OF THE NATURE OF METHOD AND THE SEVERAL

KINDS OF IT (VIZ.) NATURAL AND ARBITRARY

SYNTHETIC AND ANALYTIC.

ETHOD, taken in the largest fenfe, implies the

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placing of several things, or performing feveral operations in fuch an order as is most convenient to attain fome end propofed: and in this fenfe it is ap plied to all the works of nature and art, to all the divine affairs of creation and providence; and to the artifices, fchemes, contrivances and practices of mankind, whether in natural, civil, or facred affairs.

Now this orderly difposition of things includes the ideas of prior, pofterior, and simultaneous; of fuperior, inferior, and equal; of beginning, end, and middle, &c. which are defcribed more particularly among the general affections of being in ontology.

But in Logic method is ufually taken in a more limited fenfe, and the nature of it is thus defcribed: method is the difposition of a variety of thoughts on any fubject, in fuch order as may beft ferve to find out unknown truths, to explain and confirm truths that are known, or to fix them in the memory.

It is diftributed into two general kinds, (viz.) natural and arbitrary.

Natural method is that which obferves the order of nature, and proceeds in fuch a manner as that the knowledge of the things which follow depends, in a great measure, on the things which go before, and this is twofold, (viz.) Synthetic and Analytic, which are fometimes called Synthesis and Analysis*.

* The word Analyfis has three or four fenfes, which it may not be improper to take notice of here.

1. It fignifies the general and particular heads of a discourse, with their mutual connections, both co-ordinate and fubordinate, drawn out by way of abstract into one or more tables, which are frequently placed like an index at the beginning or end of a book.

2. It fignifies the refolving of a difcourfe into its various fubjects

Synthetic method is that which begins with the parts, and leads onward to the knowledge of the whole; it begins with the moft simple principles, and general truths, and proceeds by degrees to that which is drawn from or compounded of them: and therefore it is called the method of composition.

Analytic method takes the whole compound as it finds it, whether it be a fpecies or an individual, and leads us into the knowledge of it by refolving it into its first principles or parts, its generic nature, and its fpecial properties; and therefore it is called the method of refolution.

As fynthetic method is generally used in teaching the fciences, after they are invented, fo analytic is most practifed in finding out things unknown. Though it must be confeffed that both methods are fometimes employed to find out truth, and to communicate it.

If we know the parts of any fubject easier and better than the whole, we consider the parts distinctly, and by putting them together, we come to the knowledge of the whole. So in grammar we learn first to know letters, we join them to make fyllables, out of fylla

and arguments, as when any writing of the ancient prophets is refol ved into the prophetical, hiftorical, doctrinal, and practical parts of it; it is faid to be analysed in general. When a fentence is diftinguifhed into the Nouns, Verbs, Pronouns, Adverbs and other particles of fpeech which compofe it, then it is faid to be analyfed grammatically. When the fame fentence is diftinguished into Subject and predicate, Propofition, Argument, Act, Object, Cause, Effect, Adjunct, Oppofite, &c. then it is analyfed logically, and metaphyfically. This laft is what is chiefly meant in the theological schools, when they fpeak of analyfing a text of fcripture.

3. Analyfis fignifies particularly the fcience of algebra, wherein a question being propofed, one or more letters, as, x, y, z, or vowels, as, a, e, i, &c. are made use of to fignify the unknown number, which being intermingled with feveral known numbers in the queftion, is at laft by the rules of art separated or released from that entanglement, and its particular value is found out by fhewing its equation, or equality to fome known number.

4. It fignifies analytical method, as here explained in Logic.

*Note, It is confefled that fynthesis often begins with the genus and proceeds to the species and individuals. But the genus or generic. nature is then confidered only as a phyfical or effential part of the fpecies, though it be fometimes called" an universal or logical whole. Thus fynthetic method maintains its own defcription ftill, for it begins with the parts, and proceeds to the whole which is compofed of them

bles we compofe words, and outhof words we make fentences and difcourles. So the physician or apothecary knows the nature and powers of his simples, (viz.) his drugs, his herbs, his minerals, and put

ting them together, and considering their feveral vir tues, he finds what will be the nature and powers of the bolus, or any compound medicine: This is the fynthetic method.

But if we are better acquainted with the whole than we are with particular parts, then we divide or refolve the whole into its parts, and thereby gain a distinct knowledge of them. So in vulgar life we learn in the grofs what plants or minerals are; and then by chymistry we gain the knowledge of falt, fulphur, fpirit, water, earth, which are the principles of them. So we are first acquainted with the whole body of an animal, and then by anatomy or diffection we come to learn all the inward and outward parts of it. This is analytic method.

According to this most general and obvious idea of fynthetic and analytic method, they differ from each other as the way! which leads up from a valley to a mountain differs from itself, confider as it leads down from the mountain to the valley; or as St Matthew' and St Luke prove Chrift to be the fon of Abraham; Luke finds out by analyfis, rifing from Chrift to his ancestors; Matthew teaches it in the fynthetic method, beginning from Abraham, and fhewing that Chrift is found among his pofterity. Therefore it is an usual thing in the fciences, when we have by analyfis found out a truth, we ufe fynthetic method to explain and deliver it, and prove it to be true.

In this easy view of things, thefe two kinds of method may be preferved confpicuously, and entirely dif tinet: but the fubjects of knowledge being infinite, and the ways whereby we arrive at this knowledge being almoft infinitely various, it is very difficult, and almoft impoffible, always to maintain the precife diftinction between these two methods.

This will evidently appear in the following obfervations.

Obf. I. Analytic method being ufed chiefly to find out things unknown, it is not limited or confined mere

ly to begin with fome whole fubject, and proceed to the knowledge of its parts, but it takes its rife fometimes from one fingle part of property, or from any thing whatsoever that belongs to a fubject which happens to be first and most eafily known, and thereby inquiries into the more abftrufe and unknown parts, properties, caufes, effects, and modes of it, whether abfolute or relative; as for instance.

(1.) Analyfis finds out caufes by their effects. So in the fpeculative part of natural philofophy, when we obferve light, colours, motions, hardness, foftnefs, and other properties and powers of bodies, or any of the common or uncommon appearances of things either on earth, or in heaven, we fearch out the causes of them. So by the various creatures we find out the Creator, and learn his wifdom, power and goodness.

(2) It finds out effects by their caufes. So the practical and mechanical part of natural philofophy confiders fuch powers of motion, as the wind, the fire, the water, &c. and then contrives what uses they may be applied to, and what will be their effects in order to make mills and engines of various kinds.

So

(3.) It finds out the general and fpecial nature of a thing by confidering the various attributes of the individuals, and obferving what is common, and what is proper, what is accidental, and what is effential. by furveying the colour, the fhape, motion, rest, place, folidity, extenfion of bodies, we come to find that the nature of body in general is folid extenfion; because all other qualities of bodies are changeable, but this be longs to all bodies, and it endures through all changes; and because this is proper to a body alone, and agrees not to any thing elfe; and it is the foundation of all other properties.

(4.) It finds out the remaining properties or parts of a thing, by having fome parts or properties given. So the area of a triangle is found by knowing the keight and the bafe. So by having two fides, and an angle of a triangle given, we find the remaining fide and angles. So when we know cogitation is the prime attribute of a fpirit, we infer its immateriality, and thence its immortality.

(5.) Analyfis finds the means neceffary to attain a

propofed end, by having the end firft affigned. So in' moral, political, economical affairs, having propofed the government of felf, a family, a fociety, or a nation, in order to their best interest, we confider and fearch' out what are the proper laws, rules and means to effect it. So in the practices of artificers, and the manufactures of various kinds, the end being propofed, as, making cloth, houfes, fhips, &c. we find out ways of compofing these things for the feveral ufes of human life. But the putting any of these means in execution' to attain the end, is fynthetic method.

Many other particulars might be reprefented, to fhew the various forms of analytic method, whereby truth is found out, and fome of them come very near to fynthetic, fo as hardly to be diftinguifhed.

Obf. II. Not only the investigation of truth, but the communication of it alfo is often practifed in fuch a method, as neither agrees precifely to fynthetic ner analytic. Some fciences, if you confider the whole of them in general, are treated in fynthetic order; fo physics, or natural philofophy, begins ufually with an account of the general nature and properties of matter' or bodies, and by degrees defcends to confider the particular fpecies of bodies, with their powers and properties; yet it is very evident, that when philofophiers come to particular plants and animals, then by chymistry and anatomy they analyfe or refolve thefe bodies into their several constituent parts. On the other hand, Logic is begun in analytic method; the whole is divided into its integral parts, according to the four operations of the mind; yet here and there fynthetic method is used in the particular branches of it, for it treats of the ideas in general firft, and then defcends to the several species of them; it teaches us how propofitions are made up of ideas, and fyllogifms of propofitions, which is the order of compofitions.

The ancient fcholaftic writers have taken a greater' deal of pains, and engaged in ufelefs difputes about thefe two methods; and after all have not been able to give fuch an account of them as to keep them entirely diftinct from each other, neither in the theory nor in the practice. Some of the moderns have avoided this confufion in fome measure, by confining themfelves to

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