The Evolution of the Sciences 



grown all bounds, with branches so far apart 

 that if some of their branches meet by chance 

 they do not appear to belong to the same tree. 

 The manner of constitution of the sciences 

 would form an interesting study, showing the 

 grouping of new and accepted truths around 

 their centres of attraction, which gradually 

 grow like crystals in the midst of a solution; 

 but a study of this nature would exceed the 

 limits of a chapter, and we must be satisfied 

 to call attention to two characteristics of this 

 evolution of the sciences. First, the inability 

 of reason and logic to formulate a complete 

 classification of the sciences. The greatest 

 geniuses of every age, from Aristotle and Bacon 

 to Auguste Comte and Herbert Spencer, have 

 made the attempt, but their endeavours clearly 

 followed the constitution of the sciences instead 

 of preceding it; they tried to give logical form 

 to what existed, but proved their complete 

 incapacity to provide in their classifications 

 for future truths. A science never commences 

 by defining its object and surveying and staking 

 out its domains. Facts are accumulated first, 

 then more general observations, and it is only 



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