RATIOCINATION, OR SYLLOGISM. 233 



same, in whichever figure it is expressed; since, as we 

 have already seen, the premisses of a syllogism in the 

 second, third, or fourth figure, and those of the syllo- 

 gism in the first figure to which it may be reduced, 

 are the same premisses, in everything except language, 

 or, at least, as much of them as contributes to the 

 proof of the conclusion is the same. We are there- 

 fore at liberty, in conformity with the general opinion 

 of logicians, to consider the two elementary forms of 

 the first figure as the universal types of all correct 

 ratiocination ; the one, when the conclusion to be 

 proved is affirmative, the other, when it is negative ; 

 even though certain arguments may have a tendency 

 to clothe themselves in the forms of the second, third, 

 and fourth figures ; which, however, cannot possibly 

 happen with the only class of arguments which are of 

 first-rate scientific importance, those in which the 

 conclusion is an universal affirmative, such conclu- 

 sions being susceptible of proof in the first figure 

 alone. 



2. On examining, then, these two general 

 formulae, we find that in both of them one premiss, 

 the major, is an universal proposition ; and according 



exemplo for the third, and dictum de reciproco for the fourth. See 

 part i. or JDianoiokffie, chap. iv. 229 et seqq. 



Were it not that the views I am about to propound on the 

 functions and ultimate foundation of the syllogism render such 

 distinctions as these of very subordinate importance, I should have 

 availed myself largely of this and other speculations of Lambert ; 

 who has displayed, within the limits of the received theory of the 

 syllogism, an originality for which it was scarcely to be supposed 

 that there could still have been room on so exhausted a subject, 

 and whose book may be strongly recommended to those who may 

 attempt still further to improve the excellent manuals we already 

 possess of this elementary portion of the Art of Reasoning. 



