PREFACE. THIS Edition of the Novum Organum is intended. to supply a want which, I think, must often have been felt by students-namely, a commentary, which, besides explaining the difficulties of the work (by no means few or small), should also present Bacon in his relations to the History of Philosophy, Logic, and Science. That I have fully succeeded in meeting this want, I cannot flatter myself, but, at least, I have spared no pains in the attempt, consistent with the brevity imposed on me by the limits of a single volume. Throughout my Notes and Introduction I have had two objects in view-one to execute as complete an edition as possible of my author, the other to produce a work of educational value to the student of philosophy, or, generally, of the history of thought and science. Where these two objects have at all interfered with each other, instead of sacrificing one, I have endeavoured to combine both. Thus, the frequent references to Bacon's other writings, and what I may call the |