218 REASONING. 



directions were framed by ourselves as the result of induction, 

 or were received by us from an authority competent to give 

 them. 



5. In the above observations it has, I think, been 

 shown, that, though there is always a process of reasoning or 

 inference where a syllogism is used, the syllogism is not a 

 correct analysis of that process of reasoning or inference; which 

 is, on the contrary, (when not a mere inference from testi 

 mony) an inference from particulars to particulars; autho 

 rized by a previous inference from particulars to generals, 

 and substantially the same with it ; of the nature, therefore, 

 of Induction. But while these conclusions appear to me un 

 deniable, I must yet enter a protest, as strong as that of 

 Archbishop Whately himself, against the doctrine that the 

 syllogistic art is useless for the purposes of reasoning. The 

 reasoning lies in the act of generalization, not in interpreting 

 the record of that act ; but the syllogistic form is an indis 

 pensable collateral security for the correctness of the gene 

 ralization itself. 



It has already been seen, that if we have a collection of 

 particulars sufficient for grounding an induction, we need not 

 frame a general proposition; we may reason at once from 

 those particulars to other particulars. But it is to be re 

 marked withal, that whenever, from a set of particular cases, 

 we can legitimately draw any inference, we may legitimately 

 make our inference a general one. If, from observation and 

 experiment, we can conclude to one new case, so may we to 

 an indefinite number. If that which has held true in our past 

 experience will therefore hold in time to come, it will hold not 

 merely in some individual case, but in all cases of some given 

 description. Every induction, therefore, which suffices to 

 prove one fact, proves an indefinite multitude of facts : the 

 experience which justifies a single prediction must be such as 

 will suffice to bear out a general theorem. This theorem it is 

 extremely important to ascertain and declare, in its broadest 

 form of generality ; and thus to place before our minds, in its 



