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EXPLANATION OF TERMS. 



In entering upon an explanation of the present system, the au- 

 thor is fully aware of the difficulty arising from the use of terms 

 which are not definitely understood. But as the name of a 

 thing does not constitute its quality, so it must be remembered that 

 the name of a branch of science does not explain it, and it is 

 deemed sufficient for the present purpose, without adopting a 

 special nomenclature, to use such terms as are best understood 

 according to common acceptation, and in so doing some repetition 

 must necessarily occur. 



There are few words in our language that have been used in 

 a more general and unlimited sense than the term science. Con- 

 sidering its Latin derivation it seems nearly synonymous with 

 knowledge, while modem usage has confounded it in many in- 

 stances with the meaning of the word art. An individual highly 

 distingished for his learning, and known in this country as a man 

 of science, while lecturing on natural philosophy a few years 

 ago, gave the following definition : " science may be considered 

 as an art or the result of an art." 



Another has lately said, while lecturing, " science is knowledge 

 reduced to order." 



Herschel, the great European philosopher, says," science is the 

 knowledge of many, orderly and methodically digested so as to 

 become attainable by one. 



Bacon says, " science is being awake." Now from all this ex- 

 planation we have no correct idea of what is meant by science. 



The term as used in the present system may be explained as 

 follows : 



It stands here to represent all the different departments of hu- 

 man inquiry into which the laws of the universe are divided, each 

 division forming a necessary part of the great whole the laws 

 of analysis of division and subdivision which run throughout, 

 define the relations which each part bears to all the others, 

 and brings all branches of science into one great system of order 



