PRINCIPLES OP SCIENCE. 17 



sciences," says he, " possessing principles pe- 

 culiar to itself, and distinct from other sciences." 

 What other construction can these words bear, 

 than that he who employs the primary and per- 

 manent facts which constitute the principles, or 

 the axioms (as I may call them) of every indi- 

 vidual science, in order to account for the 

 effects produced by the power of the facts, or 

 principles, belonging to another, between which 

 there is no analogy whatever takes false fads 

 for his data. False facts may, therefore, be 

 considered as facts which are assumed for false 

 principles ; or, false causes, to which effects are 

 improperly referred : the phrase, by the dri- 

 veller, will either be misunderstood, or be con- 

 sidered as an absurdity ; by the ignorant in 

 science, as contrary to appearances, but not 

 an absolute contradiction ; as a paradox, but 

 not a nonentity;* by the man of real science, 

 the phrase will be admitted as legitimate and ap- 

 propriate, and be, by him, constantly appealed 

 to, as the true and primary cause of error. He 

 will ascribe to false facts, the mass of false 



* There is an evident difference between a paradox and a 

 contradiction. Both, indeed, consist of two distinct propo- 

 sitions, and so far only are they alike ; for, of the two parts 

 of a contradiction, the one or the other must, necessarily, be 

 false ; of a paradox, both are often true, and yet when 

 proved to be true, may continue paradoxical that is, contrary 

 to general appearance. 



C 



