THE GREATEST AUTHORITY IS TRUTH. 163 
for ever our present obstinate incredulity on such 
wonders. 
(102.) We have dwelt the longer upon the ne- 
cessity of conquering prejudices in this science, 
because it occupies at this period a very peculiar 
station in the circle of human knowledge. All 
those leading naturalists who enjoy the highest rank 
in public estimation, agree in confessing that there 
must be general laws of classification; yet scarcely 
one has hitherto attempted to define what they are, or 
how they would act,—in other words, what results 
of harmonious combinations would follow their ap- 
plication. Every one agrees that there must be a 
natural system; yet no one has yet presumed to 
say what are the primary laws of that system. 
When, therefore, we venture to do this, — when we 
call to mind the weight of opinion that will be 
brought against us, the great names that have gone 
before us, and those which still live high in the 
estimation of nations and of their rulers,—we feel 
all the difficulties of our task, and that we have 
more than ordinary prejudices to encounter. Let 
him, therefore, who, from the force of habit, of 
early initiation into the reigning systems, or from 
being the author of one himself, finds himself in- 
capable of patiently weighing arguments intended 
to overthrow his favourite theories,—let him, we 
repeat, close our volume: for in it he will find but 
little to interest him. We address ourselves to those 
who have been instructed to form more enlarged con- 
ceptions of the physical sciences ; who view natural 
history but as a part, and considers that that part 
must be studied upon the same principles as any 
M 2 
