everywhere betwixt states adjoining, the use of | man's life, and then vain was the complaint, that leagues and confederacies being not then known, "life is short, and art is long:" or else, that the were to populate by multitude of wives and gene- knowledge that now is, is but a shrub; and not ration, a thing at this day in the waster part of the that tree which is never dangerous, but where it West Indies principally effected; and to build, is to the purpose of knowing good and evil; which sometimes for habitation, towns and cities; some- desire ever riseth upon an appetite to elect, and times for fame and memory, monuments, pyramids, not to obey, and so containeth in it a manifest colosses, and the like. And if there happened to defection. rise up any more civil wits; then would he found and erect some new laws, customs, and usages, such as now of late years, when the world was revolute almost to the like rudeness and obscurity, we see both in our own nation and abroad many examples of, as well in a number of tenures reserved upon men's lands, as in divers customs of towns and manors, being the devises that such wits wrought upon in such times of deep ignorance, &c. The impediments of knowledge for want of a true succession of wits, and that hitherto the length of one man's life hath been the greatest measure of knowledge. Being the VIth chapter, the whole chapter. That the pretended succession of wits hath been evil placed, for as much as after variety of sects and opinions, the most popular and not the truest prevaileth and weareth out the rest. Being the VIIth chapter, a fragment. IT is sensible to think, that when men enter first into search and inquiry, according to the several frames and compositions of their understanding, they light upon differing conceits, and so all opinions and doubts are beaten over; and then men having made a taste of all, wax weary of variety, and so reject the worst, and hold themselves to the best, either some one, if it be eminent: or some two or three, if they be in some equality; which afterwards are received and carried on, and the rest extinct. IN arts mechanical the first devise cometh shortest, and time addeth and perfecteth. But in But truth is contrary; and that time is like a sciences of conceit, the first author goeth furthest, river which carrieth down things which are light and time leeseth and corrupteth. Painting, artil- and blown up, and sinketh and drowneth that lery, sailing, and the like, grossly managed at which is sad and weighty. For howsoever first, by time accommodate and refined. The governments have several forms, sometimes one philosophies and sciences of Aristotle, Plato, governing, sometimes few, sometimes the multiDemocritus, Hippocrates, of most vigour at first, tude; yet the state of knowledge is ever a demoby time degenerated and imbased. In the former, cracy, and that prevaileth which is most agreeable many wits and industries contributed in one. In to the senses and conceits of people. As for exthe latter many men's wits spent to deprave the ample, there is no great doubt, but he that did put wit of one. the beginnings of things to be solid, void, and motion to the centre, was in better earnest than he that put matter, form, and shift; or he that put the mind, motion, and matter. For no man shall enter into inquisition of nature, but shall pass by that opinion of Democritus; whereas he shall never come near the other two opinions, but leave them aloof, for the schools and table-talk. Yet those of Aristotle and Plato, because they be both agreeable to popular sense, and the one was uttered with subtilty and the spirit of contradiction, and the other with a style of ornament and majesty, did hold out, and the other gave place, &c. The error is both in the deliverer and in the receiver. He that delivereth knowledge, desireth to deliver it in such form as may be soonest believed, and not as may easiliest be examined. He that receiveth knowledge desireth rather present satisfaction than expectant search, and so rather not to doubt than not to err. Glory maketh the author not lay open his weakness; and sloth maketh the disciple not to know his strength. Then begin men to aspire to the second prizes, to be a profound interpreter and commenter, to be a sharp champion and defender, to be a methodical compounder and abridger. And this is the unfortunate succession of wits which the world hath yet had, whereby the patrimony of all knowledge goeth not on husbanded or improved, but wasted and decayed. For knowledge is like a water, that will never arise again higher than the level from which it fell. And therefore to go beyond Aristotle by the light of Aristotle, is to think that a borrowed light can increase the original light from whom it is taken. So then, no true succession of wits having been in the world; either we must "onclude, that knowledge is but a task for one Of the impediments of knowledge, in handling it by parts, and in slipping off particular sciences from the root and stock of universal knowledge. Being the VIIIth chapter, the whole chapter. CICERO, the orat, willing to magnify his own profession, and thereupon spending many words to maintain that eloquence was not a shop of good words and elegancies, but a treasury and receipt of all knowledges, so far forth as may appertain to the handling and moving of the minds and H affections of nien by speech, maketh great com- | affecting preservation, and the other multiplicaplaint of the school of Socrates; that whereas tion; which appetites are most evidently seen in before his time the same professors of wisdom in living creatures, in the pleasure of nourishment Greece did pretend to teach an universal sapience and generation; and in man do make the aptest and knowledge both of matter and words, Socra- and most natural division of all his desires, being tes divorced them, and withdrew philosophy, and either of sense of pleasure, or sense of power; left rhetoric to itself, which by that destitution and in the universal frame of the world are figured, became but a barren and unnoble science. And the one in the beams of heaven which issue forth, in particular sciences we see, that if men fall to and the other in the lap of the earth which takes subdivide their labours, as to be an eculist in in: and again, if they had observed the motion of physic, or to be perfect in some one title of the congruity, or situation of the parts in respect of law or the like, they may prove ready and subtile, the whole, evident in so many particulars: and but not deep or sufficient, no, not in that subject lastly, if they had considered the motion, familiar which they do particularly attend, because of that in attraction of things, to approach to that which consent which it hath with the rest. And it is a is higher in the same kind: when by these obsermatter of common discourse of the chain of sci- vations, so easy and concurring in natural philoences, how they are linked together, insomuch as sophy, they should have found out this quaternion the Grecians, who had terms at will, have fitted of good, in enjoying or fruition, effecting or operait of a name of Circle-Learning. Nevertheless I tion, consenting or proportion, and approach or that hold it for a great impediment towards the assumption; they would have saved and abridged advancement and further invention of knowledge, much of their long and wandering discourses of that particular arts and sciences have been disin- pleasure, virtue, duty, and religion. So likewise corporated from general knowledge, do not under- in this same logic and rhetoric, or acts of argustand one and the same thing, which Cicero's ment and grace of speech, if the great masters of discourse and the note and conceit of the Gre- them would but have gone a form lower, and cians in their word Circle-Learning do intend. looked but into the observations of grammar conFor I mean not that use which one science hath cerning the kinds of words, their derivations, deof another for ornament or help in practice, as the flexions, and syntax, specially enriching the same, orator hath of knowledge of affections for moving, with the helps of several languages, with their or as military science may have use of geometry differing properties of words, phrases, and tropes; for fortifications; but I mean it directly of that they might have found out more and better foot use by way of supply of light and information, steps of common reason, help of disputation, and which the particulars and instances of one science advantages of cavillation, than many of these do yield and present for the framing or correcting which they have propounded. So again, a man of the axioms of another science in their very | should be thought to dally, if he did note how the truth and notion. And therefore that example of figures of rhetoric and music are many of them oculist and title lawyers doth come nearer my the same. The repetitions and traductions in conceit than the other two; for sciences distin- speech, and the reports and hauntings of sounds guished have a dependence upon universal know- in music, are the very same things. Plutarch edge to be augmented and rectified by the supe- hath almost made a book of the Lacedæmonian or light thereof; as well as the parts and mem- kind of jesting, which joined every pleasure with ers of a science have upon the maxims of the distaste. "Sir," said a man of art to Philip king same science, and the mutual light and consent of Macedon, when he controlled him in his faculty, which one part receiveth of another. And there-God forbid your fortune should be such as to fore the opinion of Copernicus in astronomy, know these things better than I." In taxing his which astronomy itself cannot correct, because it s not repugnant to any of the appearances, yet natural philosophy doth correct. On the other side, if some of the ancient philosophers had been perfect in the observations of astronomy, and had called them to counsel, when they made their principles and first axioms, they would never have divided their philosophy, as the cosmographers do their descriptions by globes, making one philosophy for heaven, and another for under heaven, as in effect they do. So if the moral philosophers, that have spent such an infinite quantity of debate touching good and the highest good, had cast their eye abroad upon nature, and beheld the appetite that is in all things to receive and to give; the one motion ignorance in his art, he represented to him the perpetual greatness of his fortune, leaving him no vacant time for so mean a skill. Now in music it is one of the ordinariest flowers to fall from a discord, or hard tune, upon a sweet accord. The figure that Cicero and the rest commend, as one of the best points of elegancy, which is the fine checking of expectation, is no less well known to the musicians, when they have a special grace in flying the close or cadence. And these are no allusions but direct communities, the same delights of the mind being to be found not only in music, rhetoric, but in moral philosophy, policy, and other knowledges, and that obscure in the one, which is more apparent in the other; yea, and that discovered in the one, which is not found at all in the other; and so one science greatly aiding to the invention and augmentation of another. And therefore, without this intercourse, the axioms of sciences will fall out to be neither full nor true; but will be such opinions, as Aristotle in some places doth wisely censure, when he saith, "These are the opinions of persons that have respect but to a few things." So then we that this note leadeth us to an administration of knowledge in some such order and policy, as the King of Spain, in regard of his great dominions, useth in state: who, though he hath particular councils for several countries and affairs, yet had one council of state, or last resort, that receiveth the advertisements and certificates from all the rest. Hitherto of the diversion, succession. and conference of wits. see, inclination of their nature, or from common example and opinion, never questioning or examining them, nor reducing them to any clear certainty; and use only to call themselves to account and deliberation touching the means and second ends, and thereby set themselves in the right way to the wrong place. So likewise upon the natural curiosity and desire to know, they have put themselves in way without foresight or consideration of their journey's end. For I find that even those that have sought knowledge for itself, and not for benefit, or ostentation, or any practicable enablement in the course of their life, have nevertheless propounded to themselves a wrong mark, namely, satisfaction, which men call truth, and not operation. For as in the courts and services of princes and states, it is a much easier matter to give satisfaction than to do the business; so in the inquiring of causes and reasons it is much easier to find out such causes as will satisfy the mind of man and quiet obgive him light to new experiences and inventions. jections, than such causes as will direct him and And this did Celsus note wisely and truly, how that the causes which are in use, and whereof the knowledges now received do consist, were in time minors and subsequents to the knowledge of the particulars, out of which they were induced and collected; and that it was not the light of those causes which discovered particulars, but only the particulars being first found, men did fall on glossing and discoursing of the causes; which is the reason, why the learning that now is hath the curse of barrenness, and is courtesan-like, for pleasure and not for fruit. Nay, to compare it rightly, the strange fiction of the poets of the transformation of Scylla, seemeth to be a lively emblem of this philosophy and knowledge: a fair woman upward in the parts of show, but when you come to the parts of use and generation, barking monsters: for no better are the endless distorted questions, which ever have been, and of necessity must be, the end and womb of such knowledge.. That the end and scope of knowledge hath been generally mistaken, and that men were never well advised what it was they sought. Being the IXth chapter, immediately preceding the Inventory, and inducing the same. It appeareth then how rarely the wits and labours of men have been converted to the severe and original inquisition of knowledge; and in those who have pretended, what hurt hath been done by the affectation of professors, and the distraction of such as were no professors; and how there was never in effect any conjunction or combination of wits in the first and inducing search, but that every man wrought apart, and would either have his own way, or else would go no further than his guide, having in the one case the honour of a first, and in the other the ease of a second; and lastly, how in the descent and continuance of wits and labours, the succession hath been in the most popular and weak opinions, like unto the weakest natures, which many times have most children; and in them also the condition of succession hath been rather to defend and to adorn, than to add; and if to add, yet that addition to be rather a refining of a part, than an But yet nevertheless, here I may be mistaken, increase of the whole. But the impediments of by reason of some which have much in their pen time and accidents, though they have wrought a the referring sciences to action and the use of general indisposition, yet are they not so peremp-man, which mean quite another matter than I do. tory and binding, as the internal impediments and clouds in the mind and spirit of man, whereof it now followeth to speak. The Scripture, speaking of the worst sort of error, saith, "Errare fecit eos in invio et non in via." For a man may wander in the way, by rounding up and down; but if men have failed in their very direction and address, that error will never by good fortune correct itself. Now it hath fared with men in their contemplations, as Seneca saith it fareth with them in their actions, "De partibus vitæ quisque deliberat, de summa nemo." A course very ordinary with men who receive for the most part their final ends from the .... For they mean a contriving of directions, and precepts for readiness of practice, which I discommend not, so it be not occasion that some quantity of the science be lost; for else it will be such a piece of husbandry, as to put away a manor lying somewhat scattered, to buy in a close that lieth handsomely about a dwelling. But my inten tion contrariwise is to increase and multiply the revenues and possessions of man, and not to trim up only, or order with conveniency the grounds whereof he is already stated. Wherefore the better to make myself understood, that I mean nothing less than words, and directly to demonstrate the point which we are now upon, that is, The chapter immediately following the Inventory. what is the true end, scope, office of knowledge, | nevertheless on the other side again, it wil be as which I have set down to consist not in any fit to check and control the vain and void assignaplausible, delectable, reverend, or admired dis- tions, and gifts, whereby certain ignorant, extracourse, or any satisfactory arguments, but in vagant, and abusing wits have pretended to indue effecting and working, and in discovery of par- the state of man with wonders, differing as much ticulars not revealed before, for the better en- from truth in nature, as Cæsar's Commentaries dowment and help of man's life; I have thought differeth from the acts of King Arthur, or Huon of good to make, as it were, a kalendar or inventory Bourdeaux in story. For it is true that Cæsar did of the wealth, furniture, or means of man, accord-greater things than those idle wits had the audaing to his present estate, as far as it is known; city to feign their supposed worthies to have done; which I do not to show any universality of sense but he did them not in that monstrous and fabulous or knowledge, and much less to make a satire of manner. reprehension in respect of wants and errors, but partly because cogitations new had need of some grossness and inculcation to make them perceived, and chiefly to the end, that for the time to come, upon the account and state now made It appeareth then, what is now in proposition, and cast up, it may appear what increase this not by general circumlocution, but by particular new manner of use and administration of the note, no former philosophy varied in terms or mestock, if it be once planted, shall bring with it thod; no new placet or speculation upon particulars hereafter; and for the time present, in case I already known; no referring to action by any mashould be prevented by death to propound and nual of practice, but the revealing and discovering reveal this new light as I purpose, yet I may at of new inventions and operations. This to be done the least give some awaking note, both of the without the errors and conjectures of art, or the wants in man's present condition, and the nature length or difficulties of experience; the nature and of the supplies to be wished; though for mine kinds of which inventions have been described as own part neither do I much build upon my pre- they could be discovered; for your eye cannot pass sent anticipations, neither do I think ourselves one kenning without further sailing: only we have yet learned or wise enough to wish reasonably: stood upon the best advantages of the notions refor as it asks some knowledge to demand a ques-ceived, as upon a mount, to show the knowledges tion not impertinent; so it asketh some sense to adjacent and confining. If therefore the true end make a wish not absurd. of knowledge not propounded, hath bred large error, the best and perfectest condition of the same end, not perceived, will cause some declination. For when the butt is set up, men need not rove, but except the white be placed, men cannot level. This but in the nature of the direction; for our purpose perfection we mean, not in the worth of the effects, In-is not to stir up men's hopes, but to guide their The Inventory, or an enumeration and view of inventions already discovered in use, together with a note of the wants, and the nature of the supplies. Being the Xth chapter; and this a small fragment thereof, being the preface to the ventory. travels. The fulness of direction to work, and proTHE plainest method, and most directly perti- duce any effect, consisteth in two conditions, cernent to this intention, will be to make distribution tainty and liberty. Certainty is, when the direction of sciences, arts, inventions, works, and their is not only true for the most part, but infallible. portions, according to the use and tribute which Liberty is, when the direction is not restrained to they yield and render to the conditions of man's some definite means, but comprehendeth all the life, and under those several uses, being as seve-means and ways possible: for the poet saith well, ral offices of provisions, to charge and tax what" Sapientibus undique latæ sunt viæ ;" and where may be reasonably exacted or demanded, not there is the greatest plurality of change, there is the guiding ourselves neither by the poverty of expe- greatest singularity of choice. Besides, as a conriences and probations, nor according to the vanity |jectural direction maketh a casual effect, so a parti of credulous imaginations; and then upon those cular and restrained direction is no less casual than charges and taxations to distinguish and present, uncertain. For those particular means whereunto as it were, in several columns, what is extant and it is tied may be out of your power, or may be acalready found, and what is defective and further companied with an overvalue of prejudice; and so to be provided. Of which provisions, because in if for want of certainty in direction you are frus many of them, after the manner of slothful and trated in success, for want of variety in direction faulty officers and accomptants, it will be returned, you are stopped in the attempt. If therefore your by way of excuse, that no such are to be had, it direction be certain, it must refer you, and point will be fit to give some light of the nature of the you to somewhat, which, if it be present, the effect supplies, whereby it will evidently appear, that you seek will of necessity follow, else may yon they are to be compassed and procured. And yet perform and not obtain. If it be free, then must it refer you to somewhat, which, if it be absent, the effect you seek will of necessity withdraw, else may you have power and not attempt. This notion Aristotle had in light, though not in use. For the two commended rules by him set down, whereby the axioms of sciences are precepted to be made convertible, and which the latter men have not without elegancy surnamed, the one the rule of truth, because it preventeth deceit, the other the rule of prudence, because it freeth election, are the same thing in speculation and affirmation, which we now observe. An example will make my meaning attained, and yet percase make it thought that they attained it not. not to set down a form of interpretation how to recover and attain it. But as we intend not now to reveal, so we are circumspect not to mislead; and therefore, this warning being given, returning to our purpose in hand, we admit the sixth direction to be, that all bodies, or parts of bodies, which are unequal equally, that is, in a simple proportion, do represent whiteness; we will explain this, though we induce it not. It is then to be understood, that absolute equality produceth transparence, inequality in simple order or proportion produceth whiteness, inequality in compound or respective order or proportion produceth other colours, and absolute or orderless inequality proLet the effect to be produced be whiteness; let duceth blackness; which diversity if so gross a the first direction be, that if air and water be inter- demonstration be needful, may be signified by four mingled, or broken in small portions together, tables; a blank, a chequer, a fret, and a medley; whiteness will ensue, as in snow, in the breaking whereof the fret is evident to admit great variety. of the ways of the sea and rivers, and the like. Out of this assertion are satisfied a multitude of This direction is certain, but very particular, and effects and observations, as that whiteness and restrained, being tied but to air and water. Let blackness are most incompatible with transpa the second direction be, that if air be mingled as rence; that whiteness keepeth light, and blackbefore with any transparent body, such neverthe-ness stoppeth light, but neither passeth it; less as is uncoloured and more grossly transparent that whiteness or blackness are never produced than air itself, that then, &c. as glass or crystal, in rainbows, diamonds, crystals, and the like; being beaten to fine powder, by the interposition that white giveth no dye, and black hardly of the air becometh white; the white of an egg, taketh dye; that whiteness seemeth to have an being clear of itself, receiving air by agitation, affinity with dryness, and blackness with moistbecometh white, receiving air by concoction be- ure; that adustion causeth blackness, and calci cometh white; here you are freed from water, and nation whiteness; that flowers are generally of advanced to a clear body, and still tied to air. fresh colours, and rarely black, &c., all which I Let the third direction exclude or remove the re-do now mention confusedly by way of derivation, straint of an uncoloured body, as in amber, sap- and not by way of induction. This sixth direcphires, &c. which beaten to fine powder, become | tion, which I have thus explained, is of good and white in wine and beer; which brought to froth, become white. Let the fourth direction exclude the restraint of a body more grossly transparent than air, as in fiame, being a body compounded between air and a finer substance than air; which flame if it were not for the smoke, which is the third substance that incorporateth itself and dieth, the flame would be more perfect white. In all these four directions air still beareth a part. Let the fifth direction then be, that if any bodies, both transparent, but in an unequal degree, be mingled as before, whiteness will follow; as oil and water beaten to an ointment, though by settling, the air which gathereth in the agitation be evaporate, yet emaineth white; and the powder of glass, or crystal, put into water, whereby the air giveth place, yet remaineth white, though not so perfect. Now are you freed from air, but still you are tied to transparent bodies. To ascend further by scale I do forbear, partly because it would draw on the example to an over-great length, but chiefly because it would open that which in this work I determine to reserve; for to pass through the whole history and observation of colours and objects visible, were too long a digression; and our purpose is now to give an example of a free direction, thereby to distinguish and describe it; and Vor. I.-12 competent liberty, for whiteness fixed and inhe- |