The Metaphysical Basis of Science. 27 



the basis of classification — which we have only to translate 

 into idea : while in metaphysics, we tirst have the idea to which 

 "we must furnish the objective utterance. We see here the 

 precise difference between what is called the logical and the 

 natural method — the one being usually called the reverse of 

 the other. The difference is not so much a difference in intel- 

 lectual procedure as in objective expression. For instance: 

 The botanist has before him the whole range of vegetable 

 forms. He notes resemblances and differences, and groups 

 plants into species and genera, but his work is not ended when 

 these are named and known, and their qualities discovered. 

 He is seeking amidst these multifarious forms for the law of veg- 

 etable growth and reproduction. Every organ of the plant is 

 the symbol of an idea, and these ideas form the science of Bot- 

 any. These Ideas are metaphysical — that is intellectual, and 

 only their sensible manifestation is physical. The symbols of 

 these Ideas, being given in Nature, must be learned from obser- 

 vation before they can be used intelligently, just as words 

 must be learned before one can speak a language. Mastery of 

 the means of expression is as essential to the comm.unication: 

 of ideas ar, is the possession of the ideas themselves. The 

 botanist observes an individual plant, and notes its character- 

 istics. He observes others which possess some of these char- 

 acteristics whilst others are wanting. He forms a class-type 

 from these agreeing attributes, and gives this new collocation 

 of characteristics a name. Nature never presents this 

 class-type absolutely ; it is found nowhere but in intellect. 

 What has the botanist done but to retranslate the communica- 

 tion of Nature into Idea, and then to express this idea by less 

 complicated and less physical symbols? Man's province in 

 this case is simply to interpret the hieroglyphics of Nature 

 into a more readily, comprehended language — to express that 

 simply which nature has expressed confusedly. The scientist 

 restricts himself to the interpretation of a single class of sym- 

 bols, as the Botanist to plants, the Zoologist to animals, but the 



