39° 
This rule in its operation is a check upon 
theformer; for though analogy cannot li- 
mit itfelf, it ought to be controuled by any 
more direct and pofitive fpecies of argu- 
ment. When two things, apparent- 
ly refembling, are proved by experiment or 
obfervation to be in fome points effenrial- 
ly different ; this difference makes a breach 
in the an valogy which will greatly affect the 
conclufions of a fober reafoner. Thus, 
there are ftriking fimilarities between the 
animal and vegetable claffes of creation. 
The (ubje&s of both proceed through va- 
rious {tages of increafe to maturity, de- 
cay, and death er Jols of organization. But 
there are allo ftrong points s of diffimilari ity, 
at leaft in the more perfect fpecimens of 
each 5. fuch as the circumftaaces of nutri- 
tion, of loco-motion, of apparent fenfa- 
tion or obedience to Rimuli, and of diftinc- 
tion of parts and organs. While, then, 
we may fafely infer jomething of mutual 
refembiance in their general nature where- 
on to found the common properties of vi- 
tality, growth, and renovation, we have 
equal ireafon to fuppofe diffimilarity in their 
particular ftru&ture. 
Thete is nothing in which ingenious 
men are fo apt to run into excefs, as gn 
pufhing analogies beyond all fober bounds. 
It is curious to remark how Linnzus, in 
his fexual fy(tem of vegetables, has fport- 
ed with his imagination In running paral- 
lels between the connubial and domeftic 
ftate among men, and the feveral difpeti- 
tions of tie ftamens and piftils in plants; 
fo that, inftead of a fimple fet of facts 
ferving as a natural foundaticn to his fyf- 
tem, he has exhibited a kind of analogical 
theery, which perhaps he did net original- 
ly mean to propole as real, but which, [ 
think, has hada manifeft influence in con- 
ftituting his arrangement. But the poe- 
tical “ee tr, who has fo enchantingly 
defcribed the loves of the plants, has car- 
ried thefe ideas much fariher ; for he has 
not only felly received what Linnzus 
with fome caution fuggefted, the prefence 
of fenfation in vegetable impregnations, 
but he has beftowed individual exiftence, 
feeling, and even pafiion, upen the feveral 
male and female parts of flowers ; and has 
thus (if he is to be underftocd ferioufly) 
converted his amorous fictions into reah- 
ties.—See Note.39 tc Part 1. 
Buffon, unlike to Linnzus as he is in 
moft refpects, fhews the fame difpofit:on to 
purfue analogies in contradiction to tacts: 
or rather, he places fuch a confidence in 
certain analogies, that he is often led to 
the demial of facts, however well authenti- 
cated, whica feem to oppote them. Many 
Ox oe Nu mer DCLXVF I. 
[ Febs x, 
of his aflumptions refpecting the genera- 
tion, growth, longevity, and native coun- 
try of animals, are manifeftly mere analo- 
gicai deduétions; and by adhering to 
thefe, he difplays fometimes an ealy credu- 
lity, at other times an outrageous {cepti- 
cifm. 
It ought never to be forgotten, that ana- 
logy, though often the fole applicable mode 
-of argumentation, is always much fhort of 
real proof, and never carries the weight of 
experiment and obfervation. Very fre- , 
quently, indeed, it is nothing more than 
the {port of a lively imagination, and 
fcarcely deferves the leaft attention in 
thofe who are engaged in the fober-invefti- 
gation of truth. Its chief ufe is to fug- 
geft objeéts and modes of experimental en- 
quiry ; and in this way the gwefes of in- 
genious men have often proved valuable, 
and have been verified in the event. One 
of the moft remarkable inftances of this 
kind is the conje€ture of Newton concern- 
ing the inflammable nature of the dia- | 
mond, drawn from the analogy of its aétion 
on the rays of light. But it was the pri- - 
vilege of that great man to difcern almoft 
intuitively truths which coft others a la- 
borious procefs of examination to eftablith. 
He, however, never trufted to any thing 
but mathematical demonftration, or expe- 
rimental proof ; and his modefty and cau- 
tion offer a moft inftructive example to alk 
other enquirers, too many of whom fur- 
pafs him in confidence and precipitation, 
in almoit as great a degree as they fall be- 
neath him in genius. 
= Re 2 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
O the Rie Bes Six biti threefeore 
| and fix (Rev. xui. 18.) feveraldifferent 
names of the popes, interpreted according 
to the arithmetica! notation of their. re{pec- 
tive languages, amevnt. Thus the let- 
ters of nv} (meaning the Roman beat, or 
Roman kingdoms) m Hebrew, and of 
Aatesveg (as the Greeks and other Orienta- 
lifts called thé people of the weftern church, 
or church of Rome, after the divilion of the 
empire, TREN. v. 30.) in Gréek numera- 
tion, are equivalent to 656. So likewife 
are the Reman numerals, in his Lafiz titles 
of ViCarIVs generaLIs Del In noe 
and ViCariVs tiLII Del. ~ 
It feems, indeed, that this kind of ar- 
gument may be carried to a_ fanciful 
degree. Thus the family name of the late 
pope in Greek (Bpacxs) amounts to 333 3 
and, theretore, the pontiff and his nephew 
jointly complete the fum ! LVDoVICVs 
alfo contains, accurately, the fame iil- 
omencd 
