14 



How far this spirit of systematic inquiry has prevailed among 

 those engaged in other departments of science may be inferred 

 from the fact that it has been carried into the more hidden reces- 

 ses of nature, bringing to light chemical relations, and laws of 

 definite proportions which were before unknown. Of this, we 

 have ample proofs in the discoveries of Wollasten, Dalton, Rit- 

 ter, Herschel, Bechman and Davy. But, unfortunately for the 

 world, systematic inquiry has- not only been deficient, but it has 

 been confined almost exclusively to natural Philosophy, leaving 

 moral and intellectual science unimproved by its aid. Are not 

 our physical improvements far in advance of our mental resour- 

 ces ? Where are our rail-roads to moral and intellectual knowl- 

 edge? Why should not all our institutions of learning all our 

 schools be raised to higher standard by a new impress from the 

 advantages afforded by additional knowledge of the laws of sci- 

 ence ? The laws of moral and divine science are no less certain 

 and definite than those of the material world. What has already 

 been shown to be true in this respect, in relation to the things of 

 visible creation, are also true of the invisible powers of mind. 

 There is a true system of all things ; and the writer would ask 

 indulgence while he adds a few extracts to the present digress- 

 ion from the main subject, to show that such a system, as is here 

 proposed, is not inconsistent with the hopes indulged by well- 

 known authors. 



Herschel, in his discourse on natural history, says : 

 " It can hardly be pressed forcibly enough on the attention of 

 the student of nature, that there is scarcely any natural phenom- 

 ena which can be fully and completely explained in all its circum- 

 stances without a union of several, perhaps all the sciences." 

 De Candolle, in his introduction to botany, says : 

 " It ought to be most zealously inculcated, that the application 

 of this science should only be taught or learned after a previous 

 study of general principles," thus making a knowledge of general 

 laws necessary to a right understanding of local and practical 

 science. 



