J 3 Viconnt St. Alban 



and haftning to the forms of Difputing. But we rejeft 

 Vemonjlrationby Syllogifm-, for that it proceeds confufed- 

 ly 5 and lets Nature efcape our hands. For though no 

 man call into doabr, but that rvbat are coincident in. a mid^ 

 die term are in themfel'ves coincident^ (which is a kind of 

 Mathcmatick Certitude ) yet here lies the Fallax, that 

 Syllogifm confijis of Propojitions, Fropo fit ions of rvords <, 

 and words are the tokens and mar\s of things. Now if 

 thefe fame wo ?;■(?«/ of the mind, (which are, as it were, the 

 fold of words .^ and the Bafis of this manner of Struc]:ure 

 and Fabrick) be rudely and rafhly divorc'd from things, 

 and roving ; not perfe6^1y defin'd and limited, and alfo 

 many other ways vicious 5 all falls to ruine. Wherefore 

 we rejeft Syllogifm^ not only in regard of Principles (for 

 which nor do they make ufe of it but in refpeft alfo oiMid- 

 dlePropofitions^which indeed i9)'i!/c^i/?;/,hovvever,infers and 

 brings forth ; but barren of operations and remote from 

 pra61ice •■, and in relation to the AiSive Part of Sciences, 

 altogether incompetent. Although therefore we may 

 leave to Syllogifm , and fuch celebrated and applauded 

 Vemonjlrations^ a jurildi61ion over Arts Popular and O- 

 pinable (for in this kind we move nothing"^ yet for the 

 nature of things, we every where, as well in Minor as Ma* 

 jorPropofitions-, make ufe of InduSiions : for we take /»- 

 duSiion to he th-niioxm oi DemonUr at ion ^ which fupports 

 fenfe ^ prefTes Nature, and is injftanccd in Works, and in 

 a fort mingled therewith. Wherefore the order alfo of 

 Demonjiration is altogether inverted. For hitherto the bu- 

 finefs ufcd to be thus managed j from fenfe, and fome few 

 Particulars, fuddenly to fly up to the higheft Generals, as 

 to fixt Poles, about which Difputations may be turned j 

 from which the reft of intermediate Axioms may be de- 

 rived. A way compendious indeed, but precipitate} 

 and to Nature inpervious ; but for Difputations ready, 

 and accommodate. But according to our Method., Axioms 

 are raifed by a fequent continuity and graduat dcpendan- 

 cy, foas there is no feifing upon the higheft Generals, but 

 in the laft place i and thofc higheft Generals in quality 

 notnotionals i but well terminated, and fuch as Nature 

 acknowledges to be truly near allied unto her, and which 



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