139. Formam enim inquirendi et inveniendi apud antiquos et ipsi profitentur, et scripta eorum prae se ferunt. Ea autem non alia fuit, quam utab exemplis quibusdam et particularibus (additis notionibus communibus, et fortasso portione nonnulla ex opinionibus receptis, quae maxime placuerunt) ad conclusiones maxime generalia sire principia scientiarum, advolarent; ad quorum veritatem immotam et fixam, conclusiones inferiores per media educerent ac probarent, ex quibus artem constituebant.
Tum demum si nova particularia et exempla mota essent et adducta, quae platiris suis refragarentur; illa aut per distinctiones, aut per regularum suarum explanationes, in ordinem subtiliter redegebant; aut demum per exceptiones grosso modo summovebant. At rerum particularium non refragrantium causas, ad illa principia sua laboriose et pertinaciter accommodabant. Verum nec historia naturalis et experientia illa erat, quam fuisse oportebat (longe certe abest;) et ista advolatia ad generalissima, omnia perdidit. Nov, Org. L. I. cxxv 140. "Non, si omnia omnium aetatum ingenia coierent, et labores contulerint et transmiserint, progressus magnus fieri peterit in scientiis per anticipationes: quia errores radicales, et in prima digestione mentis ab excellentia fanctiorum et remediorum sequentium non curantur."Nov. Org. Lib. I. xxx.
141. Ibid. c. xxi.
142. Verum infirmior orenino est malo medicina;(Ars dialectica scilicet) nec ipsa mali expers -- naturae enim subtilitatem longo intervallo non attingit; et prensando quod non capit, ad errores potius stabiliendos, et quasi figendos, quam ad viam veritati aperiendam valuit -- hoc subest fraudis, quod syllogismus ex propositionibus constet, propositiones ex verbis, verba autem notionum tesserae et signa sint. Itaque si notiones ipsae mentis (quae verborum quasi anima sunt, et totius hujusmodi structurae ac fabricae basis) male ac temere a rebus abstraetae, et vagae, nec satis definitae et circumscriptae, denique multis media vitiosae fuerint, omnia ruunt." Nov. Org. Praf.
143. "Une science experimentale," Say. See note on Storch, p. 24, vol. 1. of the "Cours d'Econome Politique," where he declares it to be precisely similar to modern mechanical science, "la mecanique analytique." The comparison should have been, as we have seen, with the ancient mechanical philosophy.
144. "Neque illud qucnquam moveat, qnod in libris ejus (Aristolelis) de animatibus, et in problematibus, et in aliis suis tractatibus, versatio frequens sit in experimentis. llle enim prius decreverat, neque experientiam ad constituenda decreta et axiomata rite consuluit;sed postquam pro arbitrio suo decrevissit, experientiam ad sua placita tortam circumducit, et captivam; ut hoc etiam nomine magis accusandus sit, quam sectatores ejus moderni (scholasticorum philosopherum genus) qui experientiam omnino deseruerunt." Nov'. Org. ib. L. I. lxiii.
145. Desir de 1' homme d' ameliorer son sort: principe qui est au monde moral, ce que la gravitation est an monde phisique. Storch 146. It will be observed that I here, and throughout, speak of self-interest in the common and familiar sense. The author of the Theory of Moral Sentiments was not an utilitarian. If the reader happen to be so, he will perceive that the argument is not altered, the names only have to be so.
147. Etenim forma naturae alicujus talis est, ut ea posita, natura data infallibiliter sequatur. Itaque adest purpetud, quando natura illa. adest, atque eam universaliter affirmat, atque inest omni. Eadem forma talis est, ut ea amota, natura data infallibiliter fugiat.
Itaque abest perpetuo, quando natura illa adest, eam que pertuo abnegat, atque inest soli. Nov. Org. Lib II. iv.
148. Omnino sequetur ut non recipiatur alique natura pro vera forma, nisi per petuo decrescat quando natura ipsa descrescit, et similiter perpetuo augeatur quando natura ipsa augetur. Nov. Org. Lib.
II. xiii.
149. Le désir d'ameliorer son sort -- le désir d'etre heureux. Storch, vol. I. p. 44, 45.
150. Nemo enim rei alicujus naturam in ipsa re, recte ant feliciter perscrutatur. Nov. Org. Praef. Instantias remotas et heterogeneas, per quas axiomata, tanquam igne probantur. Ibid, Lib. I.
xlvii.
151. Note K.
152. "Via altera ab initio ardua et difficilis, desinet in apertum; altera primo intuitu expedita et proclivis, ducat in avia et praecipitia."153. vol. IV. p. 266.
154. Wealth of Nations, Book V. c. I.
155. Account of the Life and Writings of Dr. Smith, by Dugald Stewart, p. 104.
156. See Book I. c. ii. and Book II. c. x. and xiii.
157. Book I. c. ii.
158. Book II. c. x.
159. Works, vol. I. Report on Manufactures. Book II. c. xiv.
160. Book II. c. xi.
161. The quantity consumed is small, it would in all likelihood be much greater were it not for the difficulty of distinguishing it from whisky of the country, which sells at less than one fourth of the price. Scotch whisky being 10s per gallon, Canadian from 2s to 3s.
162. See page 321, 322.
163. It is remarkable that neither Adam Smith, nor Mr. Say, nor Mr. Storch, although they have stated distinctly enough in' various places, that many commodities derive their whole, or the greater part of their value, from the gratification they afford to vanity, -- their power to mark the superiority of one man over another, -- seem to have perceived that the admission was fatal to the majority of their theoretical conclusions. They consequently have not thought it necessary to adduce any reasons to show that the operations of the legislator, on such commodities, may not have the beneficial effects indicated in the text. Mr. Say, indeed, has the following passage.
