SCIENCE.] INTRODUCTORY. 15 



about the order of nature in accurate language, then 

 it becomes very important for us to know as many as 

 we can of these laws of nature, in order that we may 

 guide our conduct by them. 



Any man who should attempt to live in a country 

 without reference to the laws of that country would 

 very soon find himself in trouble ; and if he were 

 fined, imprisoned, or even hanged, sensible people 

 would probably consider that he had earned his fate 

 by his folly. 



In like manner, any one who tries to live upon the 

 face of this earth without attention to the laws of 

 nature will live there for but a very short time, most 

 of which will be passed in exceeding discomfort ; a 

 peculiarity of natural laws, as distinguished from those 

 of human enactment, being that they take effect 

 without summons or prosecution. In fact, nobody 

 could live for half a day unless he attended to some 

 of the laws of nature ; and thousands of us are dying 

 daily, or living miserably, because men have not yet 

 been sufficiently zealous to learn the code of nature. 



It has already been seen that the practice of all 

 our arts and industries depends upon our knowing 

 the properties of natural objects which we can get 

 hold of and put together ; and though we may be 

 able to exert no direct control over the greater 

 natural objects and the general succession of causes 

 and effects in nature, yet, if we know the properties 

 and powers of these objects, and the customary order 

 of events, we may elude that which is injurious to us, 

 and profit by that which is favourable. 



Thus, though men can nowise alter the seasons or 

 change the process of growth in plants, yet having 



