2 PRINCIPLES OF SCIENCE. 



many millions of angels could dance upon the 

 point of a needle ; but he determined to accu- 

 mulate facts only, before he generalised them ; 

 and thus was the art of induction raised upon 

 the ruins of false syllogism. 



It is greatly to be deplored, that the plan 

 which he himself pursued, has not been adhered 

 to, by his followers in general ; and that atten- 

 tion is not so much paid to the simple observa- 

 tion of natural phenomena, as to those which 

 are the result of sophisticated experiments. I 

 do not decry experiments in general, it is the 

 abuse, not the use of them, which I reprobate 

 and condemn. It is through the agency of ex- 

 periment, that the useful arts have obtained so 

 high a degree of elegance and perfection ; that 

 chemistry, and what is called experimental 

 philosophy in general, are in a constant state of 

 improvement ; and that the certainty of many 

 uncertain things is ascertained. Let it not, 

 however, be supposed, it is on the result of ex- 

 periment alone that the whole of our knowledge 

 depends, or that it was so considered by Lord 

 Bacon himself; he expressly states that natural 

 history is the result of simple observation, and 

 classes it before experimental history. He con- 

 sidered it the first means which ought to be em- 

 ployed to accomplish the renovation, or, more 

 correctly speaking, the grand instauration of 

 science, as he terms it, which he had in view. 



