CAUSE OF ITS FAILURE. 75 



so interpreted as to express almost any defect of 

 philosophical method; since coincidence with ex- 

 perience is requisite to the truth of all theory. But 

 ff we fix a more precise sense on our terms, I con- 

 ceive it may be shown that the Greek philosophy 

 did, in its opinions, recognize the necessity and para- 

 mount value of observations ; did, in its origin, pro- 

 ceed upon observed facts; and did employ itself 

 to no small extent in classifying and arranging 

 phenomena. We must endeavour to illustrate these 

 assertions, because it is important to show that these 

 steps alone do not necessarily lead to science. 



1. The acknowledgment of experience as the 

 main ground of physical knowledge is so generally 

 understood to be a distinguishing feature of later 

 times, that it may excite surprise to find that 

 Aristotle, and other ancient philosophers, not only 

 asserted in the most pointed manner that all our 

 knowledge must begin from experience, but also 

 stated in language much resembling the habitual 

 phraseology of the most modern schools of philoso- 

 phising, that particular facts must be collected; that 

 from these, general principles must be obtained by 

 induction ; and that these principles, when of the 

 most general kind, are axioms. A few passages will 

 show this. 



"The way 11 must be the same," says Aristotle, 

 in speaking of the rules of reasoning, " with respect 

 to philosophy, as it is with respect to any art or 



11 Anal. Prior, i. 30. 



