The novum organum scientiarum : in two parts / By Francis Bacon ... Carefully corrected, and the Latin part translated into English, with an appendix, by Dr. Shaw.

Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626.

Date:: 1813

Credit: The novum organum scientiarum : in two parts / By Francis Bacon ... Carefully corrected, and the Latin part translated into English, with an appendix, by Dr. Shaw. Source: Wellcome Collection.

47/200 (page 39)

$to dietincruish them from experiments .of profit; and they have this wonderful property, that they never deceive or frustrate the expecta- tion ; for, being used not in order to effect any work, but for disclosing of natural causes, in eertain particulars, let them fall wliieh way they wiil, they equally unswerthe intention and solve the question. ]00. And not only alarger stock of experiment is to be sought and procured, of a different kind from what has hitherto appeared, but also a quite different method, order, and procedure, is tobe introduced, for continuing and advancing experience itself; for, vague experience, that pursues nothing but itself, is, as was before observed, a mere gro- ping about in the dark,* and rather amazes mankind than informa them; but, when experience shall be conducted by eertain laws, or- derly and consequentially, we may have better hopes of the Sciences. 101. And when a proper quantity of suitable materials for such a natural and experimenta! philosophy, as is required for the work of the understanding, or the business of philosophy, shall be provjded and got ready, yet the understanding is no way qualitied to act upon these materials spontaneously and by mernory, no more than a man should expect to make the calculations for an almanack by the bare strength of his mernory. Yet eontemplation has hitherto been more employed in inventiou than writiug, nor is experience yet made leamed;—but no invention should be allowed, or trusted, except in writing; and, when this comes into use, so that experience may be made a matter of learn- ing and Science, we may then have better hopes.f 102. Again; the number, of, as it were, the army of particulars, being so large, scattered, and confused, as to distract and confound the mind, little good can be expected from the skirmishes and sallies of the understanding, unless it be fitted and broughtclose to them, by means of proper, well-disposed, and actuating, tables of invention, containing such things as belong to the subjeci of every inquiry, and unless the mind be applied to receive the prepared and dige9ted assist- ance they afford.J 103. And even when a stock of particulars is exactly and orderly placed before us, we must not iminediately pass on to the inquiry and discovery of new particulars or works; at least if this be done, we must not dwell upon it. We deny not, that after all the experiments of every art shall be collected, digested, and brought to the kndw- ledge and judgemeijt of a single person, many new discoveries may be made, for the use and advantage of life, through the translation of one art into another, by means of what we call learned experience ;'yet less hope is to be conceived hereof, and a much greater of a new light oi axioms, drawn regnlarly, and in a eertain manner, from tho.se' par- ticulars, so tnat such axioms may again point out and lead to new * Seeabore, Aph.S2. minebar e d^wn t,s cxtremely necessary ; fer, the natural powers of th« tion observatinn n™ wc^ as means to be trusteil in the business of inven- ior,’. iheir n \ f exP.crl^1ent• ^ e sce it is common for men, after some time, to abd ant m wn ° servatioiis and experiments. Nor is the mrmorv sufficientlv readv mernory or imaefnatfon l”” na‘Ural lhings’ wl,ilst lhe-v dwell onlyirt the writtea down for the seJvie^f su ^ pb*mora*» ari «> be distiactl/ n tot the service of phtlosophy.-Sec hcreafter, Pan U. 1 ♦ Stc hetMher, patt II. Sect. I$