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106
OF MAN

So that this kind of absurdity, may rightly be numbered amongst the many sorts of madness; and all the time that guided by clear thoughts of their worldly lust, they forbear disputing, or writing thus, but lucid intervals. And thus much of the virtues and defects intellectual.


CHAPTER IX.

Of the Several Subjects of Knowledge.

THERE are of "knowledge" two kinds; whereof one is "knowledge of fact" the other "knowledge of the consequence of one affirmation to another." The former is nothing else, but sense and memory, and is "absolute knowledge"; as when we see a fact doing, or remember it done and this is the knowledge required in a witness. The latter is called "science"; and is "conditional"; as when we know, that, "if the figure shown be a circle, then any straight line through the centre shall divide it into two equal parts." And this is the knowledge required in a philosopher; that is to say, of him that pretends to reasoning.

The register of "knowledge of fact" is called "history." Whereof there be two sorts: one called "natural history"; which is the history of such facts, or effects of nature, as have no dependence on man's "will"; such as are the histories of "metals," "plants," "animals," "regions," and the like. The other, is "civil history"; which is the history of the voluntary actions of men in commonwealths.

The registers of science, are such "books" as contain the "demonstrations" of consequences of one affirmation, to another; and are commonly called "books of philosophy"; whereof the sorts are many, according to the diversity of the matter; and may be divided in such manner as I have divided them in the following table, (pp. 108, 109).

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