francis bacon

Of the Proficience and Advancement of Learning, Divine and Human.

First published 1605

Book I

i
Dedication to King James the First
There were under the law, excellent King, both daily sacrifices and freewill offerings; the one proceeding upon ordinary observance, the…
ii
I. Of Cavils against Learning
(1) In the entrance to the former of these—to clear the way and, as it were, to make silence, to have the true testimonies concerning the…
iii
II. Objections of Politicians
(1) And as for the disgraces which learning receiveth from politics, they be of this nature: that learning doth soften men’s minds, and…
iv
III. Pretended discredits to Learning by learned men
(1) Now therefore we come to that third sort of discredit or diminution of credit that groweth unto learning from learned men themselves,…
v
IV. How the follies of Learned Men have dishonoured Learning
(1) Now I proceed to those errors and vanities which have intervened amongst the studies themselves of the learned, which is that which is…
vi
V. Other Errors of Learned Men which mar the Progress and Credit of Learning
(1) The first of these is the extreme affecting of two extremities: the one antiquity, the other novelty; wherein it seemeth the children…
vii
VI. Divine Proofs of the Dignity of Learning
(1) First, therefore, let us seek the dignity of knowledge in the archetype or first platform, which is in the attributes and acts of God,…
viii
VII. Human Proofs
(1) As for human proofs, it is so large a field, as in a discourse of this nature and brevity it is fit rather to use choice of those…
ix
VIII. Excellencies of Learning enumerated
(1) To proceed now from imperial and military virtue to moral and private virtue; first, it is an assured truth, which is contained in the…

Book II

x
The Advancement of Learning commended to the care of Kings
(1) It might seem to have more convenience, though it come often otherwise to pass (excellent King), that those which are fruitful in their…
xi
I. Triple Distribution of Human Learning. Of Natural History
(1) The parts of human learning have reference to the three parts of man’s understanding, which is the seat of learning: history to his…
xii
II. Of Civil History
(1) For civil history, it is of three kinds; not unfitly to be compared with the three kinds of pictures or images. For of pictures or…
xiii
III. Ecclesiastical History
(1) History ecclesiastical receiveth the same divisions with history civil: but further in the propriety thereof may be divided into the…
xiv
IV. Poetry
(1) Poesy is a part of learning in measure of words, for the most part restrained, but in all other points extremely licensed, and doth…
xv
V. Knowledge divided first into Divinity and Philosophy
(1) The knowledge of man is as the waters, some descending from above, and some springing from beneath: the one informed by the light of…
xvi
VI. Of Divine Philosophy
(1) This science being therefore first placed as a common parent like unto Berecynthia, which had so much heavenly issue, omnes cœlicolas,…
xvii
VII. Of Natural Philosophy, Physical and Metaphysical
(1) Leaving therefore divine philosophy or natural theology (not divinity or inspired theology, which we reserve for the last of all as the…
xviii
VIII. Of Mathematics, Pure and Mixed
(1) Nevertheless, there remaineth yet another part of natural philosophy, which is commonly made a principal part, and holdeth rank with…
xix
IX. Human Philosophy, or the Knowledge of Ourselves
(1) We come therefore now to that knowledge whereunto the ancient oracle directeth us, which is the knowledge of ourselves; which deserveth…
xx
X. Of Arts concerning the Body
(1) The knowledge that concerneth man’s body is divided as the good of man’s body is divided, unto which it referreth. The good of man’s…
xxi
XI. Human Philosophy as it concerns the Mind
(1) For human knowledge which concerns the mind, it hath two parts; the one that inquireth of the substance or nature of the soul or mind,…
xxii
XII. Division of Knowledge into Intellectual and Moral
(1) The knowledge which respecteth the faculties of the mind of man is of two kinds—the one respecting his understanding and reason, and…
xxiii
XIII. Of Invention
(1) Invention is of two kinds much differing—the one of arts and sciences, and the other of speech and arguments. The former of these I do…
xxiv
XIV. Of Judgment
(1) Now we pass unto the arts of judgment, which handle the natures of proofs and demonstrations, which as to induction hath a coincidence…
xxv
XV. Of the Preservation of Knowledge
(1) The custody or retaining of knowledge is either in writing or memory; whereof writing hath two parts, the nature of the character and…
xxvi
XVI. Transmission of Knowledge
(1) There remaineth the fourth kind of rational knowledge, which is transitive, concerning the expressing or transferring our knowledge to…
xxvii
XVII. Of the Methods of delivering Knowledge
(1) For the method of tradition, I see it hath moved a controversy in our time. But as in civil business, if there be a meeting, and men…
xxviii
XVIII. Of Rhetoric
(1) Now we descend to that part which concerneth the illustration of tradition, comprehended in that science which we call rhetoric, or art…
xxix
XIX. Appendices to the Methods of Delivery
(1) There remain two appendices touching the tradition of knowledge, the one critical, the other pedantical. For all knowledge is either…
xxx
XX. Of Ethics in general
(1) We proceed now to that knowledge which considereth of the appetite and will of man: whereof Solomon saith, Ante omnia, fili, custodi…
xxxi
XXI. Of Private and Public Good
(1) To resume private or particular good, it falleth into the division of good active and passive; for this difference of good (not unlike…
xxxii
XXII. Of Moral Culture
(1) Now, therefore, that we have spoken of this fruit of life, it remaineth to speak of the husbandry that belongeth thereunto, without…
xxxiii
XXIII. Distribution of Civil Knowledge
(1) Civil knowledge is conversant about a subject which of all others is most immersed in matter, and hardliest reduced to axiom.…
xxxiv
XXIV. Conclusion of the Review of Philosophy in general
Thus have I concluded this portion of learning touching civil knowledge; and with civil knowledge have concluded human philosophy; and with…
xxxv
XXV. Of Theology
(1) The prerogative of God extendeth as well to the reason as to the will of man: so that as we are to obey His law, though we find a…
xxxvi
Conclusion
Thus have I made as it were a small globe of the intellectual world, as truly and faithfully as I could discover; with a note and…