8 



cceteris paribus, better able to depict " the tears of his 

 Niobe, or the blushes of his Aurora." 



2. A second source of this wide-spread prejudice against 

 the study of the exact sciences, may be found in the gen- 

 eral prevalence of one-sided views and exclusive systems. 

 To these may be traced the overwhelming supremacy of 

 empiricism, bigotry and dogmatism. Unfortunately, the 

 mass of mankind are liable to be captivated by narrow- 

 minded and exclusive views. Positiveness and dogma- 

 tism carry with them the air of truth and sincerity, 

 which sways the popular mind. Thus, by the side of 

 the solid and genuine scientific system, another is seen 

 growing — a system of unproven or mistaken empirical 

 knowledge. Embracing but few particulars, it is the 

 more presuming, because of its utter ignorance of the 

 facts by which it is assailed. Shut up within itself, it 

 is unchanging in its axioms, and arrogant, like every- 

 thing else that is restricted ; whilst enlightened science, 

 enquiring, and therefore doubting, goes on separating 

 the firmly established from the merely probable, and 

 perfects itself daily through the extension and correc- 

 tion of its views. Instead of investigating the medium 

 2^oint about which, despite the apparent unfettered aspect 

 of nature, all phenomena oscillate — it only takes cogniz- 

 ance of the exceptions to the law — it is ever disposed 

 to presume the train of natural sequence interrupted, 

 and to overlook in the present all analogy with the past. 

 This one-sidedness, and its concomitant arrogance and 

 dogmatism, is as destructive to the true scientific spirit, 

 as it is extinguishing to the noblest aspirations of the 

 soul. Science does riot claim it as her legitimate off- 

 spring. She is not responsible for the charlatanism and 



