IDOLA-SOURCES OF ERROR.

'No part of Bacon's works is more valuable than his exact and fagacious expofition of the general, or rather natural, fources of error. He calls these prejudices by the expreffive name of idols, the falfe objects of falfe worship, vain, delufive, and dangerous.'-Henry Rogers.

1. The idols of the tribe are common to the whole race of mankind, and have their foundation in human nature: 'For it is a falfe affertion that the human sense is a measure of things; fince all perceptions, both of fenfe and mind, are with relation to man, and not with relation to the universe. But the human understanding is like an unequal mirror to the rays of things; which combining its own figure with the figures of the objects it reprefents, diftorts and perverts

them.'

2. The idols of the den or cave are identified with the peculiar character of the individual : The idols of every man in particular; for befides the general waywardness of human nature, we every one of us have our own peculiar den or

cavern, which refracts or breaks the light of Nature; either because every man has his respective temper, education, acquaintance, courfe of reading, and authorities he most refpects; or because of the differences of impreffions, as they may be made on a mind that is preoccupied and prepoffeffed, or on one that is calm and unbiaffed; fo that the human spirit according to its difpofition in individuals, is a thing fluctuating, diforderly, and almost accidental. Whence Heraclitus well obferves, that men feek the sciences in their leffer worlds, and not in the great and common one.'

3. Idols of the forum have their rife from the compact, or affociation of mankind; which depends upon language. 'For men affociate by difcourfe; but words are impofed according to the capacity of the vulgar: whence a falfe and improper impofition of words. ftrangely poffeffes the understanding. Nor do the definitions and explanations, wherewith men of learning, in fome cafes, preferve and vindicate themselves, any way repair the injury; for words abfolutely force the understanding, put all things in confufion, and lead men

away to idle controverfies and subtleties without number.'

4. The idols of the theatre are the deceptions, perverfions, and prejudices, which take their rise from the different tenets of philofophers, and the perverted laws of demonftration. And these are so denominated, 'because all the philofophies that have been hitherto invented or received, are but as so many stage-plays, written or acted; as having fhown nothing but fictitious and theatrical worlds. Nor is this faid only of the ancient or prefent fects and philofophies; for numberless other fables, of the like kind, may be still invented and dressed up, fince quite different errors will proceed from almost the fame common causes.' (Novum Organum.) [The ftudent-reader who defires to follow up Bacon's profound comments on thefe various 'idola' will be helped by confulting Playfair's Preliminary Differtation' in Encyc. Brit.']

THE SEVERAL KINDS OF

IMPOSTURE.

Avoiding profane ftrangeness of words, and oppofitions of knowledge, falsely fo called [2 Tim. ii. 16]. Avoid fond and idle fables' [1 Tim. vi. 20].

Let no man deceive you by high speech' [St. Matt. xxiv. 4].

There are three forms of speaking, which are, as it were, the style and phrase of Imposture. The first kind is of them, who as soon as they have gotten any subject or matter do ftraight cast it into an art, inventing new terms of art, reducing all into divifions and diftinctions, thence draweth affertions or oppofitions, and fo framing oppofitions by queftions and answers. Hence iffueth the cobwebs and clatterings of the schoolmen. The fecond kind is of them, who out of the vanity of their wit (as church poets) do make and devise all variety of tales, ftories, and examples, whereby they may lead men's minds to a belief: from whence did grow the legends and infinite fabulous inventions and dreams of the ancient

heretics. The third kind is of them who fill men's ears with mysteries, high parables, allegories, and illufions; with myftical and profound form many of the heretics alfo made choice of. By the third it is aftonished and enchanted; but by every of them the while it is feduced and abused. (Religious Meditations, No. IX.) [The third kind' is a defcription of the tranfcendental philofophy.]

INNOVATIONS.

As the births of living creatures at first are ill-shapen, so are all innovations, which are the births of Time. (Essays, 1625, xxiv.).

Innovations Ecclefiaftical.

All inftitutions and ordinances, be they never fo pure, will corrupt and degenerate. But I would ask why the Civil State fhould be purged and restored, devifing remedies as faft as time breedeth