8ict. ii.] DISSERTATION SECOND. C ( J 



The method of induction, as laid down here, is to be 

 considered as applicable to all investigations where expe- 

 rience is the guide, whether in the moral or natural world. 

 "Some may doubt whether we propose to apply our me- 

 thod of investigation to natural philosophy only, or to 

 other sciences, such as logick, ethicks, politicks. We an- 

 swer, that we mean it to be so applied. And as the com- 

 mon logick, which proceeds by the syllogism, belongs 

 not only to natural philosophy, but to all the sciences, so 

 our logick, which proceeds by induction, embraces every 

 thing." « 



Though this process had been pursued by a person of 

 much inferiour penetration and sagacity to Bacon, he could 

 not but have discovered that all facts, even supposing them 

 truly and accurately recorded, are not of equal value in the 

 discovery of truth. Some of them show the thing sought 

 for in its highest degree, some in its lowest ; some exhibit 

 it simple and uncombined, in others it appears confused 

 with a variety of circumstances. Some facts are easily 

 interpreted, others are very obscure, and are understood 

 only in consequence of the light thrown on them by the 

 former. This led our author to consider what he calls Pre- 

 rogativae Inslantiarum, the comparative value of facts as 

 means of discovery, or as instruments of investigation. He 

 enumerates twenty-seven different species, and enters at 

 some length into the peculiar properties of each. I must 

 uontent myself, in this sketch, with describing a few of the 

 most important, subjoining, as illustrations, sometimes the 

 examples which the author himself has given, but more 

 frequently such as have been furnished by later discove- 

 ries in science. 



' Nov. Org. Lib. i. Aph. 127. 

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