| Summary: | "The system of life, which forms the groundwork of Zoonomia, is marked by the fame bold originality of thought, that distinguished the theoretical part of the Botanic Garden. The field of conjecture, and, consequently, of error, appears to be less; as the changes of life are not distant, like those, which elevated our mountains, or gave motion to the planetary system. They continually take place, before us: and, together with those experiments, of which every one may himself be the subject, Dr. Darwin has enjoyed the peculiar opportunities of observation, which long, and extensive medical practice affords. But it is the lot of theorists, to be satisfied with less evidence of their own opinions, than of those of others; and opportunities of observation, though they greatly aid us, in discovering the errors of any other system, are, therefore, in general, insufficient, to show us the futility of our own. Some perceived relation must always precede opinion; but it is often founded on flight analogies, and induction is afterwards made, more to support, than to try its validity. The phenomena are viewed, in the light, in which we wish them to appear, rather than in that, in which nature presents them; and inconsistencies are thus unnoticed, which readily occur to him, who has no other interest in a work, than as it adds to his store of truths. Some of these inconsistencies, which the author of Zoonomia has not been able to avoid, in the leading principles of his theory, and in the explanations, founded on them, it is the object of the following pages, to point out. If, in reviewing Dr. Darwin's system, I have sometimes been obliged to point out its ridiculous consequences, I trust, it will not be imputed to disrespectful, but to the peculiar nature of hypothetical reasoning, When the existence of a substance is affirmed, it is often impossible, to prove, by direct argument, that the supposed substance does not exist, and the only remaining mode of confutation is to take its existence, for granted, and state the absurdities, to which it leads. But I should, indeed, be ill qualified, to judge of the merits of Zoonomia, if I could be guilty of disrespect: to its ingenious author, by whom I have been often instructed, and always delighted"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).
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