DEDUCTIVE HABITS. 333 



When, therefore, we consider the mathema- 

 ticians who are employed in successfully apply- 

 ing the mechanical philosophy, as men well 

 deserving of honour from those who take an 

 interest in the progress of science, we do rightly ; 

 but it is still to be recollected, that in doing this 

 they are not carrying us to any higher point of 

 view in the knowledge of nature than we had 

 attained before : they are only unfolding the con- 

 sequences, which were already virtually in our 

 possession, because they were implied in princi- 

 ples already discovered : they are adding to our 

 knowledge of effects, but not to our knowledge 

 of causes : they are not making any advance in 

 that progress of which Newton spoke, and in 

 which he made so vast a stride, in which " every 

 step made brings us nearer to the knowledge of 

 the first cause, and is on that account highly to 

 be valued." And as in this advance they have 

 no peculiar privileges or advantages, their errors 

 of opinion concerning it, if they err, are no more 

 to be wondered at, than those of common men ; 

 and need as little disturb or distress us, as if those 

 who committed them had confined themselves 

 to the study of arithmetic or of geometry. If we 

 can console and tranquillize ourselves concerning 

 the defective or perverted views of religious truth 

 entertained by any of our fellow men, we need 

 find no additional difficulty in doing so when 

 those who are mistaken are great mathematicians, 



