x PREFACE TO THE 



pretended to do more than give some examples of 

 the historical progress of this subject, and shall not 

 presume to carry the account further than I have 

 already done. 



I do not deviate from my original plan in thus 

 limiting my narrative. For, as was formerly stated, 

 the main object of the work was to present such a 

 survey of the advances already made in physical 

 knowledge, and of the mode in which they have 

 been made, as might serve as a real and firm basis 

 for our speculations concerning the progress of 

 human knowledge, and the processes by which 

 sciences are formed. And an attempt to frame 

 such speculations on this basis was made in the 

 Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, which was 

 published shortly after this History. To that work 

 I must refer, for a further explanation of any views 

 respecting the nature and progress of science which 

 may here appear defective or obscure. It is my 

 intention to prepare for the press a new edition of 

 the work, as soon as I shall have finished the pre- 

 paration of the present publication. 



I add a Postscript, containing a notice of a few 

 points in the history of science which have come 

 into view during the printing of the following 

 pages. 



