CHAP, i.] AtioMs OP PUIMARY PHILOSOPHY. 117 



stitute an universal science as a parent to the rest, and as 

 making a part of the common road to the sciences before the 

 ways separate. And this knowledge we call &quot; philosophia 

 prima,&quot; primitive or primative or summary philosophy; it has 

 no other for its opposite, and differs from other sciences 

 rather in the limits whereby it is confined than in the sub 

 ject as treating only the summits of things. And whether 

 this should be noted as wanting may seem doubtful, though 

 I rather incline to note it ; for I find a certain rhapsody of 

 natural theology, logics, and physics, delivered in a certain 

 sublimity of discourse, by such as aim at being admired for 

 standing on the pinnacles of the sciences ; but what we mean 

 is, without ambition, to design some general science, for the 

 reception of axioms, not peculiar to any one science, but 

 common to a number of them. 



Axioms of this kind are numerous ; for example, if equals 

 be added to unequals, the wholes will be unequal. This is a 

 rule in mathematics, which holds also in ethics, with regard 

 to distributive justice. For in commutative justice, equity 

 requires, that equal portions be given to unequal persons ; 

 but in distributive justice, that unequal portions should be 

 distributed to unequals. Things agreeing to the same third, 

 agree also with one another : this, likewise, is an axiom in 

 mathematics, and, at the same time, so serviceable in logic as 

 to be the foundation of syllogism. b Nature shows herself best 

 in her smallest works. This is a rule in philosophy, that 

 produced the atoms of Democritus, and was justly employed 

 by Aristotle in politics, when he begins the consideration ot 

 a commonwealth in a family. All things change, but nothing 

 is lost. c This is an axiom in physics, and holds in natural 

 theology ; for as the sum of matter neither diminishes nor 

 increases, so it is equally the work of omnipotence to create 

 or to annihilate it, which even the Scripture testifies : &quot; Didici 

 quod omnia opera, qua) fecit Deus, perseverent in perpetuum : 

 nori possumus eis quicquam addere, nee auferre.&quot; d Things 

 are preserved from destruction, by bringing them back to 

 their principles. This is an axiom in physics, but holds 



tions anil divisions, he proposes to teach the sciences readily, and even 

 abstract mathematics, to common capacities. Shaw. 



b Whately s Logic, ii. 3, 1. CL Plat. Theaet. i. 152. 



d EcrA iii. 14, and xlii. 21. 



