Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

and these our statements have this scope, (we the body politic. And when he entered at first, speak it without reserve,) to lead men willing, he found them occupied with easy converse one not to drag them reluctant. All forcing, (as we with another, yet they were ranged on seats placed from the first professed,) we would banish and with some formality of order, and sate as if exas Borgia jestingly noted of the invasion of Italy pecting some one's coming. by Charles the Eighth, that the French had come with chalk in their hands to mark the public houses, not arms to force their way through the land; so we too anticipate a like pacific tone and result of our discoveries, namely, that they shall segregate minds of large capacity from the crowd, and into these shall make their way, rather than be obnoxious to men of opposite opinions.

But in this part of our subject, in which we now treat of the redargution of the vulgar philosophies, our task hath been happily lightened by a timely and extraordinary circumstance. For while meditating these points, there came to me a certain friend, then returning from France, of whom, after due courtesy done, I inquired much, as he (in the wont of intimate friends) of me, in regard of our various affairs. "But how do you employ," said he, at length, "those intervals which are unoccupied with public business, or at least wherein its bustle abates." "A question in good time," I answered; "lest you should suppose I do nothing at all in such hours, I must tell you, I now meditate a renovation of philosophy, which shall embrace nothing airy or abstract, and which shall advance the interests of mankind." "A noble undertaking, doubtless," said he; "but whom have you for associates in this work?" "None at all," was my reply; "I have not even a person with whom I can converse without reserve on such subjects, none at least in whose converse I can explain myself, and whet my purpose." "A hard fate," he said, "yet know," he immediately added, “that others have also at heart such subjects." Whereupon I exclaimed with joy," Precious raindrop of hope, that hast at last sprinkled my thirsty spirit, and recalled me to life. Why, I met not long ago a certain evileyed old fortune-telling woman, who, muttering I know not what, prophesied that my offspring should die in the desert." "Would you," said he, "that I mention a circumstance relating to such matters, which I met with myself in France?" "Most willingly," I replied, "and shall be grateful besides."

He then related that he had, while at Paris, been invited and introduced by a friend of his to an assembly of personages," such," said he, "as you too would have loved to see. No occurrence of my life was ever more delightful than that introduction. There were about fifty present, none young, but all mature of years, and of whom each in his aspect wore a stamp of dignity and of honour." He related, that among them he recognised men who had held offices of state, others senators of the realm, divers eminent ecclesiastics, and some generally of all the notable classes of

Not long after there came to them a personage of an aspect, as he thought, mild and exceedingly placid, yet the comportment of his features was as of one that pitied men. And, when they all stood up to receive him, he looked around, and said with a smile, "I could never have conceived, now that I recognise your features, one after another, that the idle hour of all of you should have fallen upon the same nook of time, and I cannot enough admire how it hath so occurred." Whereupon one of the assembly made answer, that it was he himself that had occasioned that leisure, seeing that what they expected to reap from him, they regarded as preferable to all business. "I perceive,” he answered, "that the whole waste of the time here consumed, in which each of you, if apart, might have benefited many, is to be charged to my account. If this be so, I must see, in good sooth, that I detain you not over long." With these words he sate down, not on an elevated seat or academic chair, but on a level with the rest, and discoursed to the assembly, somewhat to the following effect. For my informant said, that he tried as he might to catch up the address, but while going over his remembrances of it with the friend who had introduced him, they seemed far short of what had then been spoken. He then produced a specimen of the speech which he had taken down, and which he had then about him. My sons, ye are doubtless but men and mortal, yet will ye not so much repine at the terms of your being, if ye sufficiently remember your nature. God, the creator of the world and of you, has endowed you with souls to contain that world, and yet remain unfilled and unsatisfied. Wherefore he has claimed your faith for himself, but the world he hath submitted to your sense; and hath decreed that the oracles of both should not be clear, but ambiguous, so as profitably to exercise you, and to balance the excellency of the things discovered. Now, as regards truths divine, my hope of you is good: but as concerns things human, I am in fear for you, lest you be involved in a train of endless errors. For I consider, that you are intimately persuaded of one thing, namely, that you now enjoy a flourishing and auspicious state of science. I on the other hand admonish you, not to regard the copiousness or utility of the knowledge you possess, as if you had been exalted to some pinnacle of superiority, or had satisfied your aspirations, or completed your labours. Revolve the matter thus:

66

"If you take to task the whole of that huge congeries of writings wherewith the sciences are so puffed out and overgrown, and mark them with a strict and sifting scrutiny, you shall everywhere

what (I pray you) have the Romans or Arabs,
which doth not emanate from, and fall back into,
the systems of Aristotle, Plato, Hippocrates,
Galen, Euclid, and Ptolemy?
Thus you see
your entire hopes and fortunes wrapt up in the
weak brains and limited souls of about half-a-dozen
mortals. Yet it was not for this that God im-
planted in you reasonable souls, that you should
obsequiously give up to human beings that part
of you which he vindicates for himself,—implicit
faith due only to the things of God. Nor hath he
allotted to you the firm and vivid informations of
the senses, to contemplate the works of a few men,
but his own works, his heaven and earth, cele-
brating the while his glory in your hearts, and
while you lift up a hymn to your Great Author,
admitting, if you will, these mortals (and where-
fore should you refuse) to a place besides you in
W. G. G.

note infinite repetitions of the same thing, diver-
sified in words, arrangement, examples, and illus-
trations, yet in the sum and weight and real effect
of things all anticipated, and manifestly only
repetitions, so as there is at once poverty and
parade, arrogance and miserable jejuneness. And
if I may be allowed a colloquial ease and plea-
santry on this subject, this learning of yours very
much resembles the well known supper of the
host of Chalcis, who being asked whence he had
such store of different hunter's fare: answered
that all his dishes were of the flesh of a tame boar.
For you will not deny that the whole of that
seeming copiousness is nothing but fragments of
the philosophy of the Greeks, and that not reared,
to continue the metaphor, in the woods and wilds
of nature, but styed up in the schools and scho-
lastic cells like the domesticated animal. For, if
you give up the Greeks, and a few Greeks too, the worshipping choir."

THE PHENOMENA OF THE UNIVERSE;

OR,

NATURAL HISTORY.

FOR THE BASIS OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY.

PREFACE.

and empirics, if they conducted their observations and philosophy with more boldness, being accusUPON my taking into consideration the errors tomed to an accurate nicety in some things, bend that prevail with respect to the true grounds of all others by the most singular methods to them; forming theories and conducting experiments, I and give out opinions the most monstrous and felt it my duty myself to remedy these evils, to unnatural. For the one class, out of many things the best of my ability. There cannot indeed be take but little, the other out of but little take much any thing more meritorious than to lead men to into the body of their philosophy; and, to speak throw off the masks of authorities and their blind the truth, the method of either class is unsound, admiration of experiments, and to enter into a and will not hold. But the knowledge of nature nearer communion with things themselves, and a which has been hitherto collected, however copithorough investigation of them. For so our know- ous it may at first sight appear, is really meagre ledge of them will be at once deep and secure, and unprofitable. Neither is it of that kind for and will be moreover at hand, and the sources of which we are inquiring. Nor is it yet cleared of utility will be multiplied. But the first princi- fable and absurdity, but runs out into antiquity ples of this design must be derived from the and philology, and relations of things unconknowledge of nature. For all the philosophy of nected with it, neglecting and rejecting what is the Greeks, with all their different sects, and, solid, but laboriously curious upon trifles. But indeed, whatever other philosophy may be men- the worst of this kind of copiousness is this, that tioned, appears to have been built upon too narrow it embraces the investigation of natural objects, a basis, and on an insufficient acquaintance with and yet for the most part declines the study of nature. For, taking up some few things from things mechanical. And these are the very things experience, and from tradition, and that sometimes which by far excel the others in the searching out without accurate examination, they placed the the secrets of nature, for, nature being of itself rest in meditation and in the exercise of their vast and diffuse, dissipates the mind and coningenuity; relying too much upon dialectics: but founds it by its variety. But in mechanical opethe chymists and the whole class of mechanics rations the judgment is collected, and the designs

and workings of nature are discerned, and not the | two admonitions which I would give on this head, effects only. And, besides, all the subtlety of as at other times, so especially now, in proceedmechanics stops short of the object which we ing to this very thing: first, that we should disseek. For the person thus employed being intent miss that motion, which, though so thoroughly upon his work and object, neither raises his mind false and destructive, easily takes possession of nor stretches forth his hand to other things, and the mind, that the investigation of particular which perchance avail more to the investigation | objects is an infinite and endless task: when the of nature. There is need, therefore, of greater truth rather is, that there is no bound to mere care and choice kinds of examination and even of opinions and disputes, but that those fantasies are expense, and moreover of the greatest patience. condemned to perpetual error and endless uncerFor this hath rendered every thing in the depart-tainty: but that those particular objects and the ment of experiment useless, that men have from the beginning sought out experiments for the sake of gain and not of knowledge, and have been intent upon bringing out something magnificent, not upon revealing the oracles of nature, which is the work of works, and comprehends all power in itself. And this evil hath been occasioned by the fastidious curiosity of men, in generally turning their attention to the secrets and rarities of nature, and in expending all their research upon these, passing over experiments and ordinary observations with contempt. And they seem to have been determined to this choice either from the pursuit of applause, or from having fallen into this error, that the office of philosophy is as much to trace the cause of ordinary occurrences and the remoter causes of those causes, as it is to harmonize extraordinary with ordinary events. But the cause of this universal complaint respecting natural history is chiefly this, that men have not merely erred in their mode of proceeding, but in their design. For that natural history which now exists seems to have been composed either on account of the profitableness of experiments or the pleasure of details, and to have been made for its own sake, and not to serve as the elements, and as it were to be the nurse of philosophy and the sciences. It is therefore my design, as far as lies in my power, to supply this deficiency. For I have long since made up my opinion as to the province of abstract philosophies: it is my intention also to adhere to the methods of true and good induction, in which are contained all things; and, as it were, by the help of instruments, or, by a clue to a labyrinth, to assist as much as possible the power of the human understanding, of itself inadequate and very unequal to the attainment of the sciences. And I am at the same time aware that if I would include in that restoration of the sciences, which I have in contemplation, any greater scope, I might indeed reap the greater honour.

But since it has pleased God to give me a mind that can learn to yield to circumstances, and out of a sense of real desert and confidence of success to reject with readiness what is only plausible, I have taken upon myself that part of the work which would probably have been passed over by others altogether, or would not have been treated in accordance with my design. And there are

informations of sense (taking out individuals and degrees of things, which suffices for the investigation of truth) certainly admit of comprehension, and that neither too wide and extensive, nor too difficult and adventurous. And, secondly, that men frequently bear the object in mind, and that when they fall upon the consideration of very many of the most ordinary, small, and apparently trivial and even low subjects, and which, as Aristotle says, seem to require a previous apology, they will not think that I am trifling, or taking down the dignity of the human mind. For these things are not sought out or described for their own sakes, but no other way is open to the human understanding, nor any other method left of pursuing this work; since we are attempting an object of unrivalled importance, and most worthy of the human mind, to kindle in this our age, through means offered and applied by the Deity himself, the pure light of nature, the name indeed the boast of men, the thing itself entirely unknown. Nor do I dissemble my opinion that that preposterous subtlety of arguments and imaginations in the time of which the subtlety and truth of the first information or true induction was either passed over or ill set on foot, can never effect a restoration, though all the genius of past ages should unite in the design; but that nature like fortune has her hair only upon her forehead. It remains, therefore, that the work be entirely recommenced, and that, with greater helps, and laying aside the heats of opinion, an entrance be opened into the kingdom of philosophy and of the sciences, (in which all the wealth of man is stored, for nature is overcome only by yielding,) in the same manner as into the kingdom of heaven, into which we cannot enter but as little children. But the profit of this work, that plebeian and promiscuous advantage derived from experiments themselves, we do not altogether condemn, since it can doubtless marry desirable suggestions to the observation and invention of men according to their various arts and talents. But we deem it extremely small in comparison of that entrance into human knowledge and power, which, through the divine mercy, we look for. And of that mercy we again desire, that it may see fit to enrich anew the human family through our hands.

The nature of things is either free, as in species, or confused, as in monsters, or straightened, as in

the experiments of the arts; but it acts in whatever class are worthy of commemoration. But the history of species which at present exists, as of animals, metals, and fossils, is tumid and impertinent; the history of prodigies vain and grounded upon slight reports; the history of experiments imperfect, tried by parts, treated negligently, and made entirely with a view to action and not philosophy. It is, therefore, my design to contract the history of species, to examine and revise the history of prodigies, and to put forth my principal labours upon experiments mechanical and artificial, and upon the subjection of nature to the hand of man. For what are the sports and wantonings, as it were, of nature to us? that is, those trifling differences of species according to their forms, which are of no service to our pursuits, and with which natural history, nevertheless, teems. The knowledge of things wonderful is, indeed, pleasant to us, if freed from the fabulous, but on what account does it afford us pleasure? not from any delight that is in admiration itself, but because it frequently intimates to art its office, that from the knowledge of nature it may lead it whither it sometimes preceded it by its own unassisted power. To artificial experiments we entirely attribute the first place in kindling the light of nature, not so much because they are highly useful of themselves, but because they are the most faithful interpreters of natural Occurrences. Would any one, for instance, have so clearly explained the nature of lightning or of the rainbow, before the reason of both was demonstrated, of the one through the instruments of war, of the other through the artificial resemblances of the rainbow on the wall. But if they are faithful interpreters of causes, they will also be certain and successful signs of their effects and operations. And I shall not depart from this threefold division of my history to treat each subject separately, but shall mix the kinds themselves, natural with artificial, ordinary with extraordinary, and keeping close to every subject in proportion to its utility.

It is usual to begin with the phenomena of the air. But in strict adherence to my object, I should prefer those phenomena which constitute and produce a more common nature of which both globes partake. We will begin, therefore with the history of bodies according to that distinction which appears the simplest, that is, the quantity or paucity of matter contained and extended within the same space or the same boundaries. For as no axiom in nature is more certain than that twofold one, that out of nothing, nothing comes, and that there is not any thing which can be reduced to nothing, but that the quantum itself of nature, or the universal sum of matter, is ever the same, admitting neither of increase nor of diminution; so it is not less certain, although it has not been so clearly

remarked or asserted, (whatever men may pretend respecting the power of matter being equally proportioned to its forms,) that out of that quantum of matter more or less is contained under the same dimensions of space, according to the difference of the bodies by which they are occupied, of which some are very evidently found to be more compact, others more extended or diffused. For a vessel or a cavity filled with water and air cannot receive the same portion of matter, but the one more and the other less. If, therefore, any one were to assert that from an equal quantity of air an equal quantity of water could be produced, it would be the same with asserting that something could be produced out of nothing. For that must, of course, be supplied out of nothing which is supposed to be wanting in matter. Again, if it were asserted that an equal quantity of water could be turned into the same quantity of air, it would be the same with asserting that something could be reduced to nothing. For the superfluous matter must, of course, have vanished into nothing. And I do not doubt that this will admit of calculation imperceptible in some respects, but definite and certain, and known to nature. As, if one were to say, that a body of gold compared with a body of spirit of wine were a collection of matter exceeding in a ratio of twenty to one, or thereabout, he would speak the truth. In setting forth, therefore, that history which I have spoken of respecting the quantity and paucity of matter, and the union and expansion of matter, from which those notions of density and rarity (if rightly considered) have their rise, I shall preserve this order; in the first place, to give an account of the relative proportions of different bodies, (as of gold, water, oil, fire,) and having examined the ratios of different bodies, I will afterwards treat of the retirings and excursions of the same body, with calculations or proportions. For the same body, without accession or subtraction, or with the smallest possible degree of either, from various impulses both external and internal is able to gather itself into a greater and lesser sphere. For sometimes the body endeavours to return to its former sphere, and sometimes evidently exceeds it. In the first place, then, I will enumerate the courses, differences, and proportions of any natural body, (in relation to its extent,) comparing them with its interstices or pores, that is, its pulverizations, calcinations, vitrifications, dissolutions, distillations, vapours, exhalations, and inflammations. In the next place, I shall lay down the actions and motions themselves, the extent and bounds of the contraction and dilatation, and when the bodies return to themselves, and when they exceed according to the measure of their extent; but I shall note particularly the efficients and means through which this kind of contractions and dilatations of bodies follow, and, in the mean

time, shall subjoin by the way, the powers and actions which accrue to bodies from such compressions and dilatations.

And as I well know how difficult it is in the present state of the mind to acquire a familiarity with nature now from the very elements, I shall add my own observations, in order to excite the attention and raise the thoughts of others. But with respect to demonstration, whether as to the discovery of the density and rarity of bodies, I have no doubt that, with respect to thick and palpable bodies, the motion of gravity, as it is called, can be assumed as the best as well as readiest proof; for the gravity of a body will be in proportion to its compactness. But after we have come to the class of ethereal and spiritual substances, then indeed we have no measure or rule whereby to go, and shall need another method of investigation. But we will begin with gold, the heaviest of all bodies within our knowledge, (for philosophy is not yet so matured as that we ought to venture an opinion respecting the bowels of the earth,) and embraces the greatest quantity of matter in the smallest space; and we shall apply the ratios of other bodies to the sphere of this; intimating, however, that here we scarcely touch upon the history of weights, except as far as it may throw light upon the demonstrating of the dimensions of bodies. But as our design is not to publish conjectures, but to discover and gain knowledge, and this appears to lie in the examination and proof of the first experiments, I have determined in every very subtile experiment to subjoin the mode of experiment I have made use of, that after it is clearly ascertained how each thing by itself appears to me, men may see how far they may rest satisfied, and what further remains to be done, whether in the correction of errors which may still cleave to the work, or in the calling forth and employing of more accurate modes of proof. And I will for my own part diligently and sincerely intimate those subjects which appear to me to be less satisfactorily explored, and to lie, as it were, nearer and more open to error. Lastly, I will add my own observations, as I before said, so that whilst every part of philosophy is preserved entire, I may yet even by the way turn the face itself of natural history toward philosophy. It will be my care also to remark whatever those things are, whether experiments or observations, which occur and intervene beside the scope of inquiry, and pertain to other denominations, that the investigation may be kept distinct.

A TABLE OF THE CONJUNCTION AND EXPANSION
DIES, WITH A CALCULATION OF THEIR RATIOS

OF MATTER THROUGH SPACE IN TANGIBLE BO

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][ocr errors][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The Mode of Experiment upon the above Table.

Let the weights which I have used be understood to be of the same kind and computation with those of goldsmiths', a pound being twelve ounces, and an ounce twenty pennyweights, a pennyweight twenty-four grains. I have chosen gold as a standard of the ratios of other bodies, according to the measure of its extension, not so much because it is the heaviest of bodies, as because it is the most unique. For, other bodies, which, in some degree, partake of inconstancy even after they have been tried by fire, retain a diversity of weight and dimension; but pure gold

« ForrigeFortsæt »