propagation of truth, it will die at last a virgin, without bringing into the world one new discovery.

How far the Dialectic of the Stagyrite has contributed to the eafe and advantage of Conversation, and to the clearness and elegance of that intercourfe which obtains in the higher and more literate departments of fociety, is a point, which may be faid to be truly problematical.

But that his third expectation, that of Exercife, which, fince he places it the first in order, feems to have been the chief in his intention, has been fully anfwered, is a truth confirmed by the fruitless experience of many ages as the exercise of Difputation, not the emolument of learning, was his great and leading object. This Logic is, indeed, admirably calculated for this favourite end. Its Principles and Axioms are all fo loosely and indifcriminately formed, and are in themfelves so vague and indistinct, that they will apply to one queftion as well as to another and, by its artful management of Terms and Propofitions in the different forms of Syllo

gifms, they can often be adapted to one fide of the question as well as the other. By this Syllogiftic dexterity and Sophiftic art, fo much darknefs and confufion can be introduced into every fubject, that the Difputation, after many a round, in which the combatants on both fides are fwelled with ideal conqueft, terminates in an unedifying logomachy, or contest of artificial words. Inftead of useful and fober truth, in which both would equally rejoice and mutually partake, the refult is furious contention, proud animofity, and perfonal refentment. Instead of being determined and finally decided, by which they would be loft, the fame queftions which were difputed remained to be disputed ftill; and were preferved with a jealous care, for the emolument of this favourite Exercife, to be the subjects of future contefts, future

St. Paul has given us an admirable picture drawn by his expreffive pencil from his obfervation on a Disputant in Theology. Τετύφωται, μηδὲν ἐπιςάμενος, ἀλλὰ νοσῶν περὶ ζητήσεις καὶ λοτομαχίας· ἐξ ὧν γίνεταὶ φθόνος, ἔρις, βλασφημίαι, ὑπόνοια, πονηραὶ, παραδιατριβαὶ διεφθαρμένων ανθρώ πων τὸν νῦν, καὶ ἀπεςερημένων τῆς ἀληθείας. I Tim. vi. 4,50 victories

victories, and future triumphs. And, to complete this Exercise with every neceffary equipment for its honour and extention, its founder has delivered the precepts for the Affailant to make his attack fo as to be fure of victory, and for the Refpondent to keep him at such a distance, as never to be forced to yield: but that each defcend from the well-fought

may

field with the pride of an able warrior, and with something like conqueft on his brow. lac

For the fake of this Exercife, the Schoolmen embraced a Logic difpoffeffed-of every other ufe or qualification, which they erected into the standard of their Discipline and the director of all their ftudies, and which, together with the other works of Ariftotle, they cherished by a weak and ignorant, though unanimous, affent. It indulged

See the 2d book of the First Analytics, and the laft book of the Topics.

Quod vero putant homines in philofophia Ariftotelis magnum utique confenfum effe-illud de confenfu fallit homines fi acutius rem introfpiciant. Verus enim confenfus is eft, qui ex libertate judicii, re prius explorata, in idem conveniente confiftit. Baconi Nov. Org. lib. i. Aph. 77.

Q

their indolence, and flattered their vanity. And whilst they devoted their whole attention to his works, they idolized their author, Here all improvement in science was checked at once, the progrefs of learning hindered; every attempt to advance in knowledge defeated and difgraced; and the road to learning was ftopped with Ariftotle, who became both the umpire of Reasoning and the standard of a Truth.'

Si hujufmodi fcientiæ plane res mortua non effent, id minime videtur eventurum fuiffe, quod per multa jam fæcula ufu venit; ut illæ fuis immotæ fere hæreant veftigiis, nec incrementa genere humano digna fumant ; eo ufque ut fæpenumero non folum affertio maneat affertio, fed etiam quæftio maneat quæftio, et per difputationes non folvatur, fed figatur et alatur; omnifque traditio et fucceffio difciplinarum repræfentet et exhibeat perfonas magiftri et auditoris, non inventoris et ejus qui inventis aliquid eximium adjiciat. In artibus autem mechanicis, contrarium evenire videmus: Quæ ac fi auræ cujufdam vitalis forent particepes, quotidie crefcunt et perficiuntur; et in primis authoribus rudes plerunque et fere onerofæ et informes apparent, postea vero novas virtutes commoditatem quandam adipifcuntur, co ufque ut citius ftudia hominum et cupiditates deficiant et mutentur, quam illæ ad culmen et perfectionem fuam pervenerint. Philofophia contra et fcientiæ intellectuales, ftatuarum more, adorantur et celebrantur, fed non promoventur: quin etiam in primo nonnunquam authore maxime vingent, et deinceps degenerant. Ibid. de Aug. Sc. Præf.

And

And thus, after levelling the fystems of all the philofophers before him, and producing others of his own invention, and after leaving fome vague and general hypothefes as a legacy to his difciples, with a fund to raise more at pleasure, that they might do immortal honour to his Logic' by affording it perpetual exercife in the Schools of Athens and other places, Aristotle locked up the temple of Knowledge and threw away the key, which, in the abfurd and fuperftitious veneration of his authority, was loft for many ages. It was found, at laft, by a native of our own country, whofe name as a philofopher and particularly as a logician,' does

Adamant homines fcientias et contemplationes parti culares; aut quia authores et inventores fe earum credunt; aut quia plurimum in illis operæ pofuerunt, iifque maxime affueverunt. Hujufmodi vero homines fi ad philofophiam et contemplationes univerfales fe contulerint, illas ex prioribus phantafiis, detorquent et corrumpunt; id quod maxime confpicuum cernitur in Ariftotele, qui naturalém fuam philofophiam, logicæ fuæ prorfus mancipavit, ut eam fere inutilem et contentiofam reddiderit. Ibid. Nov. Org. lib. i. Aph. 54.

Illud vero monendum, nos in hoc noftro organo trac tare logicam, non philofophiam. Nov. Org. lib. ii. Aph,

52.

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