XLIII.] CLASSIFICATION OF THE SCIENCES. 213 



abstract theory of magnetism ; meteorology and oceano- 

 graphy nearly correspond to the sciences of heat, elec- 

 tricity, and light — though the tides, which belong to 

 oceanography, are purely dynamic phenomena. Geology 

 does not correspond to any abstract science in partictdar, 

 but mineralogy corresponds to the chemical group of 

 sciences, and palaeontology, with the laws of the distri- 

 bution of species, to biology. 



We may now enumerate the cosmic sciences in the 

 following tabular form : — 



Astronomy. Tabular 



. , . enumera- 



Terrestriai magnetism. tion of the 



Meteorology, with the theory of climate. cosmic 



o-^ ' •' sciences. 



Oceanography. 

 Geography, 

 Geology. 



Mineralogy, or chemical geology. 

 Palaeontology, with the laws of the distribution of 

 living species. 



As I have said of the tabular enumeration of the abstract 

 sciences, this enumeration also may probably admit of 

 improvements in detail ; but if the principle of the series 

 is right, of which I think there can be no doubt, the 

 details are of but little importance. 



The order in which cosmic phenomena have been enu- imaginary 

 merated in the foregoing list of the cosmical sciences is ^^-^ ° * 

 that in which they would be witnessed by a being with coming 



„ , . Ti • n • . J. iiear the 



powers of perception like our own, it it were to come universe : 

 towards our world from the regions of infinite space. At t^" order 



° .-^ . in which 



first it would see suns and planets as mere movmg points he would 

 of light, and could distinguish nothing about them except ^^-^^^^^_ 

 their magnitudes and their motions. Coming nearer, it mena, 

 would discern the phenomena on their surfaces ; the spots 

 on the sun and the peculiar currents of his atmosphere, 

 and the clouds and winds and other phenomena of the 

 atmosphere of the earth, with the ocean and its currents ; 

 and if it were possessed of our means of observation, it 

 would perceive the magnetic properties of the earth, and 



