Where our inquiry is concerning co-existence, or
repugnancy to co-exist, which by contemplation of our ideas we
cannot discover; there experience, observation, and natural history,
must give us, by our senses and by retail, an insight into corporeal
substances. The knowledge of bodies we must get by our senses,
warily employed in taking notice of their qualities and operations
on one another: and what we hope to know of separate spirits in this
world, we must, I think, expect only from revelation. He that shall
consider how little general maxims, precarious principles, and
hypotheses laid down at pleasure, have promoted true knowledge, or
helped to satisfy the inquiries of rational men after real
improvements; how little, I say, the setting out at that end has,
for many ages together, advanced men's progress, towards the knowledge
of natural philosophy, will think we have reason to thank those who in
this latter age have taken another course, and have trod out to us,
though not an easier way to learned ignorance, yet a surer way to
profitable knowledge.
13. The true use of hypotheses. Not that we may not, to explain
any phenomena of nature, make use of any probable hypotheses
whatsoever: hypotheses, if they are well made, are at least great
helps to the memory, and often direct us to new discoveries.
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