method.

The separation of philosophy from theology is made emphatic in the
rejection of final causes by both Bacon and Descartes. Perhaps the most
effective of their novelties was the effort of Descartes to explain the
system of the world by matter and motion only, thus quietly setting
aside all causes and metaphysical entities which had hitherto been
invoked. The hypothesis of vortices was indeed soon disclosed to be
untenable; but the scientific attitude from which that hypothesis
proceeded was never afterward relinquished. It was a bold attempt at the
application of the objective method, and was only defective in its
restriction to cosmology, and its exclusion of biology, which was still
left to the subjective method, as I shall presently notice.

The second point on which Bacon and Descartes resemble each other is in
their conception of the results to be achieved by a totally new method.
Coming as they did on the top of the revolutionary wave which had washed
away the old methods, seeing as they saw the striking results of
physical research, and foreseeing yet more glorious conquests from the
spirit which achieved those results, they yielded themselves to the
pleasant illusion that a new method would rapidly solve all problems.
Bacon, as the more magnificent and imaginative mind, had grander visions
and more enthusiastic faith; but Descartes also firmly believed that the
new method was to do wonders. Indeed, it is interesting to note how
these great intellects seem quite unconscious of their individual
superiority, and are ready to suppose that their method will equalize
all intellects. It reminds us of Sydney Smith maintaining that any man
might be witty if he tried. Descartes affirms that "it is not so
essential to have a fine understanding as to apply it rightly. Those who
walk slowly make greater progress if they follow the right road than
those who run swiftly on a wrong one." To the same effect Bacon: "A
cripple on the right path will beat a racer on the wrong one." This is
true enough, but is beside the question. Equipped with good or bad
instruments, the superiority of one worker over another is always made
manifest; and it is precisely in the right use of a good method that the
scientific genius is called upon for its delicate and patient skill.

Into the vexed questions of Bacon's conduct, both with regard to Essex
and with regard to bribery, I cannot enter here; but referring the
curious to his biograp