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On the Relations of' Natural Philosophy/ with Chemistry and the 

 Natural Sciences. By M. Becquekel.* 



Since the conclusion of the last century, both natural philo- 

 sophy and chemistry have made such progress that thev now 

 afford mutual support to each other, as well as throw light up- 

 on physiology and the different branches of natural history. 



For a long period of time these sciences continued isolated, 

 because it was first of all necessary that they should be some- 

 wnat extended and developed before their mutual bearings could 

 be discovered ; in other words, it was necessary first that facts 

 should be discovered, — should be carefully studied in their seve- 

 ral aspects, that accuracy might be reached, — should then be 

 classified and analyzed, so that we might become acquainted 

 with their causes and general principles ; at the same time cau- 

 tiously avoiding a mistake which has too often been committed, 

 that of assuming particular facts to be general principles. 



This progress of the human mind in the study of the sciences, 

 which was instinctively followed by Galileo and his disciples, 

 and so happily systematized by Bacon, has become a rule of 

 conduct from which we can scarcely depart without going wrong ; 

 but, at the same time, if the analytic method, which consists in 

 separating that so we may more certainly arrive at principles, 

 produces important results, we must likewise be on our guard 

 that we do not adopt it to the exclusion of the synthetic method, 

 which collects together the different portions, that in this way 

 we may reach the same consummation, when we would re- 

 gard the whole range of science. 



At the present time it is especially necessary to have recourse 

 to the latter method, to promote that alliance between the phy- 

 sical, chemical, and natural sciences, which is now almost every- 

 where attempted ; and the more so since the facts accumulated 

 superabound in the various departments to which they more 

 especially belong. 



Every age has its peculiar bias and its particular tastes; ours 

 is especially interested in physical pursuits, and looks to science 

 for practical applications and useful discoveries. Those sciences 

 which are most elevated in rank, readily respond to this appeal. 



" Bibliothcqiie UniverscUe de Geneve. Jlav 1837. 



