science；　or　the　part　of　nature　speculative。

3。　For　Natural　Prudence；　or　the　part　operative　of　Natural　Philosophy；　we　will　divide　it　into　three　parts；　experimental；　philosophical；　and　magical；　which　three　parts　active　have　a　correspondence　and　analogy　with　the　three　parts　speculative；　natural　history；　physique；　and　metaphysique：　for　many　operations　have　been　invented；　sometimes　by　a　casual　incidence　and　occurrence；　sometimes　by　a　purposed　experiment：　and　of　those　which　have　been　found　by　an　intentional　experiment；　some　have　been　found　out　by　varying　or　extending　the　same　experiments；　some　by　transferring　and　compounding　divers　experiments　the　one　into　the　other；　which　kind　of　invention　an　empiric　may　manage。

Again；　by　the　knowledge　of　physical　causes　there　cannot　fail　to　follow　many　indications　and　designations　of　new　particulars；　if　men　in　their　speculation　will　keep　one　eye　upon　use　and　practice。　But　these　are　but　coastings　along　the　shore；　PREMENDO　LITTUS　INIQUUM：　　for　it　seemeth　to　me　there　can　hardly　be　discovered　any　radical　or　fundamental　alterations　and　innovations　in　nature；　either　by　the　fortune　and　essays　of　experiments；　or　by　the　light　and　direction　of　physical　causes。　＇＇　If　therefore　we　have　reported　Metaphysique　deficient；　it　must　follow　that　we　do　the　like　of　natural　Magic；　which　hath　relation　thereunto。　For　as　for　the　Natural　Magic　whereof　now　there　is　mention　in　books；　containing　certain　credulous　and　superstitious　conceits　＇39＇　and　observations　of　sympathies　and　antipathies；　and　hidden　properties；　and　some　frivolous　experiments；　strange　rather　by　disguisement　than　in　themselves；　it　is　as　far　differing　in　truth　of　nature　from　such　a　knowledge　as　we　require；　as　the　story　of　King　Arthur　of　Britain；　or　Hugh　of　Bordeaux；　divers　from　Caesar's　Commentaries　in　truth　of　story。　For　it　is　manifest　that　Caesar　did　greater　things　DE　VERO　than　those　imaginary　heroes　were　feigned　to　do；　but　he　did　them　not　in　that　fabulous　manner。　Of　this　kind　of　learning　the　fable　of　Ixion　　was　a　figure；　who　designed　to　enjoy　Juno；　the　goddess　of　power；　and　instead　of　her　had　copulation　with　a　cloud；　of　which　mixture　were　begotten　centaurs　and　chimeras。　＇＇　So　whosoever　shall　entertain　high　and　vaporous　imaginations；　instead　of　a　laborious　and　sober　inquiry　of　truth；　shall　beget　hopes　and　beliefs　of　strange　and　impossible　shapes。

And　therefore　we　may　note　in　these　sciences　which　hold　so　much　of　imagination　and　belief；　as　this　degenerate　Natural　Magic；　Alchemy；　Astrology；　and　the　like；　that　in　their　propositions　the　description　of　the　mean　is　ever　more　monstrous　than　the　pretence　or　end。　＇＇　For　it　is　a　thing　more　probable；　that　he　that　knoweth　well　the　natures　of　weight；　of　colour；　of　pliant　and　fragile；　in　respect　of　the　hammer；　of　volatile　and　fixed　in　respect　of　the　fire　and　the　rest；　may　superinduce　upon　some　metal　the　nature　and　Form　of　gold　by　such　mechanique　as　belongeth　to　the　production　of　the　natures　afore　rehearsed；　than　that　some　grains　of　the　medicine　projected　should　in　a　few　moments　of　time　turn　a　sea　of　quicksilver　or　other　material　into　gold：　so　it　is　more　probable　that　he　that　knoweth　the　nature　of　arefaction；　the　nature　of　assimilation　of　nourishment　to　the　thing　nourished；　the　manner　of　increase　and　clearing　of　spirits；　the　manner　of　the　depredations　which　spirits　make　upon　the　humours　and　solid　parts；　shall　by　ambages　of　diets；　bathings；　anointings；　medicines；　motions；　and　the　like；　prolong　life；　or　restore　some　degree　of　youth　or　vivacity；　than　that　it　can　be　done　with　the　use　of　a　few　drops　or　scruples　of　a　liquor　or　receipt。　To　conclude；　therefore；　the　true　Natural　Magic；　which　is　that　great　liberty　and　latitude　of　operation　which　dependeth　upon　the　knowledge　of　Forms；　I　may　report　deficient；　as　the　relative　thereof　is。

To　which　part；　if　we　be　serious；　and　incline　not　to　vanities　and　plausible　discourse；　besides　the　deriving　and　deducing　the　operations　themselves　from　Metaphysique；　there　are　pertinent　two　points　of　much　purpose；　the　one　by　way　of　preparation；　the　other　by　way　of　caution：　the　first　is；　that　there　be　made　a　kalendar；　resembling　an　inventory　of　the　estate　of　man；　containing　all　the　inventions；　being　the　works　or　fruits　of　nature　or　art；　which　are　now　extant；　and　whereof　man　is　already　possessed；　out　of　which　doth　naturally　result　a　note；　what　things　are　yet　held　impossible；　or　not　invented：　which　kalendar　will　be　the　more　artificial　and　serviceable；　if　to　every　reputed　impossibility　you　add　what　thing　is　extant　which　cometh　the　nearest　in　degree　to　that　impossibility；　to　the　end　that　by　these　optatives　and　potentials　man's　inquiry　may　be　more　awake　in　deducing　direction　of　works　from　the　speculation　of　causes：　and　secondly；　that　those　experiments　be　not　only　esteemed　which　have　an　immediate　and　present　use；　but　those　principally　which　are　of　most　universal　consequence　for　invention　of　other　experiments；　and　those　which　give　most　light　to　the　invention　of　causes；　for　the　invention　of　the　mariner's　needle；　which　giveth　the　direction；　is　of　no　less　benefit　for　navigation　than　the　invention　of　the　sails　which　give　the　motion。

4。　Thus　have　I　passed　through　Natural　Philosophy；　and　the　deficiencies　thereof；　wherein　if　I　have　differed　from　the　ancient　and　received　doctrines；　and　thereby　shall　move　contradiction；　for　my　part；　as　I　affect　not　to　dissent；　so　I　purpose　not　to　contend。　If　it　be　truth；

Non　canimus　surdis；　respondent　omnia　sylvae。

The　voice　of　nature　will　consent；　whether　the　voice　of　man　do　or　no。　And　as　Alexander　Borgia　was　wont　to　say　of　the　expedition　of　the　French　for　Naples；　that　they　came　with　chalk　in　their　hands　to　mark　up　their　lodgings；　and　not　with　weapons　to　fight；　so　I　like　better　that　entry　of　truth　which　cometh　peaceably；　with　chalk　to　mark　up　those　minds　which　are　capable　to　lodge　and　harbour　it；　than　that　which　cometh　with　pugnacity　and　contention。'

5。　But　there　remaineth　a　division　of　natural　philosophy　according　to　the　report　of　the　inquiry；　and　nothing　concerning　the　matter　or　subject；　and　that　is　positive　and　considerative；　when　the　inquiry　reporteth　either　an　assertion　or　a　doubt。　These　doubts　or　NON　LIQUETS　are　of　two　sorts；　particular　and　total。　For　the　first；　we　see　a　good　example　thereof　in　Aristotle's　Problems；　which　deserved　to　have　had　a　better　continuance；　but　so　nevertheless　as　there　is　one　point　whereof　warning　is　to　be　given　and　taken。　The　registering　of　doubts　hath　two　excellent　uses：　the　one；　that　it　saveth　philosophy　from　errors　and　falsehoods；　when　that　which　is　not　fully　appearing　is　not　collected　into　assertion；　whereby　error　might　draw　error；　but　reserved　in　doubt：　the　other；　that　the　entry　of　doubts　are　as　so　many　suckers　or　sponges　to　draw　use　of　knowledge；　insomuch　as　that　which；　if　doubts　had　not　preceded；　a　man　should　never　have　advised；　but　passed　it　over　without　note；　by　the　suggestion　and　solicitation　of　doubts；　is　made　to　be　attended　and　applied。　But　both　these　commodities　do　scarcely　countervail　an　inconvenience　which　will　intrude　itself；　if　it　be　not　debarred；　which　is；　that　when　a　doubt　is　once　received；　men　labour　rather　how　to　keep　it　a　doubt　still；　than　how　to　solve　it；　and　accordingly　bend　their　wits。　Of　this　we　see　the　familiar　example　in　lawyers　and　scholars；　both　which；　if　they　have　once　admitted　a　doubt；　it　goeth　ever　after　authorised　for　a　doubt。　But　that　use　of　wit　and　knowledge　is　to　be　allowed；　which　laboureth　to　make　doubtful　things　certain；　and　not　those　which　labour　to　make　certain　things　doubtful。　＇＇　Therefore　these　calendars　of　doubts　I　commend　as　excellent　things；　so　that　＇40＇　there　be　this　caution　used；　that　when　they　be　thoroughly　sifted　and　brought　to　resolution；　they　be　from　thenceforth　omitted；　decarded；　and　not　continued　to　cherish　and　encourage　men　in　doubting。　To　which　kalendar　of　doubts　or　problems；　I　advise　be　annexed　another　kalendar；　as　much　or　more　material；　which　is　a　calendar　of　popular　errors：　I　mean　chiefly　in　natural　history；　such　as　pass　in　speech　and　conceit；　and　are　nevertheless　apparently　detected　and　convicted　of　untruth：　that　man's　knowledge　be　not　weakened　nor　embased　by　such　dross　and　vanity。

As　for　the　doubts　or　NON　LIQUETS　general；　or　in　total；　I　understand　those　differences　of　opinions　touching　the　principles　of　nature；　and　the　fundamental　points　of　the　same；　which　have　caused　the　diversity　of　sects；　schools；　and　philosophies；　as　that　of　Empedocles；　Pythagoras；　Democritus；　Parmenides；　and　the　rest。　For　although　Aristotle；　as　though　he　had　been　of　the　race　of　the　Ottomans；　thought　he　could　not　reign　except　the　first　thing　he　did　he　killed　all　his　brethren；　　yet　to　those　that　seek　Truth　and　not　magistrality；　it　cannot　but　seem　a　matter　of　great　profit；　to　see　before　them　the　several　opinions　touching　the　foundations　of　nature：　not　for　any　exact　truth　that　can　be　expected　in　those　theories；　for　as　the　same　phenomena　in　astronomy　are　satisfied　by　the　received　astronomy　of　the　diurnal　motion；　and　the　proper　motions　of　the　planets；　with　their　eccentrics　and　epicycles；　and　likewise　by　the　theory　of　Copernicus；　who　supposed　the　earth　to　move　（and　the　calculations　are　indifferently　agreeable　to　both）；