346 PHYSICAL SCIENCE IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 



them to use the only decisive method in such cases, 

 the observation and unfettered interpretation of 

 facts. 



The history of their controversies, therefore, 

 does not belong to our design. For like reasons 

 we do not here speak of other authors, who op- 

 posed the scholastic philosophy on general theore- 

 tical grounds of various kinds. Such examples of 

 insurrection against the dogmatism which we have 

 been reviewing, , are extremely interesting events 

 in the history of the philosophy of science. But, in 

 the present work, we are to confine ourselves to 

 the history of science itself; in the hope that we 

 may thus be able hereafter, to throw a steadier 

 light upon that philosophy by which the succession 

 of stationary and progressive periods which we are 

 here tracing, may be in some measure explained, 

 We are now to close our account of the stationary 

 period, and to enter upon the great subject of the 

 progress of physical science in modern times. 



5. Subjects omitted. Civil Law. Medicine. 

 My object has been to make my way, as rapidly 

 as possible, to this period of progress ; and in doing 

 this, I have had to pass over a long and barren 

 tract, where almost all traces of the right road 

 disappear. In exploring this region, it is not with- 

 out some difficulty that he who is travelling with 

 objects such as mine, continues a steady progress 

 in the proper direction ; for many curious and 

 attractive subjects of research come in his way: 



