SERIES IIL 



LECTURE 1. 



ON MATERIALISM AND IMMATEEIALISM. 



It is one paft of science, and not the least important, though the lowest 

 and most elementary, to become duly acquainted with the nature and 

 extent of our ignorance upon whatever subject we propose to investigate ;* 

 and it is probably for want of a proper attention to this branch of study 

 that we meet with so many crude ai?d confident theories upon questions 

 that the utmost wit or wisdom of man is utterly incapable of elucidating. 

 The rude uninstructed peasant, or ignorant pretender, believes that he un- 

 derstands every thing before him ; the experienced philosopher knows that 

 he understands nothing. It was so formerly in Greece, and will be so in 

 every age and country : while the sophists of Athens asserted their preten- 

 sions to universal knowledge, Socrates, in opposition to them, was daily 

 affirming that the only thing he knew to a certainty was his own ignorance. 

 The shallow Indian sage, as soon as he had made the important discovery 

 that the wojid was supported by an elephant, and the elephant by a tor- 

 toise, felt the most perfect complacency in the solution he was now pre- 

 pared to give to the question, by what means is the world supported in 

 empty space ? And it is justly observed by Mr. Barrow, that the chief 

 reason why the Chinese are so far behind Europeans in the fine arts and 

 higher branches of science, as painting, for example, and geometry, is the 

 consummate vanity they possess, which induces them to look with contempt 

 upon the real knowledge of every other nation. 



The subjects we have thus far chiefly discussed, though others branching 

 out from them have been glanced at as well, have related to the principle 

 and properties of matter, both under an unorganized and under an organic 

 modification : and although I have endeavoured to do ray utmost to put 

 you in possession of the clearest and most valuable facts which are known 

 upon these subjects, I am much afraid it is to little more than to this first 

 and initial branch of science that any instructions I have given have been 



* "Our kuowled^ being so narrow, it will perhaps give us some light into the present state 

 of our minds if we look a little into the dark side, and take a view of our ignorance, which, 

 being infinitely greater than our knowledge, may serve much to the quieting of disputes and 

 improvement of useful knowledge ; if, discovering how far we have clear and distinct ideas, 

 we confine our thoughts within the contemplation of those things that are vrithin the reach of 

 our understanding ; and launch not out into that abyss of darkness where we have not eyes to 

 see, nor faculties to perceive any thing ; out of a presumption that nothing is beyond our com- 

 prehension. But to be satisfied of the folly of such a conceit we need not go far." Locke, 

 Hnm. Underst. IV. iii. § 22. ' 



