MODE OF CONDUCTING AN ORIGINAL RESEARCH. 379 



results, 1 and hypotheses raised upon these conclusions, at 

 frequent and suitable intervals of time, while notes should 

 also be continually made of the results, conclusions, re- 

 marks, and hypotheses. 



After having made every possible experiment, the 

 utmost amount of new knowledge we are able to obtain 

 should be extracted from the results. This is effected by 

 classifying and combining them in every conceivable way, 

 and stating all the observed uniformities of each class in 

 the form of general conclusions. If, during the process 

 of classification, we meet with exceptional instances, we 

 must, in order to harmonise the general conclusion with 

 them, infer a still more general conclusion which will 

 include both the ordinary instances and the exceptional 

 ones. It is in this way that the apparent truth is often 

 shown to be different from the real, and the results of 

 superficial examination to be opposite to those of deeper 

 research ; the apparent cause only of a phenomenon being 

 disclosed by usual instances, and the real and deeper cause 

 by exceptional ones. 



If we wish to extract more completely the truths 

 implicitly contained in the results, we must subject the 

 general conclusions themselves to every possible variety 

 of combination and permutation ; and to obtain a still 

 further amount, we must add to the conclusions truths 

 from other branches of science, and re-perform the same 

 processes. 2 



The discovery of the general principle or law which 

 pervades and regulates all the results usually completes 

 the research. Sometimes, however, in addition to this, a 

 perfect specimen of the apparatus is constructed for the 

 purposes of illustration ; also a practical form of it, for the 



1 See page 333. 2 See Chap. XXXVI. p. 333. 



