346 LESSONS FEOM NATURE. [CHAP. XI. 



as acting independently of themselves ? Would Mr. Wright 

 prefer that the earth s orbit should be spoken of not as the 

 resultant of gravity and centrifugal force, but as produced by 

 coming together and flying away ? I have, of course, no 

 objection to that mode of expression, but I see no special 

 advantage in it warranting such a departure from usage. It 

 is singular that Mr. Wright himself, on the next page, em 

 ploys the very abstractions he blames others for making use 

 of. He there quotes approvingly the expressions impene 

 trability, mobility, and impulsive force of bodies, and 

 says that gravity does really exist and act according to its 

 laws. It is difficult to see the greater sin in speaking of the 

 real existence of polarity than of gravity. Not only, 

 however, does Mr. Wright quote such expressions, but he 

 uses them himself with the greatest freedom and without 

 scruple whenever they suit his purpose. Thus he tells us 

 that variability and selection do really exist and act, which 

 appear to me quite as much abstractions as polarity or 

 attraction. 



&quot; Mr. Wright divides intellectual genius into three 

 Mr. Wright classes : No. 1, that which pursues successfully the 

 tuai genius.&quot; researches for unknown causes by the skilful use 

 of hypothesis and experiment ; No. 2, that which, avoiding 

 the use of hypotheses and preconceptions altogether, and 

 the delusive influence of names, brings together in clear con 

 nections and contrasts in classification the objects of nature 

 in their broadest and realest relations of resemblance; and 

 No. 3, that which seeks with success for reasons and authori 

 ties in support of cherished convictions. 



&quot; I might remark on the purely arbitrary character of 

 this classification. But letting this pass, it must be said 

 that class No. 1 is but a poor monster without No. 2; 

 and that No. 1 is frequently, consciously or unconsciously, 

 also No. 3, nor would it be difficult to bring forward an 

 example. 



&quot; A more real distinction is that to be drawn between the 

 scientific and the philosophical habits of mind, and under 



