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sounds, texture, and conformation of bodies, and the affections 

 and capacity of the understanding. But we can little wonder 

 that the sciences grow not when separated from their roots. 



81. There is another powerful and great cause of the little 

 advancement of the sciences, which is this : it is impossible to 

 advance properly in the course when the goal is not properly 

 fixed. But the real and legitimate goal of the sciences, is the 

 endowment of human life with new inventions and riches. The 

 great crowd of teachers know nothing of this, but consist of 

 dictatorial hirelings ; unless it so happen that some artisan of an 

 acute genius, and ambitious of fame, gives up his time to a new 

 discovery, which is generally attended with a loss of property. 

 The majority, so far from proposing to themselves the augmen- 

 tations of the mass of arts and sciences, make no other use of 

 an inquiry into the mass already before them, than is afforded 

 by the conversion of it to some use in their lectures, or to gain, 

 or to the acquirement of a name, and the like. But if one out 

 of the multitude be found, who courts science from real zeal, 

 and on his own account, even he will be seen rather to follow 

 contemplation, and the variety of theories, than a severe and 

 strict investigation of truth. Again, if there even be an unus- 

 ually strict investigator of truth, yet will he propose to himself, 

 as the test of truth, the satisfaction of his mind and understand- 

 ing, as to the causes of things long since known, and not such 

 a test as to lead to some new earnest of effects, and a new light 

 in axioms. If, therefore, no one have laid down the real end of 

 science, we cannot wonder that there should be error in points 

 subordinate to that end. 



82. But, in like manner, as the end and goal of science is ill 

 defined, so, even were the case otherwise, men have chosen an 

 erroneous and impassable direction. For it is sufficient to as- 

 tonish any reflecting mind, that nobody should have cared or 

 wished to open and complete a way for the understanding, set- 

 ting off from the senses, and regular, well-conducted experi- 

 ment; but that everything has been abandoned either to the 

 mists of tradition, the whirl ami confusion of argument, or the 

 waves and mazes of chance, and desultory, ill-combined experi- 

 ment. Now, let anyone but consider soberly and diligently the 

 nature of the path men have been accustomed to pursue in the 

 investigation and discovery of any matter, and he will doubtless 

 first observe the rude and inartificial manner of discovery most 

 familiar to mankind : which is no other than this. When any- 

 one prepares himself for discovery, he first inquires and obtains 

 a full account of all that has been said on the subject by others, 

 then adds his own reflections, and stirs up and, as it were, in- 

 vokes his own spirit, after much mental labor, to disclose its 

 oracles. All which is a method without foundation, and mere- 

 ly turns on opinion. 



