Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 44.djvu/278

268 because the earth was big to the eye and the sun small, the former must be the central orb and the latter the satellite; that mystic powers resided in certain numbers, and so on! To-day we come to Nature as simple questioners, not telling her what she must be, but asking her what she is, and what are her laws, A certain amount of knowledge, of course, we have gained, and this we use as capital for the accumulation of more; but even our best-established conclusions we hold subject to revision, at least as regards their theoretical expression. Even on the strength of experience we do not undertake to dictate as to what must be, for all experience is, we are aware, imperfect. We know in part, and therefore, when we are wise, we prophesy but in part. To revert for a moment to the science of astronomy, it may be said that we find there an unending series of lessons against a priori and absolute views. The planets are not perfect sphere?; their orbits are not perfect circles, nor do they perfectly retain their form; their rates of movement are not uniform; their inclinations to the planes in which they move undergo constant changes. It might be supposed beforehand that they would all be developed on the same plan and in some regular order of gradation; but no, they increase in size from Mercury to the earth; then we have the moon (which is strictly a planet) of much inferior size; then Mars, much larger than the moon, but much smaller than the earth; then the fragmentary asteroids; then the giant Jupiter; then Saturn and Uranus successively smaller; and finally Neptune, larger than Uranus but smaller than Saturn. Again, as if to show a unique example of the way in which rings were thrown off from the original nebula, Saturn alone of all the planets is surrounded by rings which, in some way, managed to preserve their equilibrium as rings instead of being rolled together by gravitation into spheres. The solar system as a whole seems to speak to us in commanding tones and say, "When the laws and phenomena of Nature are concerned, don't assume to know what ought to be, but find out what is." On this line of the patient study of Nature all the victories of modern science, we might almost say of modern civilization, have been won.

Science is now of age and can take care of itself, but we have not to look back very far in the history of the world in order to come to the time when it had to ask the permission of Theology and so-called Philosophy for every step it took, and when frequently its progress was absolutely barred by some arbitrary mandate. In our own day even, what opprobrium has been heaped upon geologists like Lyell, and biologists like Darwin, simply because their conclusions threatened to disturb those in which the orthodox world, on wholly insufficient evidence, had been pleased to settle down! Henceforth Science will brook no dictation. She will not herself dictate to Nature, and she will suffer no arbitrary authority to dictate to her. What is scientifically true will be determined by evidence industriously gathered, carefully sifted, and cautiously interpreted; and the world will reap the benefit of the principles thus established in ever new additions to the comforts and refinements of life. Still more important, however, it may be hoped, will the progress of scientific thought prove in the intellectual and moral sphere. We want what we have never had as yet, but what the labors of that truly great philosopher Herbert Spencer have at least in part provided for us, a true science of life—that is to say, a scientific treatment of the duties of life and the means of happiness. But meanwhile much advantage will result from the gradual spread of scientific methods of thought—methods which incline to caution, to a careful scrutiny of causes and consequences, in the sphere of social action.