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although not altogether overlooked by Lord Bacon, were plainly not the principal object of his work; and what he has written on the subject, consists chiefly of detached hints dropt casually in the course of other speculations. A comprehensive View of the sciences and arts dependent on the -philosophy of the human mind, exhibiting the relations which they bear to each other, and to the general system of human knowledge, would form a natural and useful introduction to the study of these logical principles; but such a View remains still a desideratum, after all the advances made towards it by Bacon and D'Alembert. Indeed, in the present improved state of things, much is wanting to complete and perfect that more simple part of their intellectual map which relates to the material universe.-Of the inconsiderable progress hitherto made towards a just delineation of the Method to be pursued in studying the mental phenomena, no other evidence is necessary than this, That the sources of error and false judgment, so peculiarly connected, in consequence of the association of ideas, with studies in which our best interests are immediately and deeply concerned, have never yet been investigated with such accuracy, as to afford effectual aid to the student, in his attempts to counteract their influence. One of these sources alone,-that which arises from the imperfections of language,-furnishes an exception to the general remark. It attracted, fortunately, the particular notice of Locke, whose observations with respect to it,

compose, perhaps, the most valuable part of his philosophical writings; and, since the time of Condillac, the subject has been still more deeply analyzed by others. Even on this article, much yet remains to be done; but enough has been already accomplished to justify the profound aphorism in which Bacon pointed it out to the attention of his followers:-"Credunt homines rationem suam verbis imperare ; "sed fit etiam ut verba vim suam super rationem retorqueant *."

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Into these logical discussions concerning the means of advancing the philosophy of human nature, Dr Reid has seldom entered; and still more rarely has he indulged himself in tracing the numerous relations, by which this philosophy is connected with the practical business of life. But he has done what was still more essential at the time he wrote: he has exemplified, with the happiest success, that method of investigation by which alone any solid progress can be made; directing his inquiries to a subject which forms a necessary groundwork for the labours of his successors,-an analysis of the various powers and principles belonging to our constitution. Of the importance of this undertaking, it is sufficient to observe, that it stands somewhat, although I confess not

This passage of Bacon forms the motto to a very ingenious and philosophical dissertation (lately published by M. Prevost of Geneva), entitled, "Des Signes en"visagés relativement à leur Influence sur la Formation des Idées." Paris, an 8.

altogether, in the same relation to the different branches of intellectual and moral science (such as grammar, rhetoric, logic, ethics, natural theology, and politics), in which the anatomy of the human body stands to the different branches of physiology and pathology. And as a course of medical education naturally, or rather necessarily, begins with a general survey of man's animal frame; so, I apprehend, that the proper, or rather the essential preparation for those studies which regard our nobler concerns, is an examination of the principles which belong to man as an intelligent, active, social, and moral being. Nor does the importance of such an analysis rest here; it exerts an influence over all those sciences and arts which are connected with the material world; and the philosophy of Bacon itself, while it points out the road to physical truth, is but a branch of the philosophy of the human mind.

The substance of these remarks is admirably expressed by Mr Hume in the following passage,—allowances being made for a few trifling peculiarities of expression, borrowed from the theories which were prevalent at the time when he wrote: ""Tis evident, that all the sciences have a relation, greater " or less, to human nature, and that, however wide any of "them may seem to run from it, they still return back by "one passage or another. Even mathematics, natural philosophy, and natural religion, are in some measure de

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pendent on the science of man; since they lie under the cognisance of men, and are judged of by their powers and "faculties. It is impossible to tell what changes and improvements we might make in these sciences, were we thoroughly acquainted with the extent and force of human "understanding, and could explain the nature of the ideas we employ, and of the operations we perform in our rea“sonings.

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If, therefore, the sciences of mathematics, natural philosophy, and natural religion, have such a dependence on "the knowledge of man, what may be expected in the other " sciences, whose connection with human nature is more "close and intimate? The sole end of logic is to explain "the principles and operations of our reasoning faculty, and "the nature of our ideas: morals and criticism regard our

tastes and sentiments: And politics consider men as united "in society, and dependent on each other. In these four "sciences of logic, morals, criticism and politics, is compre❝hended almost every thing which it can any way import us to be acquainted with, or which can tend either to the improvement or ornament of the human mind.

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"Here, then, is the only expedient from which we can "hope for success in our philosophical researches; to leave "the tedious, lingering method, which we have hitherto fol

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lowed; and, instead of taking, now and then, a castle or village on the frontier, to march up directly to the capital or centre of these sciences, to human nature itself; which being once masters of, we may everywhere else hope for "an easy victory. From this station, we may extend our "conquests over all those sciences which more intimately "concern human life, and may afterwards proceed at leisure to discover more fully those which are the objects of pure curiosity. There is no question of importance, whose "decision is not comprized in the science of man; and there " is none which can be decided with any certainty, before "we become acquainted with that science."

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Το prepare the way for the accomplishment of the design so forcibly recommended in the foregoing quotation, by exemplifying, in an analysis of our most important intellectual and active principles, the only method of carrying it successfully into execution, was the great object of Dr Reid, in all his various philosophical publications. In examining these principles, he had chiefly in view a vindication of those fundamental laws of belief which form the groundwork of human knowledge, against the attacks made on their authority in some modern systems of scepticism; leaving to his successors the more agreeable task of applying the philosophy of the mind to its practical uses. On the analysis and classification of our powers, which he has proposed, much room

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