162 LITE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. VII 



the theory of Induction. Huxley replied as 

 follows : — 



Grand Hotel, Eastbouene, 

 July 21, 1890. 



Deae Sir — I knew Mr. Babbage, and am quite sure 

 that he was not the man to say anything on the topic of 

 calculating machines which he could not justify. 



I do not see that what he says affects the philosophy 

 of induction as rightly understood. No induction, how- 

 ever broad its basis, can confer certainty — in the strict 

 sense of the word. The experience of the whole human 

 race through innumerable years has shown that stones 

 unsupported fall to the ground, but that does not make 

 it certain that any day next week unsupported stones will 

 not move the other way. All that it does justify is the 

 very strong expectation, which hitherto has been invari- 

 ably verified, that they will do just the contrary. 



and second term. This term is larger than we expected by 10,000. 

 The law thus changes — 



100,000,001 100,100,005 



100.010.002 100,150,006 



100.030.003 100,210,007 



100.060.004 100,280,008. 



For a hundred or even a thousand terms they continued to follow 

 the new law relating to the triangular numbers, but after watching 

 them for 2761 terms we tind that this law fails at the 2762nd 

 term. 



If we continue to observe we shall discover another law then 

 coming into action which also is different, dependent, but in a 

 different manner, on triangular numbers because a number of points 

 agreeing with their term may be placed in the form of a triangle, 

 thus — 



(one, three, six, ten). 



This will continue through about 1430 terms, when a new law is 

 again introduced over about 950 terms, and this too, like its pre- 

 decessors, fails and gives place to other laws which appear at 

 different intervals. " 



