THE ENJOYMENT OF NATURE. 17 



perceptions of sense, a vague presentiment of the unity of 

 natural forces no longer suffices him. The exercise of 

 thought then begins to accomplish its noble task, and, 

 by observation and reasoning combined, the students of 

 nature strive with ardour to ascend to the causes of phse- 

 nomena. 



The history of science teaches us how difficult it has been 

 for this active curiosity always to produce sound fruits. 

 Inexact and incomplete observations have led, through false 

 inductions, to that great number of erroneous physical views 

 which have been perpetuated as popular prejudices among 

 all classes of society. Thus, by the side of a solid and scien- 

 tific knowledge of phsenomena, there has been preserved a 

 system of pretended 'results of observation, the more diffi- 

 cult to shake because it takes no account of any of the 

 facts by which it is overturned. This empiricism melan- 

 choly inheritance of earlier times invariably maintains 

 whatever axioms it has laid down; it is arrogant, as is 

 every thing that is narrow-minded ; wliilst true physical 

 philosophy, founded on science, doubts because it seeks to 

 investigate thoroughly, distinguishes between that which is 

 certain and that which is simply probable, and labours 

 incessantly to bring its theories nearer to perfection by 

 extending the circle of observation. This assemblage of 

 incomplete dogmas bequeathed from one century to another, 

 this system of physics made up of popular prejudices, is not 

 only injurious because it perpetuates error with all the 

 obstinacy of the supposed evidence of ill-observed facts, 

 but also because it hinders the understanding from rising to 

 the level of the great views of nature. Instead of seeking to 

 discover the mean state, around which, in the midst of 



