New-York tribune., 1870-12-21

1
hs wants. and necessities, and comforts. Philosophy"
said Seneca, in reply TO Posidonious who Inadvertently
enss 81 the arch and the proper use of metals in the
Philosophy teaches TO be independent Of all
wise lives according 10 nature. Instead Of at
tempting 10 add TO the physical comforts OF his species,
When The human race had no protection against the cold
the skins Of Wild beasts, from the but
venton or Improvement Of piow Ship, or a mill, is
insult. In my own time there have been inventions of
warmth equally through all parts OF building short
hand, which has been carried TO such perfection that
the nventng OF such things druggey for the lowest
slaves philosophy lies deeper II Is not her once to
lessons IL to form the soul Non est inqna. insTnmen
told" exclaimed Se that Tie first shoemaker was
philosopher IL has been well said that in the minds OF
deelam in praise of poverty with two millions sterling
out at usury tomeditate epgammatc coneets about te
soveregns rant about liberty, while fawnng on the
insoent and pamPered freedmen OF tyrant 70 oele @
which had just before written defense Of the murder ot
mother by son" But II this style Of thought and
for more than 1900 years Socrates aristotle Plato
seneca cicero an ved IN an % amospnefe ran.mt o. 70 tS
student all the submiy OF thought OF which Unite man
can reach all the religious confidence and trust wmch
man attain unaided by the Eight Of revelation ~ Is
have exercised supreme sovereignty in the Kingdom Of
Thought and that great minds should have followed them
|
haps is this misfortune. For it not easy to tell
the intellectual effort which they have inspired nor to
count the scholars they have created, nor to valne
| too highly the assurance which they nlYe even Hhn
not decay even though material grandeur shall perish
and be buried beneath secumulating dust We are Will
ages the darkness OF which their lights were not ex
tinguished and In the radiance OF which u was tnelr
Snr Obligations to them would have been increased had
they and their followers substituted for wearying dspu
the foundation of se scoSere and not as sub
ec for fresh controversy and mere mental exercise ma
doubt 10 wait for light; but s the hours are weary
ssdder than that Of the great scientist
OF middle who, blinded by the user of schoas-
astcisu struggled in vain TO emancipate practical
science and left behind him his own hints as guide,
who coming sfter him fell on more fortunate times We
told that when Roger Bacon In 1884, studied nsthe-
self and his friends in purchasing the most costly instru
ments OF his times, experimental philosophy was httie
and his researches excited the hostility or his
fellows. He devoted student OF Aristotle ana al
possible to carry the teachings Of t6s great philosopher
into practical sciences at time when al science @ Sss
ter than magic His writings were condemned in his
old age he imprisoned, and he died In neglect He
the great antcpato OF science and the selentno
which dawned the world three centuries after
his death He conceived the discovery Of The telescope
and knew the composition OF gunpowder but was not
permitted TO witness the glorious revelations OF the one
the nestimable force OF the other with hl; mind
filed with visions Of scientific grandeur, he could get
but little further than to declare that the causes OF the
/
lived were-tOo much blind confidence in authority; too
much respect for custom, TOO much regard 1or
ishness. which induces one to regard as dan
gerous puerle whatever he does not know But he
control over ali the doctrines submitted to ts approba
ton he insists upon the dignity and the importance Of
which 10 be cultivated and he establishes expert
ence rather than reasoning the proper method of re-
hind him only his appeal for Intellectual pr0gress and
preparing the way for more defiant aud Revolutionary
Of great discoveries Rn1 popular assertion and rt
giOus reform. aud eancpated science Three centuries
passed away before his prophesies were fulfilled.
THE BAOoSIAN ERA.
And now the great struggle commenced. Men still be-
leyed with Plato that science mere intellectual
exercise and amusement that the study OF arithmetic
intended for any practical service in lfe but TO
habtuate the nindto the contemplation OF pure truth
that mathematics, applied to any purpose Of vulgar
utility became a low craft. he called H. M only for
carpenters and Northumberland longer noble
science leading To the knowledge OF abstract es
senta eternal truth that the use OF astronomy IA not
to add to vulgar comforts Of e but to assist in rails
ing the mind to the contemplation Of things which
be perceived by the pure intellect alone;' that the
whose constitutions good and not TO those who by in
so permanently enfeebed that their heads grow ddy
and full when eXerted in the sudiOus contemplation OF
SeBS death Fsst the science Of legislation was based
upon abstract virtue, and not upon that practical wis
upon the principles OF patriotism and honesty and
courage. and honor and furnish the mghest iaGaes U
moIested or nsuited for It," as Cen Grant said in his
! memorable conversation with Judge HOar.
But this not enough TO satisfy the mind Of Francis
Bacon. who assumed the leadership of the great
scientific revolution begun by him and carried in
day by the deyOees Of science everywhere Entertain
ing profound respect and admiration for tbe great
moving by his own natural along the high
plane thought which they occupied he stopped down
nsnH nng fH and honey attribute Known az Common
Tobe philosopher meant with INN 70 pe tne mos, ase
| Of having invented methodized and in considerable
degree perfected the general plan for the Improvement
perrin Instead Of hypothesis he asked Tor Facts
gathered soorousy rom the Tatch m oi na1re sbd
trials and carried forward by careful generazation from
WAYS from causes 10 effects and impatient his mind
OF mere distractions that he rested until he had
clearly for instance conceived Of thermometer he in
stuted ingenious experiments on the conpressibty OF
bodies and OF the density and weight OF ar ne suggests
chemical processes he suspected the law OF universal
attraction sfterward demonstrated by Newton; he
foresaw the application OF the tides, ana the cas
Of colors which he ascribes 20 the manner In which
Sodesowing 10 their different te1turerenect the rays
Of light ASK follower Of Bacon We are told what the
new philosophy, it called in the time OF Charles
! H. has effected for mankind. and his answer is
ready: at has heightened life; it has mitigated pain il
has gushed diseases II has increased the fertility
has furnished 10 the warrior It has spanned
great rivers and esusres with bridges OF form unknown
10 our fathers has guided the thunderbot nnocuousy
from heaven earth IL has lighted up the night with
ReqdoT Of e day il has I Of nf be edngs
muscle has accelerated notion 1t has annihated dis
RSe oces me- a patcS Of business il has enabled
man TO the depths of the sea- 10 soar into the
earth TO traverse land in which whirl along
without horses and the in ships which sail against
the wind but part OF its fruits, and OF It's
nrst fruits For IL is a philosophy which never rests
which has attained it, which is never perfect It's
law is progress point which yesterday was invisible
goal to-day and will be its startng-point on0r
| row
Fruits OF HDUcTIvH REASONING.
have said Lord Bacon endeavored 10 found his
theory OF philosophy common sense think he estab
shed process by which he could reach the highest
philosophical truth, upon the principles Of common hon
esty. He proposed no new method Of reasoning. The
danger and weakness Of syogsm were discovered long
h.. Anr, .alne nf indmciinu Ind heeu