of the body of science among the objects that are equally beyond their resources and their hopes.

The last objection is, that such a society is visionary and impracticable; there is a large body of the same class with the critics of Columbus, who find every undertaking to be perfectly simple, as soon as it is accomplished, and altogether visionary, before it is effected; with them, time is the only demonstrator, and to time they must be left. Probably an attempt to form a universal association might be premature at the present moment, but before another generation passes, such a society is likely to be in active operation. Since authority with most men is of more weight than truth, the following observations of Bacon, which combine both, are sufficient to refute the notion of the impossibility of such a society being formed, or of its attaining those objects in their full extent, which it is intended to effect. "I take it those things are to be held possible, which may be done by some person, though not by every one; and which may be done by many, though not by any one; and which may be done in succession of ages, though not within the hour-glass of one man's life; and which may be done by public designation, though not by private endeavour. But

notwithstanding, if any man will take to himself rather that of Solomon, Dicit piger, leo est in via, than that of Virgil, Possunt quia posse videntur; I shall be content that my labours be esteemed but as the better sort of wishes; for as it asketh some knowledge to demand a question not impertinent, so it requireth some sense to make a wish not absurd."

V. The first object of a general association would be, to go over the same ground which has been traversed by Bacon, in his advancement of learning, and to form a complete survey of the existing state of science. Many of the objects pointed out in that work have been partially or completely attained; but still it is melancholy to observe, how many of the deficiencies there noted remain deficiencies still, and that large portions of the ample field he surveyed are lying as waste and neglected as when he found them and described them. No king has arisen with a mind large enough to conceive or execute the "Opera Basilica," which Bacon very unfortunately assigned to kings, if ever he wished them to be accomplished. Universities still have a malign aspect and influence upon the growth of science," and notwithstanding King James's maxim, lauded by Ba

con as most wise and princely, "that in all usages and precedents, the times must be considered wherein they first began; which, if they were weak and ignorant, it derogateth from the authority of the usage and leaveth it for suspect," yet these unchangeable bodies still assert and amply vindi cate their pedigree from the dark ages.

The very first work which Bacon proposed-A literary history, may still be noted as deficient. The part of it which has been most cultivated is that which enumerates the metaphysical opinions of the ancients; and yet I would prefer the brief notices of them which are to be found in the writ ings of Cicero, corrupted and infected as these notices are with the colouring and doubts of the academic philosophy, to all the other works that have been accumulated on the same subject. The earliest historians of metaphysics in modern times excelled in collecting the mass of opinions, and in separating it from the spirit of the ancient philosophy, which gave that mass its coherence: and the later writers of the same class, who are chiefly of the school of Kant, will not allow the Greeks to speak their own sentiments, but force them, at all hazards, to transcendentalize, as if one

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and all of them had spent his probationary year in solving the barbaric terminology of Kant.

But a literary history, unconfined to any particular branch of science, and enlarged to comprehend the whole progress of knowledge, joined to an enumeration of the causes that made knowledge progressive, has scarcely been attempted, and can never be well executed until the history of each branch is thoroughly digested and completed. These observations apply to the commencement of Bacon's survey; but to go through the whole of it, and to do it full justice, would be a work of itself; and in the variety of its topics ought to be assigned to a society rather than to an individual in this advanced stage of knowledge -when the parts are far separated, and a single life is not sufficient to obtain an intimate acquaintance with them all. In prosecuting a survey of the present state of knowledge, a universal association might find employment highly conducive to future discovery; and a work which would give back the image of our present attainments would be the best preparation for entering upon a new untrodden path, stretching beyond the bounds of all that has been hitherto acquired.

Such a general survey would advance science by the very act of its being made; the very stirring up of all its parts would conduce to their future productiveness, as the mere turning up of the soil augments its fertility and adds to the plenty of the ensuing harvest. Science, while it was surveyed, would be unintentionally enriched, and seeds that had long remained dormant in it, being brought to light, would immediately vegetate. What was already acquired would gain in value; and the line would be clear and defined from which others must depart to obtain fresh accessions. A society having possessed this vantage ground would have a clear view of its present resources and future prospects; and occupying the outlets to fresh discoveries, might advance at pleasure in whatever direction it chose. But the great advantage in this survey would be the noting of all the defects, and the exposure of whatever was weak, unfinished, or ill-accomplished, and the impression that would be broadly and strongly given, that much remained to be done before knowledge attained to its fair and just proportions; for every discovery has been preceded by a want being previously felt. Without this feeling, inventions, even if presented to observation, would not be attended