170 ^ag Skruums, (Essajs, ^ IJUhiefas, [vm 



As for anatomical or physiological investigation being 

 less "systematic" than that of the physicist or chemist, 

 the assertion is simply unaccountable. The methods of 

 physical science are everywhere the same in principle, 

 and the physiological investigator who was not "sys- 

 tematic " would, on the whole, break down rather sooner 

 than the inquirer into simpler subjects. 



Thus M. Comte's classification of the sciences, under 

 all its aspects, appears to me to be a complete failure. 

 It is impossible, in an article which is already too long, 

 to inquire how it may be replaced by a better ; and it is 

 the less necessary to do so, as a second edition of Mr. 

 Spencer's remarkable essay on this subject has just been 

 published. After wading through pages of the long- 

 winded confusion and second-hand information of the 

 "Philosophic Positive," at the risk of a crise cerebrale 

 it is as good as a shower-bath to turn to the "Classi- 

 fication of the Sciences," ^and refresh oneself with Mr. 

 Spencer's profound thought, precise knowledge, and clear 

 language. 



II. The second proposition to which I have committed 

 myself, in the paper to which I have been obliged to 

 refer so often, is, that the "Positive Philosophy" contains 

 " a great deal which is as thoroughly antagonistic to the 

 very essence of science as is anything in ultramontane 

 Catholicism/' 



What I refer to in these words, is, on the one hand 

 the dogmatism and narrowness which so often mark 

 M. Comte's discussion of doctrines which he does not 

 like, and reduce his expressions of opinion to mere 

 passionate puerilities; as, for example, when he is 

 arguing against the assumption of an ether, or when 

 he is talking (I cannot call it arguing) against pyscho- 

 logy, or political economy. On the other hand, I allude 

 to the spirit of meddling systematization and regulation 



