Recapitulation . 415 



direct his inquiries to the aid of the mechanic, and 

 to the various details of public and domestic eco- 

 nomy ; ani the mechanic and economist had been 

 taught to consider the inquiries of the philosopher 

 as mere curious speculations, with which the prac- 

 tical concerns of life had little to do. The eigh- 

 . teenth century has produced a signal revolution, 

 both in the aspect of scientific investigations, and 

 in the state of public opinion on this subject. 

 Philosophy has assumed a more practical and use- 

 ful form. The artist and the philosopher have 

 learned to go hand in hand. Many modern dis- 

 coveries, in different branches of science, and 

 especially in Natural Philosophy and Chemistry, 

 while they gratify liberal curiosity, and give plea- 

 sure to the man of speculation, have also rendered 

 essential service to the Mechanic arts, to Agricul- 

 ture, to Medicine, to domestic economy, and, in 

 general, to the abridgement of labour, and to the 

 more easy and cheap preparation of the various 

 comforts and elegancies of life. It would be easy 

 to give a catalogue of economical philosophers of 

 the eighteenth century, who were never equalled 

 by any of preceding times. To mention no more, 

 our illustrious countryman, Count Rumford, at 

 the close of this period, presented to the w T orid an 

 example of practical science, of which we shall 

 perhaps search in vain for a parallel in the history 

 of man. 



4. The last century may also, in a peculiar and 

 distinguishing sense, be called the age of expe- 

 riment. The mode of pursuing knowledge, by 

 observation, experiment, analysis, and an induc- 

 tion of facts, though not absolutely begun by Lord 

 Bacon, was, for the first time, employed to any 

 considerable extent by that enlightened philoso^ 

 pher. The influence of his example in this respect^ 

 in the sixteenth century, in which he lived, was 



