Mechanical Philosophy. 13 



They were taught by him to think and to rea^ 

 son. They stood on ground which his wisdom 

 and diligence had gained. As long as the human 

 faculties continue to be objects of study, this illus- 

 trious man must be considered one of the greatest 

 fathers of knowledge, and his writings as forming 

 a distinguished eera in the history of science. 



But though no builders in the temple of science 

 may have arisen to the same rank with those mas- 

 ter WORKMEN, whose names have been men- 

 tioned; yet many distinguished men, within the 

 period of which we are speaking, have contributed 

 their labours to enlarge, to simplify, to strengthen, 

 and to adorn the edifice, with honourable success. 

 Of these, time would fail us to recount even the 

 principal names. The most general and superficial 

 views only of their laudable achievements can be 

 given. 



CHAPTER I. 



MECHANICAL PHILOSOPHY. 



Under this general head is included the 

 whole of that extensive branch of science, ^^ which 

 explains the sensible motions of the bodies of the 

 universe, with the view to discover their causes, to 

 account for subordinate phenomena, and to im- 

 prove art." In this department of science, the 

 progress of the last century has been astonishingly 

 great. New fields of inquiry have been opened; 

 splendid discoveries have been made; and facts, 

 apparently discordant, have been connected and 

 systematized, to an extent v/hich does signal honour 



