J. D. Whelpley on Philosophical Analogy. 329 
ees as to be the simple and undivided source, and cause, 
of all the appearances that invest, and define hi 
Of the visible mass of gold, we must have a perfect observa- 
tion; we must have a natural-historical, and a dynamical, knowl- 
edge of it, in all its relations and conditions, before the idea of its 
intrinsic and undivided unity in an atom, can arise in our minds. 
Now, just as far as our spiritual idea of a man is in conformity 
with, and arises out of, our sensuous knowledge of him, so far 
that spiritual idea is a true and practical one, and will not deceive 
us; we may act upon it, and be guided by it, in all our conduct; 
trusting in that perfect harmony which exists between the idea 
and the object. And as far as the chemist knows dynamically 
and formally, the qualities and properties of gold, so far he is en- 
abled to form such a theory of the atom of gold, as will guide 
him aright in all operations, or speculation, upon it. As in the 
knowledge of men, so,in chemistry and physiology, experience 
precedes theory, and theory guides conduct; and he whose the 
is most perfect, is removed farthest beyond chances and accidents. 
And as in the conduct of life, whoever proceeds upon hypotheti- 
cal notions of men and their ways, will live a sad life if he lives 
ong, so, our unfortunate savan, who has directed his reason upon 
the substances that compose the earth, as well as upon the men 
who walk upon its surface, finds himself playing at blindman’s 
buff with nature, and strikes continually against pointed facts, 
and falls into deep absurdities. 
Osservartton being directed either upon things and their forms, 
or upon events and their order,—both of which are necessary to 
the complete observation of an individual,—there arise two depart- 
ments of natural history: the formal merely ; as in the classifica- 
tions of Linneeus—where form, alone, is admitted as affording 
Specific marks—and the dynamical, or of the order and times of 
changes; as in that part of natural history which treats of the 
Motions of falling bodies, the changes of the atmosphere, or of 
habits of animals. 
lso a k 
of the habit of suspending itself by them, and climbing by them, 
beneath the branches of trees. 
The force with which a mass of gold will fall toward the 
, is as necessary to a specific knowledge of it, as its color, 
or the angles of its crystals. 
Observation, however, is not satisfied with a merely external 
of things and their changes: we wish to know, not 
