2 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS * 



ry oppofite fa(5l, however obftinate, goes 

 for nothing. And thus we endeavour 

 to mould nature to our wifli, inflead of 

 defiring to know nature in her genuine 

 appearance. 



We fee, then, that In fcience, not left 

 than in aiflion, appetite and inclination 

 prevail. Even in natural philofophy, 

 theory was introduced before experi- 

 ment, anH every philofopher urged his 

 own notions, without regard to truth 

 or reality. This produced a mafs of undi- 

 gefled and contradidory theory » having 

 no foundation but fancy and chimera. 

 After fo much wandering, philofophers 

 became more cautious ; they began with 

 doubting of every thing, and then with 

 fearching after truth in the more pain- 

 ful road of indudlion. By this means, a 

 greater number of important truths have 

 been brought to light within a century or 

 two, than before that time from the be- 

 ginning of the world. 



BuTjtho* our only fure guides to truth 

 are fafts and experiments, it is however 



expedient 



