D'ALEMBERT. 393 







tion, he is entire master of his conclusions as of his 

 operations; and feels even perfectly indifferent to the 

 acceptance or rejection of his doctrines, because he con- 

 fidently looks forward to their universal and immediate 

 admission the moment they are comprehended. 



It is to be further borne in mind, that from the labours 

 of the geometrician are derived the most important assis- 

 tance to the researches of other philosophers, and to the 

 perfection of the most useful arts. This consideration 

 resolves itself into two : one is the pleasure of contem- 

 plation, and consequently is an addition to the gratification 

 of exactly the same kind, derived immediately from the 

 contemplation of pure mathematical truth; much, in- 

 deed, of the mixed mathematics is also purely mathe- 

 matical investigation, built upon premises derived from 

 induction. The other gratification is of a wholly dif- 

 ferent description; it is connected merely with the pro- 

 motion of arts subservient to the ordinary enjoyments of 

 life. This is only a secondary and mixed use of sci- 

 ence to the philosopher; the main pleasure bestowed by 

 it, is the gratification which, by a law of our nature, 

 we derive, from contemplating scientific truth when in- 

 dulging in the general views which it gives, marking the 

 unexpected relations of things seemingly unconnected, 

 tracing the resemblance, perhaps identity, of things the 

 most unlike, noting the diversity of those apparently 

 similar. This is the true and primary object of scientific 

 investigation. This it is which gives the pleasure of 

 science to the mind. The secular benefits, so to speak, 

 the practical uses derived from it, are wholly independent 

 of this, and are only an incidental, adventitious, secon- 

 dary advantage. I have fully explained this doctrine in 



