Page:The Harveian oration ; delivered at the Royal College of Physicians, June 26th, 1879 (IA b24976465).pdf/32

 and, on the other hand, we know that our greatest scientific men, from Harvey downwards, had little technical acquaintance with the methods they were practising. I should say that most discoverers, indeed, were totally unacquainted with philosophic terms, or at least in their writings no allusion is made to the methods employed. Amongst our own friends engaged in researches, one seldom hears philosophy discussed; and indeed where such terms as inductive or deductive appear prominently in their pages, I have myself remarked that there is little hope of gleaning a scientific fact.

It is generally supposed that Newton never read Bacon's writings, but what a perfect model was he of the scientific man. What could be more splendid than for his great induction to bear such fruits as the discovery of the planet Neptune by a necessary deduction. Look at those amongst ourselves who are adding to our knowledge, and where we have an opportunity of watching their manner of working, we shall perceive that they are not consciously pursuing any method, but will declare that they have never read a line of Bacon, of Mill, or of any other philosophic writer. Whether