142 HISTORY OF SCIENCE. 



methods failed in his own hands to lead him to any great discoveries. 

 This failure was indeed inevitable from the nature of the object of 

 his investigations, which was to discover the causes of such qualities 

 in bodies as density, colour, porosity, heat. Now, as a matter of fact, 

 our experimental sciences have advanced by investigations into the 

 effects of causes, and not by the search for the unknown causes of 

 effects. Bacon's investigations were, however, put forward rather as 

 examples of his method, constructed with confessedly rude and im- 

 perfect materials, than as finished demonstrations of truths. His 

 system was in advance of its subject, and he had to deal in anticipa- 

 tion with possible and theoretical collections of facts, and to examine 

 every conceivable method of attaining scientific truths. We cannot 

 wonder that his treatment of the logic of induction should, under such 

 disadvantages, have been, as we now perceive, inadequate. But it 

 must be remembered that in this nineteenth century we contemplate 

 his work from a point of view vastly different Irom any that could have 

 been reached in the sixteenth. We are raised, as it were, to a com- 

 manding stand-point by the lofty fabric of science which has been 

 created since Bacon's time, and of which he undoubtedly contributed 

 to lay the foundation. Cowley, in his " Ode to the Royal Society," has 

 a fine image, which appears so truly to represent Bacon's position in 

 the history of science, that we cannot forbear to quote the lines : 



From these and all long errors of the way, 

 In which our wandering predecessors went, 



And, like the old Hebrews, many years did stray 

 In deserts but of small extent, 



Bacon, like Moses, led us forth at last ; 



The barren wilderness he passed ; 



Did on the very border stand 



Of the blest promised land. 



And from the mountain's top of his exalted wit 



Saw it himself, and showed us it. 



But life did never to one man allow 



Time to discover worlds, and conquer too ; 



Nor can so short a time sufficient be 



To fathom the vast depths of Nature's sea. 



The work he did we ought t' admire, 



And we 're unjust if we should more require 



From his few years, divided 'twixt the excess 



Of low affliction and high happiness ; 



For who on things remote can fix his sight 



That 's always in a triumph or a fight? 



