50 Geology as a means of cultrure — A. Winchell. 
The power of indiictive reasoning should not be omitted 
from the list of those deserving of culture. Induction from 
observed data has been pronounced the characteristic modern 
method of attaining to scientific knowledge; and Sir Francis 
Bacon, very mistakenly, has been regarded, in cant phrase, as 
the founder of the inductive method. So far as this is true, it 
shows with what aim and method we must proceed, if we would 
enter into the spirit of the modern march of intelligence. So 
far as induction has been pursued from the earliest dawn of 
reflective thought, it shows what is the inflexible and change- 
less mandate of nature in the method of marshalling our powers 
for the search of truth. In either view aptness and good logic 
ill the drawing out of general truths from many details 
of observation appear j^lainly to be essential ends of well 
balanced modern culture. Without the acquisition of this 
power, education is glaringly defective. Whether Baconian or 
Aristotelian, the method of induction brings order out of a uni- 
verse of discrete facts, and lays the foundations of principles 
which we build into the fabric of natural science. Induction 
has more than a service to science to perform. Thousands of 
the grotesque and unreasoned nonsequiturs of daily life are but 
the outcome of hasty inductions; and some of these, as in the 
search for petroleum, gas, or coal, are neither harmless nor in- 
expensive. To train this generalizing power so that it serves 
us thoroughly and truly is the part of education in its cultural 
aspect. I emphasize this truth, because it is quite generally ig- 
nored in our prevailing forms of education, at the same time 
that its importance seems to be foremost. 
In the advocacy of the popular form of liberal culture, we 
hear much of the creation of a good taste. The study of the 
ancient languages, it is claimed, with truth, tends to improve- 
ment of the taste. If I understand the meaning of this expres- 
sion, taste is the perception and feeling of congruity or fitness 
n the realm of sensible things. It seeks congruity, and takes 
pleasure in it. It knows how to shun incongruities, and is dis- 
tressed by their occurrence. A good literary taste knows what 
juxtapositions of thought are consecutive, graduated, and pleas- 
ngs and it knows what juxtapositions of words and phrases will 
avoid a jar, and best adapt expression to the thought. In music, 
