go IXTRACTS FROM THE 



Lord Verulam, in his Organum Novum ; and gene- 

 rally considered as the cause of the rapid progress 

 of science in later times, was perfectly known to 

 Aristotle, and was distinctly delineated by him, 

 as a method of investigation that leads to certainty 

 or truth * ; and 2dly, that Aristotle was likewise 

 perfectly acquainted, not merely with the form of 

 Induction, but with the proper materials to be em- 

 ployed in carrying it on — Facts and Experiments •f*. 



We are therefore led' to infer, that all the blame 

 of confining the human mind for so long a time in 

 chains by the forms of syllogism, cannot be fairly 

 imputed to Aristotle; nor all the merit of en- 

 larging it and setting it free, ascribed to Lord Ve- 

 RULAM. The vast extent of Aristotle's learning 

 and knowledge, and the singular strength and pene- 

 tration of his mind having, naturally, encouraged 

 him to undertake a complete analysis of all its pow- 

 ers, the doctrine of syllogism became, of course, a 

 constituent and necessary part of his comprehensive 

 system. And if succeeding philosophers attracted 

 by its ingenuity and beauty, have deserted the sub- 

 stance in pursuit of the shadow, the pernicious con» 

 sequences of this delusion, cannot, justly, be re- 

 ferred to him J. 



* Vide the Section of Induction. 



f Vide the Section of the matter of Syllc^gism. 



+ On the6ih oi' July 1803, when this paper was delivered to 

 the Jslaiick Society, I had heard of Dr. Gillies's admirable ex- 

 position of the ei/iics ^nd politics of Av.ii,ToThE ; hut had never 

 been fonunate enough to meet with it, or to know aiiy tiimg 

 of his .sentiments on this question, until the I2ih of Novemher, 

 when the accidental sale ol a private library gave me an opportu-f 

 nity of pnrchasing it. From the perusal of this wunderfui book, 

 I have n /w the aatisfaction to discover, that the conjeciurea, 

 whic!) I bad I een led to draw from these scanty nidtcrials, are 

 c mplettly ccnfinned by the o, iiiion of an author, whu is pro- 

 bably better qualified than any {receding commentator on Aris- 

 totlk's works to dec de on tiiis subject. — Vide Giliies'^ 

 AMibTOTLK, Vol. I. pageGS. 70". 78, 79, &c. 



