Idol, as it were his Mother-Tongue, to the Hiftory of Nature; and as foon as he finds any thing found like it, this he eagerly catches at, and interprets every thing elfe analogous thereto m.

4. 'Tis now time we fhould expatiate ourselves, after handling fuch That the Auprophane and polluted Matters; tho it has been only with a defire of Im- thor has been in earnest proving. And we here declare, that all the Charges we have brought in earnes with his against the Philofophers, fall far fhort of their Guilt: Tho we do not ex- Characters. pect the generality fhould understand in what manner we have convicted them. But they may be affured, that the Cenfures pafs'd upon them have not the least participation of Calumny or Scandal: For I have not here, like Velleius in Cicero, acted the Declamer, who lightly touched Opinions, and then threw them afide, without entering into their Merits; much less, done like our modern Agrippa, who, indeed, deferves not to be mention'd in a Difcourfe of this Nature; as being a trifling Scoffer, that aims to wrest and make sport with every thing": But whoever looks intently, and is qualified to fee it, will find that, under the Veil of a feigned Severity, there are juft and flinging Accufations couched, contracted to a little compafs, and, not without fome Addrefs, thrown directly into the Ulcers of the Mifchief. And tho they all feem involved and embroiled together in the fame Crimes and Guilt; yet I have accufed each of them with that only which is peculiar to himself, and of a capital Nature. For the human Mind, fwoln with the Incurfions and Obfervations of Things, works up, and draws out of them, Errors of various Shapes and Forms: So that Ariftotle, for example, appears like a tall Plant, of a particular Species; Plato, as another of a different kind; and fo of the reft.

5. But for me to enter into particular Confutations of their feveral Works, Avoids more would be a heinous Offence, an Injury to the Fortunes of Mankind, and particular Confutations, confume the Time, deftin'd to their Service, in a Conflict with Sha- and why. dows; which may vanish of themselves. Indeed, the only thing required, is to fet up the BRIGHT AND SHINING LIGHT OF TRUTH; which may illuminate all the things around it; and in a moment disperse all the Errors and Darkness with which Mankind are befet: For it would be endless to carry weak and fickly Tapers about into all the fculking Holes and Corners of particular Errors and Falfhoods.

6. But notwithstanding what we have faid, it must not be fuppofed, That fome that all which the Philofophers above-mentioned have delivered, is per- Truths have fectly vain and falfe: For there is no one of them but has fometimes ftumbeen difcobled vered by the upon a Truth; and indeed their Errors feem rather owing to their Ancients. I 2

great

m This is properly a Species of Philofophical Madness. See above, Sect. I. 2. and the Introduction to the Novum Organum.

n I fuppofe the Author has his Eye more immediately upon that Piece of Agrippa, entitled De Vanitate Scientiarum; a Title as different from his own De Augmentis Scientiarum, as the two Perfons, and their Abilities.

But

This was the Defign of the Novum Organum; which the Author had once entitled, Aphorifmi & Confilia, de Auxiliis Mentis, & Accenfione LUMINIS NATURALIS. as that Work was left imperfect, we have only fome Portion of this Grand Light held

out to us.

1

great Unhappiness, than to their Ignorance. When Heráclitus declared, that Men ought to feek for Knowledge, not in the private World of themselves, but in the common external World, he feems to have laid a juft Foundation for Philofophy. When Democritus attributed immenfe Variety, and infinite Succeffion to Nature, he ran counter to nearly all the other Philofophers; who abfolutely went down with the ftream of their times; enflaved to Custom and by this Oppofition he deftroyed both Falfhoods, dashing them one against the other; and thus opening a way to Truth betwixt the two Extremes, he happily fhewed himself a Philofopher. The Numbers of Pythagoras, likewife promised fome good Event. Dindamus the Indian fpoke well, when he called Death by the Name of Nature's Enemy. Epicurus alfo is tolerable; tho he difputes but weakly, and with philological Arguments, against the Explanation of intentional and final Caufes. Even the fceptical Pyrrho, and the fluctuating Academicks (tho confined to fcanty Bounds, and behaving themselves to their Idols like peevish Lovers, that are always quarrelling, but never part) may be read in the way of Recreation; for whilst others are made to drag their Anchors, by their Idols; the Academicks are only whirl'd round in their Cock-Boat. Nay, Paracelfus and Severinus make excellent Heralds; and found the alarm to Experiments.

The Differ- 7. But fhall we fay that thefe Men were in poffeffion of Truth? They ence betwixt were certainly far from it. 'Tis a good homely Proverb: That a Hog, Knowledge, tho by rooting the Ground he may make the firft Letter of the Alphabet, yet canand the True, not write a Play. For the Truth difcovered by Analogy of Knowledge, is

Idolatrous

The Writings

widely different from that delivered by the start of an Idol: The former is regular, conftant and manifold, whilft the other is incongruous, unsteady and single; and the Cafe is the fame in Works. Thus the Difcovery of Gun-powder, had it not been accidental, and a fudden start, but the effect of Reafoning, would not have been fingle; but accompanied with a Number of other noble Inventions, which fall under the fame Meridian. Underftand the like of other Works and Pofitions P. I would therefore require, if any ones Idol fhould in any Point interfect the Truth of the things I have here laid down, that he be not hence conceived the better, nor I the worfe of; as 'tis manifeft this Difference muft proceed from Ignorance, and not from any Analogy of Knowledge 4.

8. After all; we hope no one will conceive our Intention is to condemn of the Anci- the Writings of the ancient and modern Philofophers to the Flames, or the ents to be fill preferved. Service of the Grocer. They have ftill fome Ufe; tho, indeed, but little, and of narrow Extent; very different from that they were defigned for, and are at prefent employed in. To this we may add, that many other Writings, of lefs Fame and Note, are much more ufeful than those of the

See this profecuted in the first Part of the Novum Organum.

Philo

This will not be understood, unless the Doctrine of idols, delivered in the Novum Or ganum, be mafter'd. As Mr. Hobbs is faid to have done.

Philofophers. The Ethicks of Ariftotle and Plato have found numerous Admirers; but the Moral Obfervations of Tacitus exprefs Nature more to the Life. But for the particular Ufes to be made of thefe Writings; which of them are more serviceable than others; and how fmall a part of them conduce to the Interpretation of Nature, we may fhew in due time.

9. It may here be afk'd, Will the Author pretend himself alone to supply The Author's the place of all the Philofophers he thus cenfures and rejects? He answers can- View in the whole. didly, and without Diffimulation, that his fole View is to join Mankind and Things together, in a facred, legitimate and inviolable Link; that from this Conjunction may proceed a happy Race of Heroes, to fubdue the infinite Neceffities of human Nature; and fettle their whole Affairs in a plentiful, peaceful and happy Security.

See the Novum Organum, Part I. passim.

Some Readers may be at a lofs to know what the Author drives at in this Piece; or in what fenfe to understand him; unless they have been converfant in the rest of his Writings. The Point of View is this; that the ancient and modern Philofophers, taken in a Body, have miferably mifpent their Time, and abused their Talents; without once entering into the high Road of Truth, or the way of making the proper Discoveries, for improving the Arts and Sciences, that might greatly benefit human Life. This every one may fatisfy himself of, by examining what has been done by Plato, Ariftotle, Hippocrates, &c. towards difcovering the Art of inventing Arts; or making Life more happy and agreeable. For who among them has taught the Art of prolonging Life, or fpinning the full Thread thereof to its natural Period, free from Diseases, Pain and Sicknefs; fo far, we mean, as the condition of Mortality permits? Who has fhewn the way of curing inveterate Diseases, as the Stone, the Gout, &c? Who has taught us to fecure our Habitations from Fire, Inundations, Earthquakes; our Ships from Storms, and perifhing at Sea? Who has taught us to predict the Weather, or given us the leaft Command of it? Who has fhewn us a way to fupply parched Countries with Water, where. natural Springs are denied? Who has fhewn us a practical way of governing our Appetites, and correcting our Vices; fo as to prevent that Train of Ills which attend Tyranny, Oppreflion, Superftition, and falfe Religions? Numerous Inftances of this kind. might be mentioned, all tending to the accommodation of Life; which Philofophers, as they are called, feem to have overlook'd, or despaired of. But thefe were the things that employed our Author's Thoughts; and a Method of procuring Remedies for all human Evils, feems to have been the one capital thing he aimed at.

SUP