SEQUEL TO THE EPOCH OF KEPLER. 307 



a history of astronomy, such as the history of astronomy since Newton 

 has been, though interesting to the special lovers of that science, would 

 be too technical, and the features of the narrative too monotonous and 

 unimpressive, to interest the general reader, or to suggest a compre- 

 hensive philosophy of science. But when we pass from the Ideas of 

 Space and Time to the Ideas of Force and Matter, of Mediums by 

 which action and sensation are produced, and of the Intimate Consti- 

 tution of material bodies, we have new fields of inquiry opened to us. 

 And when we find that in these fields, as well as in astronomy, there 

 are large and striking trains of unquestioned discovery to be nar- 

 rated, we may gird ourselves afresh to the task of writing, and I hope, 

 of reading, the remaining part of the History of -the Inductive Sciences, 

 in the trust that it will in some measure help us to answer the impor- 

 tant questions, "What is Truth ? and, How is it to be discovered ? 



