THE MESSAGE AND PKOMISES TO MANKIND. 231 



steam, already perform for us all manner of service ; in 

 the future they will do still more marvellous things. By 

 more exact and concentrated observation, by the subtle 

 and well-pointed interrogation of Nature's more hidden 

 ways of operation, at last comes the great discovery for* 

 which these prepare the way, which had already existed 

 in the hazier form of hypothesis ; and the discoveries of 

 the laws invariably lead, by help of a different class 

 of minds, to the great practical invention which further 

 presses the inexhaustible forces of Nature into the service 

 of man. By observation and experiment prompted by 

 hypothesis, the discoverers first learn the general laws of 

 phenomena, then the more special, both together con- 

 stituting the science; and the science illuminates the 

 path of endless practical inventions. It is to this double 

 labour of the men of science and the practical inventors, 

 of the Newtons and Watts, that we owe all our mastery 

 over the once formidable forces of Nature ; in particular, 

 we owe it to the extraordinary discoveries and inventions 

 of the past half-century, which, further, besides multi- 

 plying our comforts and emancipating men's muscles from 

 strenuous toil, have greatly revolutionized our social and 

 industrial life. 



Let men only learn Nature's ways of behaviour first 

 her ordinary, and then her more secret and exceptional 

 but still general processes and all things are possible, 

 and may be attained from her. She will relax her 

 rigidity; she will grant everything to knowledge. To 

 ignorance and rebellion only is she merciless and cruel ; 

 and to both equally so. 



Knowledge is the true prayer, the only one to which 

 Nature hearkens and responds, as the pursuit of know- 

 ledge is her true and accepted worship. By knowledge 

 alone man has been delivered from the forces and scourges 



