\paperw5085 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 \fs22 The statesman, philosopher and essayist Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was one of the most lucid minds of his day. In his theoretica
l writings, his stress on experimentation and inductive methods gave strong impetus to subsequent scientific investigation. He wrote the \i Advancement of Learning\i0 in 1605. This passage from it (V.11) deals with æErrors of Learned Men which Hinder
the Progress and Credit of LearningÆ:\par
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\pard\tx3255\tx6525\tx9780\ATXts240\ATXbrdr0 \i But the greatest error... is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or furthest end of knowledge. For men have entered into a desire of learning and knowl
edge, sometimes upon a natural curiosity and inquisitive appetite; sometimes to entertain their minds with variety and delight; sometimes for ornament and reputation; and sometimes to enable them to victory of wit and contradiction; and most times for lu
cre and profession; and seldom sincerely to give a true account of their gift for reason, to the benefit and use of men...; But this is that which will indeed dignify and exalt knowledge, if contemplation and action may be more nearly and straitly conjoi
ned and united together than they have been...\par
