84To the Reader.
gar and Trivial, mean and ſordid, curious and fruitleß;
and therefore he wiſheth, that they would have perpetually be-
fore their eyes, what is now in doing; and the difference between
this Natural Hiſtory, and others. For thoſe Natural
Hiſtories which are extant, being gathered for delight
and uſe, are full of pleaſant Deſcriptions and Pictures; and
affect and ſeek after Admiration, Rarities, and Secrets. But
contrariwiſe, the ſcope, which his Lordſhip intendeth, is to write
ſuch a Natural Hiſtory, as may be fundamental to the
erecting and building of a true Philoſophy: For the illumi-
nation of the Under ſtanding; the extracting of Axioms,
and the producing of many noble Works and Effects. For he
hopeth by this means, to acquit himſelf of that, for which he
taketh himſelf in a ſort bound; and that is, the advancement
of Learning and Sciences. For having, in this preſent Work,
collected the materials for the Building; and in his Novum
66[Handwritten note 6]77[Handwritten note 7]88[Handwritten note 8] Organum (of which his Lordſhip is yet to publiſh a Second
Part) ſet down the Inſtruments and Directions for the
VVork; Men ſhall now be wanting to themſelves, if they
raiſe not knowledge to that perfection, whereof the Nature of
Mortal Men is capable. And in this behalf, I have heard
his Lordſhip ſpeak complainingly, That his Lordſhip (who
66[Handwritten note 6]77[Handwritten note 7]88[Handwritten note 8] thinketh, that he deſerveth to be an Architect in this Build-
ing) ſhould be forced to be a VVorkman, and a Laborer; and
to dig the Clay, and burn the Brick; and more then that,
(according to the hard condition of the Iſraelites, at the lat-
ter end) to gather the Straw and Stubble, over all the Fields,
to burn the Bricks withal. For he knoweth, that except he do
it, nothing will be done; Men are ſoſet to deſpiſe the means
66[Handwritten note 6]77[Handwritten note 7]88[Handwritten note 8] of their own good. And as for the baſeneß of many of the
Experiments, as long as they be Gods VVorks, they are
honorable enough: And for the vulgarneß of them, true
Axioms muſt be drawn from plain experience, and not from
doubtful; and his Lordſhips courſe is to make VVonders
and therefore he wiſheth, that they would have perpetually be-
fore their eyes, what is now in doing; and the difference between
this Natural Hiſtory, and others. For thoſe Natural
Hiſtories which are extant, being gathered for delight
and uſe, are full of pleaſant Deſcriptions and Pictures; and
affect and ſeek after Admiration, Rarities, and Secrets. But
contrariwiſe, the ſcope, which his Lordſhip intendeth, is to write
ſuch a Natural Hiſtory, as may be fundamental to the
erecting and building of a true Philoſophy: For the illumi-
nation of the Under ſtanding; the extracting of Axioms,
and the producing of many noble Works and Effects. For he
hopeth by this means, to acquit himſelf of that, for which he
taketh himſelf in a ſort bound; and that is, the advancement
of Learning and Sciences. For having, in this preſent Work,
collected the materials for the Building; and in his Novum
66[Handwritten note 6]77[Handwritten note 7]88[Handwritten note 8] Organum (of which his Lordſhip is yet to publiſh a Second
Part) ſet down the Inſtruments and Directions for the
VVork; Men ſhall now be wanting to themſelves, if they
raiſe not knowledge to that perfection, whereof the Nature of
Mortal Men is capable. And in this behalf, I have heard
his Lordſhip ſpeak complainingly, That his Lordſhip (who
66[Handwritten note 6]77[Handwritten note 7]88[Handwritten note 8] thinketh, that he deſerveth to be an Architect in this Build-
ing) ſhould be forced to be a VVorkman, and a Laborer; and
to dig the Clay, and burn the Brick; and more then that,
(according to the hard condition of the Iſraelites, at the lat-
ter end) to gather the Straw and Stubble, over all the Fields,
to burn the Bricks withal. For he knoweth, that except he do
it, nothing will be done; Men are ſoſet to deſpiſe the means
66[Handwritten note 6]77[Handwritten note 7]88[Handwritten note 8] of their own good. And as for the baſeneß of many of the
Experiments, as long as they be Gods VVorks, they are
honorable enough: And for the vulgarneß of them, true
Axioms muſt be drawn from plain experience, and not from
doubtful; and his Lordſhips courſe is to make VVonders
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