On Mystery. 219 



ence, is equivalent to a general law, or in other words, that 

 mystery lies in the apparent contradiction between particular 

 facts and general principles, where we conceive that there 

 ought to be agreement ; and 2d, that the only solution of 

 which mystery admits, is a discovery of the manner in which 

 the mysterious fact conforms to the general law. These po- 

 sitions I proceed to illustrate. 



For those facts which can be referred to a general law, a 

 reason can be given, and they are not generally deemed mys- 

 terious. If we inquire the cause of sound, we are referred to 

 vibrations, and our inquiry is satisfied. It is a general law 

 that vibrations produce sound. If we inquire why heavy 

 bodies descend, we are, in the same manner, satisfied by a 

 reference to gravitation. But let a fact conflict with the gen- 

 eral law — let vibration come to an organ seemingly perfect, 

 and no sound be produced — let a stone thrown into the air, re- 

 main suspended, and there is a mystery at once ; there are 

 curiosity and wonder blended together, and these form mys- 

 tery, as expectation and desire form hope. 



But to mention instances which actually occur. We are 

 informed that the north star has no actual motion ; we ob- 

 serve that it has no apparent motion ; but since the earth 

 moves, this fact is mysterious, till we learn the effect of dis- 

 tance in destroying parallax ; then the mystery vanishes. On 

 first learning the tendency of all matter to all matter, the as- 

 cent of smoke, and light bodies is an apparent exception, and 

 a mystery to him who is unacquainted with the weight of the 

 atmosphere ; but when this fact is known, the mystery is solv- 

 ed, and the general law confirmed. Again : a pendulum of 

 a given length vibrates seconds at the equator. It is found 

 that a longer one is required at the poles. This is a mystery 

 till it is ascertained that the earth is a spheroid, flattened at 

 the poles, and then the mystery is solved. Such apparent ex- 

 ceptions to her general laws are the mysteries which nature 

 presents, and which it is the business and delight of philoso- 

 phers thus to solve, by showing their conformity to the gener- 

 al law. 



In the origin and growth of a new science the general prin- 

 ciple is the same, though somewhat modified. Suppose we 

 have hitherto known of motion only as communicated by im- 

 pulse and gravitation — by accident a magnet is applied to ^ 

 piece of iron, and the iron approaches it. It is mysterious. 

 Experiments are performed, and a bar of iron magnetized 



