Outlines of Analogical Philosophy Being a Primary View of the Principles Relations and Purposes of Nature Science and Art: V. 1 1839

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1839 Excerpt: ... GENERAL INTRODUCTION. Every work involves a design or subject,--a plan and execution: it has also a motive or inducement, which belongs less to the work itself than to its author; and for each of these he is accountable. With regard, therefore, to the Motive of the following attempt,--whether it may have been the vanity of establishing a new system, the meaner purpose of supplanting the many that have preceded it, or the better intention of reconciling their discordances,--or whether rather, wanting a nobler object, it may not have been that emulation of applause or profit which overcomes an author's dread of toil and disappointment,--may become questions, but are points of little moment, if the essay itself have but the merit of truth; for then it will not want interest, nor fail of a beneficial consequence. Nevertheless, it may serve to indicate the design and subject of the work to state, that its earliest and constant incentive has been the desire of answering the very natural inquiry of every thinking being,--what is the Universe in which he finds himself? From which spring, also, the questions,--what are his relations therein?--and what are the purposes of the whole? Such has been the motive to our attempt: the issue of which is to be regarded but as the endeavour of an individual to reply to these and their dependent inquiries, and to communicate his own satisfaction to others. And with regard to the plan and execution of the work, it may be expedient that we offer somewhat by way of general introduction and apology. Further, therefore, as to the plan adopted, it originated in an early attempt to methodize our philosophic studies so as to render them available to our design, for all subjects, upon a principle of intellectual economy, in the prosecuti...