Preface. 



The book is divided into four chapters, viz. : \st. The 

 Scientific basis of Material progress : 2nd. The Scientific 

 basis of Mental and Moral progress : $rd. New truth and its 

 relation to Human progress : and ^th. The Promotion of 

 original Scientific Research. As the object of the book is 

 only to call attention to the vast importance of new truth, as 

 as a fundamental source of advance, and how to promote the 

 discovery of it, the essay is written as briefly as possible, and 

 is not offered in any sense as a complete exposition of the 

 subject, especially the section i elating to the Scientific basis 

 of Morality. 



The leading idea of the Book is that present knowledge 

 only enables us to maintain our present state, that national 

 progress is the result of neiv ideas, and that the chief source 

 of new ideas is original research.* That as advance has its 

 origin in new knowledge ; unless new discoveries are made, 

 new inventions and improvements must sooner or later cease. 

 Another prominent idea is, that truth is essentially the same 

 in all divisions of knowledge, and that the mental powers 

 and processes employed in detecting it are the same in all 

 subjects. 



For reasons stated in the text, the influence of scientific 

 discovery upon mental and moral progress are treated 

 together. Notwithstanding the far greater importance of 

 the mental and moral advantages of new truths, the book 

 treats chiefly of the pecuniary and material gains to man- 

 kind ; mainly because the latter are more easily understood 

 and appreciated, the chapter however on " The Scientific 

 Basis of Mental and Moral progress," indicates in a very 

 brief and imperfect manner, the vast importance of new 

 scientific knowledge to mankind, as a source of mental and 

 moral advancement. 



* See p.p. 165 to 167. 



