296 OPERATIONS SUBSIDIARY TO INDUCTION. 



stronger case of the entire supersession of one set of 

 laws by another, is aware that geometry and algebra 

 are the only sciences of which the propositions are 

 categorically true: the general propositions of all 

 other sciences are true only hypothetically, supposing 

 that no counteracting cause happens to interfere. A 

 conclusion, therefore, however correctly deduced, in 

 point of form, from admitted laws of nature, will have 

 no other than a hypothetical certainty. At every 

 step we must assure ourselves that no other law of 

 nature has superseded, or intermingled its operation 

 with, those which are the premisses of the reasoning; 

 and how can this be done by merely looking at the 

 words ? We must not only be constantly thinking of 

 the phenomena themselves, but we must be constantly 

 looking at them; making ourselves acquainted with 

 the peculiarities of every case to which we attempt to 

 apply our general principles. 



The algebraic notation, viewed as a philosophical 

 language, is perfect in its adaptation to the subjects 

 for which it is commonly employed, namely those of 

 which the investigations have already been reduced to 

 the ascertainment of a relation between numbers. But, 

 admirable as it is for its own purpose, the properties 

 by which it is rendered such are so far from consti- 

 tuting it the ideal model of philosophical language in 

 general, that the more nearly the language of any 

 other branch of science approaches to it, the less fit 

 that language is for its own proper functions. On 

 all other subjects, instead of contrivances to prevent 

 our attention from being distracted by thinking of the 

 meaning of our signs, we require contrivances to make 

 it impossible that we should ever lose sight of that 

 meaning even for an instant. 



With this view, as much meaning as possible 



