284 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
symbolical representation, is, therefore, the most 
universal law of nature, because it embraces and 
extends its influence over the natural, the moral, 
and the spiritual world; a property which no other 
law, yet discovered, is known to possess. Hence 
we may infer that, in its more restricted application 
to natural history, it is equally paramount ; and that, 
to this science, it is what the law of gravitation is 
known to be to astronomy. 
(194.) It was, no doubt, from a perception of the 
vast importance of analogy, that the immortal Bacon 
so strongly recommends it in the investigation of 
nature; when, among other things which demand 
our attention, he enumerates, “ parallelas, sive si- 
militudines physicas,” and, as an admirable reasoner 
on the same subject has happily stated*, having 
adverted to the practice of former philosophers in 
noting and explaining the actual differences among 
natural productions, as of little real use in con- 
stituting the sciences, he requires that pains should 
be bestowed rather in enquiring into, and noting, 
the similitudes and analogies of things; adding, at 
the same time, the just caution, that the similitudes 
should not be fortuitous and fanciful, but be real 
and substantial, and merged into nature. 
(195.) The importance of analogical reasoning 
as a medium of proof, has been no less inculeated 
by one of the most profound philosophers of modern 
days. Dugald Stewart, in adverting to the opinions 
of Reid and Campbell on this subject, expresses his 
doubts whether both of these ingenious writers have 
not somewhat underrated the importance of analogy 
* Hampden, p. 107. 
a 
