of the ]\Tonk Roger l]iuo7i. ^j^ 



by which we lock them up in an artificialiyftem, and which 

 is of no uie or aid in the purluit and the difcoverv and in- 

 vention of truth ; he then treats of the virtue, power, and ufe 

 of mathematics, properly fo called, both analytic in the 'in- 

 veltigation of truth, and fynthetic in condudling it to prac- 

 tical fcicnce. 



4. By this conductor he goes firft through the inveliiga- 

 tion, and next through the didaftive explanation and proof 

 of the powers and operations of nature, b)- the principles of 

 the laws of motion, attraftion, gravity. Guided by thefe 

 principles he proceeds to the laws of vifion, perfpcftive, and 

 optics in general ; and to the laws by which light is acied 

 upon. And here he goes to the mechanical and inftrumental, 

 fo as to explain the practical part, })ringing forward many 

 improved ufes and applications leading to new difcoveries. 



5. He proceeds hence to aflronomy, in an invelligation of 

 the phaenomena of the heavenly bodies. In this part fonie 

 remains of aflrological prejudices not yet eradicated obftruit 

 his inftitute. 



6. The heads above ftated take up five parts out of fix into 

 which his Opus Majlis is divided. He then, in the fi<ih 

 part, comes to the main ground and true bafis on which the 

 In/Iauratio Jcient'uc is founded and built up, which is exfcri- 

 vuntal iiiduclion. This he explains in detail, and illuftrati-s 

 by example; recurring again and again to the phenomena, 

 of nature tcrrcftrial and celeflial : — ' Duo funt modi cognof- 

 cendi, fcilicet, per argumentuni ct experimentum. Argu- 

 mentum concludit, ct facit concludere quajflionem ; fed nou 

 certilicat, neque removet dubitationem, utquicfcat animus in 

 iutuitu vcritatis, niii earn inveniat via cxncricntite. 



lit quia liaec fcientia oxperinicntalis a 'vulgo Jhuiienlium efi 

 pcnitus Ignorata, ideo non podinn perfuadere de ejus utilitaie, 

 nifi (imul ejus virtus et proprietas odcnduntur. 



Whoever, diveftcd of preoccupation and prejudice as they 

 fpring from the Corijiwtudntisf d'mturnilns, and the fafcina- 

 tion of received falhion in thinking, reads this groat work, 

 wilh comparative reference to the J/tJ/tinralio Jcii/iliiirum ot 

 the fecond Bacon, the lord St. Albans, will find both wf)rks 

 fimilarly grounded, and finiilarty condui'-led, as to the metliod 

 and form ; both alike built up oa :in inllitute of induction 

 hv expcriwenfii/ Jlic-tur; both in the execution purfuing the 

 lame line to' the fame point; and muR conclude cither, ac- 

 cording to the old proverb, " /bfil grfut tuits jump'*' or that 

 the latter Bacon, allhough perhaps equally an original as the 

 * dp. J ;tnJ 2, ^\\xw> (jc.f, lie b(i<::i(i.'. cxi^'iimciitali. 

 t tixpiaini'd in iliL Iccuiid iiead uf pan i; 



firll, 



