402 NATURAL SCIENCE. June, 



pose. A good history of chemistry, for example, has yet to be 

 written, and the work done on the hnes here suggested would be more 

 interesting. The history of geology also might contain interesting 

 pages, but this history does not yet exist. 



We may be told that there are many sciences, and that if we 

 must wait for the history of each before pushing onwards, we shall 

 always remain in one spot, and nothing will ever be done. Yes and 

 no. The Germans are capable of furnishing us this kind of work in 

 a short time, and it would be done conscientiously. The Munich 

 Academy has already published a general history of science. We 

 cannot use it ; but never mind, the example is there. And examples 

 of this kind abound. The Germans know how to combine to work on 

 a given plan. Why then not ask of them a general history of 

 sciences, prepared by the most competent men ? The thing is 

 possible and its realisation does not offer any special difficulty ; 

 sooner or later therefore it will be realised. With such a history of 

 the sciences we should have a sure guide for classification. 



There is, however, a real difficulty before us. What do we 

 mean by a science? For example, is statistics a science? Evidently 

 not. It is only a method which can be applied in many sciences. 

 Yet certain sciences can equally well be applied as methods of verifi- 

 cation. There lies one difficulty. 



Let us take another example. Is graphology a science ? Its 

 founder considered it as such. It has a certain aim, the subject is 

 well defined ; but nevertheless we cannot admit that it is really a 

 science, because to make scientific observations you must have a 

 method ; and graphological observations are made without method, 

 they are conventional. Graphology is an art (founded on observation) 

 as alchemy was an art (founded on experiment). But when experi- 

 mental psychology shall lay hold of this art, it will give it a rational 

 basis and make a science of it. From the historical point of view, 

 graphology does not come to us from any science ; it has a date of 

 birth, but no scientific parentage, no genealogy. 



Sociology which is still in embryo, is quite different. It is a true 

 science and very abstract, entirely general, having need of very 

 diverse positive knowledge. It is a result of other sciences, and of 

 very diverse studies, which it summarises. It is a name applied to 

 the general results of a great branch df science connected with the 

 study of humanity, and is in a way the philosophy of all these 

 studies. 



Thus, we see from the example chosen, the difficulties are very 

 great. Sciences are so little comparable to one another, that one 

 cannot on a priori grounds eliminate any one or admit any new science 

 into the general domain without preliminary study, and without 

 considering the history of its development. The classification of 

 sciences demands, as does that of organisms, a comparative anatomy 

 and an embryological study of each individual member. This ought 



