874 ON THE SCOPE AND INFLUENCE OP THE 



able books, and in the conversation of intelligent men, seem 

 to involve no small portion both of error and misconcep- 

 tion. It cannot be denied, indeed, that at the time when 

 Bacon wrote, there was a growing tendency to abandon the 

 ancient systems, and that some successful essavs had been made 

 in that course of inquiry which he recommended ; but, on the 

 other hand, it appears to me equally clear, that his labours for 

 the advancement of Science were of such peculiar importance, 

 and attended with such extensive effects, as to entitle him to a 

 pre-eminent station among its early reformers and promoters. 

 It is the object of this paper to offer some remarks, and to 

 collect some proofs, in support of these views ; but, as much 

 has been already written in illustration of the merits, and but 

 little in illustration of the effects produced by his philosophical 

 writings, 1 shall content myself, at present, with a slight indi- 

 cation of their general scope, and shall devote the greater part 

 of my paper to the proofs of their influence. Upon the latter 

 point, indeed, there seems to exist more of doubt and of mis- 

 apprehension than upon any other connected with his philo- 

 sophy*. 



In 



tit, nisi, ut, qua ratione philosophari deberemus, eo tempore admoneret, quo Ga- 

 lil.eus eadem ipsa ratione philosophari jam in Italia coeperat, ac caeteris, ut idem 

 facerent, non modo verbis, verum et rebus ipsis gravissimus auctor esset ?" — Fa- 

 bboni, Vita Italorum doclrina excelkntium qui saculis xvii. et xviii. jloruerunt, vol. i. 

 p. 223. 



~* — " C'est Galilee," says a French Philosopher of the present day, " qui a 

 montre Tart de Vinterroger par l'experience. On a souvent attribue cette gloire a 

 Bacon ; mais ceux qui lui en font honneur, ont ete (a notre avis) un peu pro- 

 digues d'un bien qu'il ne leur appartenait peut-etre pas de dispenser." — Biogra- 

 phic Universale, Tom. xvi. p. 329, Art. Galileo ; written by M. Biot. 



* There cannot be a stronger proof of the misapprehensions alluded to, than 

 what is furnished in the following passage, of the interesting article above 



mentioned. 



