58 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



portant for the purposes of life, but solely practical, and 

 possesses no intellectual character. . . . The proper func- 

 tion," continues Mr. Mozley, " of the inductive principle, 

 the argument from experience, the belief in the order of 

 Nature — by whatever phrase we designate the same instinct 

 — is to operate as a practical basis for the affairs of life and 

 the carrying on of human society." To sum up, the belief 

 in the order of Nature is general, but it is " an unintelligent 

 impulse, of which we can give no rational account." It is 

 inserted in our constitution solely to induce us to till our 

 fields, to raise our winter fuel, and thus to meet the future 

 on the perfectly gratuitous supposition that that future will 

 be like the past. 



" Thus, step by step," says Mr. Mozley, with the empha- 

 sis of a man who feels his position to be a strong one, " has 

 philosophy loosened the connection of the order of Nature 

 with the ground of reason, befriending in exact proportion 

 as it has done this the principle of miracles." For " this 

 belief, not having itself a foundation in reason, the ground 

 is gone upon w 7 hich it could be maintained that miracles, 

 as opposed to the order of Nature, are opposed to reason." 

 "When we regard this belief in connection wdth science, " in 

 which connection it receives a more imposing name, and is 

 called the inductive principle," the result is the same. 

 " The inductive principle is only this unreasoning impulse 

 applied to a scientifically ascertained fact. . . . Science has 

 led up to the fact, but there it stops, and for converting 

 this fact into a law a totally unscientific principle comes 

 into pla}', the same as that which generalizes the common- 

 est observation of Nature." 



The eloquent pleader of the cause of miracles passes 

 over without a word the results of scientific investigation 

 as proving any thing rational regarding the principles or 

 methods by which such results have been achieved. Here, 

 as before, he declines the tost, " By their fruits shall ye 



