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 



