INTERPRETATION OF NATURE.
dictatorial in philosophy, would have more levity than suits the dignity of t^e subject, and be, moreover, arrogant. He has certainly corrupted natural philosophy with logical subtleties, which were his own creation, as he himself too loudly But, to leave him, Plato was, without doubt, a man of loftier genius, and one who aimed also at the knowledge of forms, and used induction uni versally, not for principles only ; but with reason ing futile on both sides, since he pursued and accepted vague inductions and abstract forms. And, if we consider with attention the writings and habits of this philosopher, we shall find that he took no great interest in natural philosophy, at least so far only as to vindicate his own name and character as a philosopher, or give by its inter mixture a certain majesty to his moral and political doctrines. And he adulterated nature as much with theology, as Aristotle with logic; and, to say the truth, approached as near to the province of the poet as the other to that of the sophist. Now, we can draw the doctrines of these two from the very fountain head, their works having survived. There is a different estimate to be made of the rest, namely, Pythagoras, Empedocles, Heracli- tus, Anaxagoras, Democritus, Parmenis, Zeno- phanes, and others ; because we have received their opinions by means of intermediate writers, only, and by tradition, and scattered fragments ; so that we must use closer inquisition, with greater scruple of judgment, to make up for the disadvantage of their circumstances. But yet, he has been most diligent and watchful to catch every whisper about these opinions, so as to extract whatever can be found referring to them, where they are confuted by Aristotle, or cited by Plato or Cicero; or in Plutarch s budget, or Laertius lives, or Lucretius poem ; or any other scattered hint or mention : and he has examined them with impartiality and careful judgment. And, first, there is no doubt that, if their opinions were in their own works, they would have greater weight ; for the strength of theories lies in a nice and mu tual harmony of the parts, and a certain unbroken demonstration ; and they are therefore weakened when uttered in fragments : wherefore, he did not make his judgment of them lightly. He found, also, among so many opinions, a number of remarks made with some care with regard to the observation of nature, and the as signing of causes : and, as commonly happens, some have been more successful than others in different branches. The discoveries and opinions of Pythagoras alone, (though his doctrine of numbers implies something physical,) are mostly of that kind which lead rather to the founding of some religious order, than to the opening of a school in philosophy ; which the event proved : for, this philosophy had more weight in the heresy nf tin- Manichaeans, and the superstition "I M.i- homet, than among nun nf sen nee. The rest, however, were certainly natural philosophers; and there are some of them who have divnl into nature much deeper and more acutely than Aris totle. But he busied himself, like the Ottomans, in destroying his brothers ; and succeeded in it to his wish. Now, he had the same opinion ot Aristotle as of the other Greek phil iMnjiher-, namely, that such systems and theuri< like the different arguments of dramatic pieces, moulded into a certain keeping with nature, some with more nicety, others more negligently and roughly; and that, as belongs to fiction, tiny ;i|>- peared more trim and symmetrical than real accounts. Nor could the wanderings and search- ings of the human mind rest or limit themselvea in those theories which were uttered and pub lished. For, had not the customs and affections of men, and the pursuits of business, been adverse and blighting to novelties of this kind, even in matters of contemplation, many other sects would doubtless have been formed in natural philosophy. For, as it is in astronomy with those who decide that the earth moves in a circle, and those who explain it by elliptical and epicycle motion, that their systems to account for appearances in the heavens, are alike pleadings for a side, and amount not to conviction, nay, even the calculations of the tables answer with each : in the same way it would be much easier to devise various theories in natural philosophy, all widely differing with one another, and yet each consistent with itself, and using unfairly the suffrage of popular zeal, which, in questions of this kind, often guides the judgment, and drawing it over to opposite sides. There has, indeed, been no want of men who, in this age and the last, have meditated new sys tems of natural philosophy. For, within our recollection Telesio has appeared on the stage, and exhibited a new plot, not so well rewarded with applause, as the probability of its arguments merited : and Fracastoro, not long since, though he did not set up a new sect, .yet was staunch in using liberty of judgment and inquiry : Cardan, too, was as bold, but less steady. Very lately, also, our countryman, Gilbert, after most labo riously examining the nature of the magnet with great sagacity and perseverance, and with a host and almost a multitude of experiments, began forthwith to design a new school in natural phi losophy; and was not terrified by the ridiculed name of Zenophanes, whose opinion he incline*! to. These, then, and all who are or shall be liko them, must be ranked in the band of ancients, for there is the same character in them all : thus, they were men who gave their opinions on few matters, and trifled with nature without making such a close union with her as to beget either certainty of contemplation or useful works. It is a truth that out of so many school* ^f phi-
