Kirwanian Society of Dublin. 465 



jecture. When at length in the revohition of time, we 

 emerge from this profound obscurity, we shall be cheered by 

 the dawn of the sun of knowledge shedding around his ge- 

 nial rays, and dissolving those phantoms, creatures of ima- 

 gination, which in the uncertainty of darkness had assumed 

 the appearance of reality. In this important sera we find 

 vanishing like dreams in the morning, those antiquated and 

 distorted systems which rested upon no other foundation 

 than doubtful or mistaken facts, the abortive offsprings of a 

 wild and luxuriant imagination. Such great effects have 

 been produced by literary associations ; and we must be 

 convinced that their introduction was the first great and de- 

 cisive step towards the increase and diffusion of the light 

 of reason. 



The mania of system-framing has been in ancient times 

 productive of the worst consequences. Systems that were 

 maintained for ages by the most celebrated characters, now 

 appear contemptible. In what light do we now look 

 upon the *' transmigration" of Pythagoras, the " hooked 

 atoms" of Democritus, the cosmogony of Plolomasus, the 

 more modern whirlwind of Descartes, and the theory of 

 Leibnitz ? Systems should be adopted with caution; they 

 should be employed as helps, but must never be mistaken 

 for science. 



It was not for want of understanding, talent, or applica- 

 tion, that the ancients were thus deficient in natural 

 sciences; this mania was a principal cause : but there were 

 others. Each individual obstinately maintained his own 

 fanciful conceptions; the self-security of enthusiasm was 

 incompatible with the modest caution of deliberate investi- 

 gation : each was insulated with regard to philosophical 

 communication ; the means which we now possess in the 

 art of printing, of diffusing what is known, was want- 

 ed, and there was no common repository for fact and ob- 

 servation, from which alone truth could be drduced. Thus, 

 without detracting any thing from the merits of the an- 

 cients, we can account saiisfaotorily for their deficiencies. 



Yet so admirable is the disposition of human affairs, that 

 even these deficiencies were productive of the most salutary 

 cfiVcts. In the infant state of society, the first efforts of men 

 were to supply the necessities and comforts of life ; next, to 

 lay the foundation of laws, morality, and religion. At a 

 n)ore advanced period, the study of human nature, of poetry, 

 oratory, cosmogony, and metaphysics, was successfully 

 cultivated. Natural ai)pearances no less striking in their 

 g,randeur than perplexing in their variety, were witnessed 



Vol. 41. No. Ib2. Jwrte 1813. G 'g althou'^h 



