and had been applied in their researches by William Gilbert , 

 Bernard Palissy, Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, and other success- 

 ful scientists. Lord Bacon, however, was the first to analyse 

 the inductive methods of reasoning and to insist that this 

 system is the only proper basis on which to build scientific 

 truths; moreover, he explained the method in a powerful 

 work devoted to the purpose, the "Novum Organum Scien- 

 tiarum," published in 1620. The prevailing opinions had 

 been ''founded on vague and insufficient observations, and 

 often they were nothing better than preconceived ideas and 

 assumptions so fantastical that nothing but the prescription 

 of authority and the sanction of antiquity could ever have 

 secured their acceptance by successive generations of thinking 

 men," but the application of Baconian principles effected a 

 revolution of lasting benefit to science. 



"From these and all long errors of the way, 



In which our wandering predecessors went, 



And, like the old Hebrews, many years did stray 



In deserts, but of small extent, 



BACON, like Moses, led us forth at last ; 



The barren wilderness he passed; 



Did in the very border stand 



Of the blest promised land. 



And from the mountain's top of his exalted wit 



Saw it himself, and showed us it. 



But life did never to one man allow 



Time to discover worlds, and conquer too: 



Nor can so short a time sufficient be 



To fathom the vast depths of Nature's sea." 



OF THE 



UNIVERSITY 



OF 



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