Page:The Mediaeval Mind Vol 2.djvu/514

502 individual who, according to Bacon, carried the practice of "experimental science" further than he could hope to do. It may be fruitful to approach Bacon's presentation of this science, or scientific method, through his references to this extraordinary Picard, named Peter of Maharncuria, or Maricourt.

In the Opus tertium, Bacon has been considering optics and mathematics, and has spoken of this Peter as proficient in them; and thus he opens chapter xiii., which is devoted to the scientia experimentalis:

"But beyond these sciences is one more perfect than all, which all serve, and which in a wonderful way certifies them all: this is called the experimental science, which neglects arguments, since they do not make certain, however strong they may be, unless at the same time there is present the experientia of the conclusion. Experimental science teaches experiri, that is, to test, by observation or experiment, the lofty conclusions of all sciences." This science none but Master Peter knows.

By following the text further, we may be able to appreciate what Bacon will shortly say of him:

"Another dignity of this science is that it attests these noble truths in terms of the other sciences, which they cannot prove or investigate: like the prolongation of human life; for this truth is in terms of medicine, but the art of medicine never extends itself to this truth, nor is there anything about it in medical treatises. But the fidelis experimentator has considered that the eagle, and the stag, and the serpent, and the phoenix prolong life, and renew their youth, and knows that these things are given to brutes for the instruction of men. Wherefore he has thought out noble plans (vias nobiles) with this in view, and has commanded alchemy to prepare a body of like constitution (aequalis complexionis that he may use it."

It may be pertinent to our estimate of Bacon's experimental science to query where the experimentator ever observed an eagle or a phoenix renewing its youth, outside of the Physiologus?

"The third dignity of this science is that it does not accept truths in terms of the other sciences, yet uses them as handmaids. ... And this science attests all natural and artificial data specifically and in the proper province, per experientiam perfectam;