FILUM LABYRINTHI,

SIVE

FORMULA INQUISITIONIS.

AD FILIOS.

PARS PRIMA.

1. FRANCIS BACON thought in this manner. | misunderstanding of the words of his authors, The knowledge whereof the world is now pos- which maketh him listen after auricular traditions; sessed, especially that of nature, extendeth not to magnitude and certainty of works. The physician pronounceth many diseases incurable, and faileth oft in the rest. The alchemists wax old and die in hopes. The magicians perform nothing that is permanent and profitable. The mechanics take small light from natural philosophy, and do but spin on their own little threads. Chance sometimes discovereth inventions; but that worketh not in years, but ages. So he saw well, that the inventions known are very unperfect, and that new are not like to be brought to light but in great length of time; and that those which are, came not to light by philosophy.

or else a failing in the true porportions and scruples of practice, which maketh him renew infinitely his trials; and finding also that he lighteth upon some mean experiments and conclusions by the way, feedeth upon them, and magnifieth them to the most, and supplieth the rest in hopes. The magician, when he findeth something, as he conceiveth, above nature, effected, thinketh, when a breach is once made in nature, that it is all one to perform great things and small; not seeing, that they are but subjects of a certain kind, wherein magic and superstition hath played in all times. The mechanical person, if he can refine an invention, or put two or three observations or practices together in one, or couple things better with their use, or make the work in less or greater volume, taketh himself for an inventor. So he saw well, that men either persuade themselves of new inventions as of impossibilities, or else think they are already extant, but in secret and in few hands; or that they account of those little industries and additions, as of inventions: all which turneth to the averting of their minds from any just and constant labour, to invent further in any quantity.

2. He thought also this state of knowledge was he worse, because men strive against themselves to save the credit of ignorance, and to satisfy themselves in this poverty. For the physician, besides the cautels of practice, hath this general cautel of art, that he dischargeth the weakness of his art upon supposed impossibilities: neither can his art be condemned, when itself judgeth. That philosophy also, out of which the knowledge of physic which now is in use is hewed, receiveth certain positions and opinions, which, if they be well weighed, induce this persuasion, that no great 3. He thought also, when men did set before works are to be expected from art, and the hand themselves the variety and perfection of works of man; as, in particular that opinion, that "the produced by mechanical arts, they are apt rather to heat of the sun and fire differ in kind;" and that admire the provisions of man, than to apprehend other, "that composition is the work of man, and his wants; not considering, that the original inmixture is the work of nature," and the like; all ventions and conclusions of nature, which are the tending to the circumscription of man's power, life of all that variety, are not many, nor deeply and to artificial despair; killing in men not only fetched; and that the rest is but the subtile and the comfort of imagination, but the industry of ruled motion of the instrument and hand; and that trial; only upon vainglory, to have their art the shop therein is not unlike the library, which thought perfect, and that all is impossible that is in such number of books containeth, for the far not already found. The alchemists dischargeth greater part, nothing but iterations, varied somebis art upon his own errors, either supposing a times in form, but not new in substance. So he

saw plainly, that opinion of store was a cause of want; and that both works and doctrines appear many, and are few.

4. He thought also, that knowledge is uttered to men in a form, as if every thing were finished; for it is reduced into arts and methods; which in their divisions do seem to include all that may be. And how weakly socver the parts are filled, yet they carry the show and reason of a total; and thereby the writings of some received authors go for the very art: whereas antiquity used to deliver the knowledge which the mind of man hath gathered, in observations, aphorisms, or short and dispersed sentences, or small tractates of some parts that they had diligently meditated and laboured; which did invite men, both to ponder that which was invented, and to add and supply further. But now sciences are delivered to be believed and accepted, and not to be examined and further discovered; and the succession is between master and disciple, and not between inventor and continuer or advancer: and therefore sciences stand at a stay, and have done for many ages, and that which is positive is fixed, and that which is question is kept question, so as the columns of no further proceeding are pitched. And therefore he saw plainly men had cut themselves off from further invention; and that it is no marvel, that that is not obtained which hath not been attempted, but rather shut out and debarred.

5. He thought also, that knowledge is almost generally sought either for delight and satisfaction, or for gain or profession, or for credit and ornament, and that every of these are as Atalanta's balls, which hinder the race of invention. For men are so far in these courses from seeking to increase the mass of knowledge, as of that mass which is they will take no more than will serve their turn: and if any one amongst so many seeketh knowledge for itself, yet he rather seeketh to know the variety of things, than to discern of the truth and causes of them; and if his inquisition be yet more severe, yet it tendeth rather to judgment than to invention; and rather to discover truth in controversy, than new matter; and if his heart be so large as he propoundeth to himself further discovery or invention, yet it is rather of new discourse and speculation of causes, than of effects and operations. And as for those that have so much in their mouths, action and use and practice, and the referring of sciences thereunto; they mean it of application of that which is known, and not of a discovery of that which is unknown. So he saw plainly, that this mark, namely, invention of further means to endow the condition and life of man with new powers or works, was almost never yet set up and resolved in man's intention and inquiry.

faith, the greatest number of wits have been employed, and the greatest helps and rewards have been conferred, upon divinity. And before-time likewise, the greatest part of the studies of philosophers was consumed in moral philosophy, which was as the heathen divinity. And in both times a great part of the best wits betook themselves to law, pleadings, and causes of estate; specially in the time of the greatness of the Romans, who by reason of their large empire needed the service of all their able men for civil business. And the time amongst the Grecians, in which natural philosophy seemed most to flourish, was but a short space; and that also rather abused in differing sects and conflicts of opinions than profitably spent. Since which time, natural philosophy was never any profession, nor never possessed any whole man, except perchance some monk in a cloister, or some gentleman in the country, and that very rarely; but became a science of passage, to season a little young and unripe wits, and to serve for an introduction to other arts, especially physic and the practical mathematics. So as he saw plainly, that natural philosophy hath been intended by few persons, and in them hath occu pied the least part of their time, and that in the weakest of their age and judgment.

7. He thought also, how great opposition and prejudice natural philosophy had received by superstition, and the immoderate and blind zeal of religion; for he found that some of the Gre cians, which first gave the reason of thunder, had been condemned of impiety; and that the cosmographers, which first discovered and described the roundness of the earth, and the consequence thereof touching the antipodes, were not much otherwise censured by the ancient fathers of the Christian church; and that the case is now much worse, in regard of the boldness of the schoolmen and their dependences in the monasteries, who having made divinity into an art, have almost incorporated the contentious philosophy of Aristotle into the body of Christian religion: and generally he perceived in men of devout simplicity this opinion, that the secrets of nature were the secrets of God; and part of that glory whereinto the mind of man, if it seek to press, shall be oppressed; and that the desire in men to attain to so great and hidden knowledge, hath a resemblance with that temptation which caused the original fall; and on the other side, in men of a devout policy, he noted an inclination to have the people depend upon God the more, when they are less acquainted with second causes; and to have no stirring in philosophy, lest it may lead to an innovation in divinity, or else should discover matter of further contradiction to divinity. But in this part, resorting to the authority of the Scriptures, 6. He thought also, that, amongst other know- and holy examples, and to reason, he rested not lodges, natural philosophy hath been the least satisfied alone, but much confirmed. For first, followed and laboured. For since the Christian he considered that the knowledge of nature, by VOL. I.-13 I

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the light whereof man discerned of every living and benefits, appearing and engraven in his works, creature, and imposed names according to their which without this knowledge are beheld but as propriety, was not the occasion of the fall; but through a veil: for if the heavens in the body of the moral knowledge of good and evil, affected to them do declare the glory of God to the eye, the end to depend no more upon God's command- much more do they in the rule and decrees of ments, but for man to direct himself. Neither them declare it to the understanding. And could he find in any Scripture, that the inquiry another reason, not inferior to this, is, that the and science of man in any thing, under the mys- same natural philosophy principally amongst all teries of the Deity, is determined and restrained, other human knowledge, doth give an excellent but contrariwise allowed and provoked. For defence against both extremes of religion, superconcerning all other knowledge the Scripture pro- stition, and infidelity; for both it freeth the mind nounceth, "That it is the glory of God to conceal, from a number of weak fancies and imaginations, but it is the glory of man (or of the king, for the and it raiseth the mind to acknowledge that to king is but the excellency of man) to invent;" God all things are possible: for to that purpose and again, "The spirit of man is as the lamp of speaketh our Saviour in that first canon against God, wherewith he searcheth every secret;" and heresies, delivered upon the case of the resurrecagain most effectually, "That God hath made all tion, "You err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor things beautiful and decent, according to the re the power of God;" teaching that there are but turn of their seasons; also that he hath set the two fountains of heresy, not knowing the will of world in man's heart, and yet man cannot find God revealed in the Scriptures, and not knowing out the work which God worketh from the be- the power of God revealed or at least made most ginning to the end;" showing that the heart of sensible in his creatures. So as he saw well, that man is a continent of that concave or capacity, natural philosophy was of excellent use to the wherein the content of the world, that is, all forms exaltation of the Divine Majesty ; and, that which of the creatures, and whatsoever is not God, may is admirable, that being a remedy of superstition, it be placed or received; and complaining, that is nevertheless an help to faith. He saw likewise, through the variety of things, and vicissitudes of that the former opinions to the prejudice hereof had times, which are but impediments and not impuis- no true ground; but must spring either out of mere sances, man cannot accomplish his invention. In ignorance, or out of an excess of devotion, to have precedent also he set before his eyes, that in those divinity all in all; whereas it should be only few memorials before the flood, the Scripture above all; both which states of mind may be best honoureth the name of the inventors of music and pardoned; or else out of worse causes, namely out works in metal; that Moses had this addition of of envy, which is proud weakness, and deserveth praise, that he was seen in all the learning of the to be despised; or out of some mixture of imposture, Egyptians; that Solomon, in his grant of wisdom to tell a lie for God's cause; or out of an impious from God, had contained, as a branch thereof, that diffidence, as if men should fear to discover some knowledge whereby he wrote a natural history of things in nature which might subvert faith. But all verdure, from the cedar to the moss, and of all still he saw well, howsoever these opinions are that breatheth: that the book of Job, and many in right reason reproved, yet they leave not to be places of the prophets, have great aspersion of most effectual hinderances to natural philosophy natural philosophy; that the church in the bosom and invention. and lap thereof, in the greatest injuries of times, ever preserved, as holy relics, the books of philosophy and all heathen learning; and that when Gregory, the bishop of Rome, became adverse and unjust to the memory of heathen antiquity, it was censured for pusillanimity in him, and the honour thereof soon after restored, and his own memory almost persecuted by his successor Sabinian; and lastly, in our times, and the ages of our fathers, when Luther and the divines of the Protestant church on the one side, and the Jesuits on the other, have enterprised to reform, the one the doctrine, the other the discipline and manners of the church of Rome, he saw well how both of them have awaked to their great honour and succour, all human learning. And for reason, there cannot be a greater and more evident than this, that all knowledge, and specially that of natural philosophy, tendeth highly to the magnifying of the glory of God, in his power, providence,

8. He thought also, that there wanted not great contrariety to the further discovery of sciences in regard of the orders and customs of universities, and also in regard of common opinion. For in universities and colleges men's studies are almost confined to certain authors, from which if any dissenteth or propoundeth matter of redargution, it is enough to make him thought a person turbulent; whereas if it be well advised, there is a great difference to be made between matters contemplative and active. For in government change is sus pccted, though the better; but it is natural to arts to be in perpetual agitation and growth. Neither is the danger alike of new light, and of new motion or remove; and for vulgar and received opinions, nothing is more usual, or more usually complained of, than that it is imposed for arrogancy and presumption, for men to authorize themselves against antiquity and authors, towards whom envy is ceased, and reverence by time amortised;