Joseph Priestley as an historian of science : with some account of his philosophical apparatus existing at the present time / C.A. Browne.

  • Charles Albert Browne
Date:
[1927]
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: Joseph Priestley as an historian of science : with some account of his philosophical apparatus existing at the present time / C.A. Browne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    In order to facilitate the advancement of all the branches of useful science, two things seem to be principally requisite. The first is an historical account of their rise, progress and present state; and the second, an easy channel of communication for all new discoveries. Without the former of these helps, a person, every way qualified for ex¬ tending the bounds of science, labors under great disadvantages; wanting the lights which have been struck out by others and perpetually running the risk of losing his labor, and finding himself anticipated in the discoveries he makes, which is a great morti¬ fication and discouragement. In other respects, also, the progress of natural knowledge is retarded on this account; so that, in the present state of science, such histories as these are, in a manner, absolutely necessary. Considering how very few persons are acquainted with the present bounds of any branch of science, or, indeed, are in circumstances in which it is possible for them to acquire that knowledge, and how much time and labor are even, in that case, necessary, in order to acquire it; it must be allowed that, were those histories judiciously compiled, real discoveries would be much more numerous; and were these again easily and expedi¬ tiously circulated, the progress of knowledge might be accelerated beyond what we can now conceive.5 6 It will be interesting to turn from these general observations of Priestley upon the needs, purposes, and rewards of historical scientific studies to a personal account of his own methods as an historian of science. I have adopted (he writes), the historical method because it appears to me to have many obvious advantages over any other for my purpose; being particularly calculated to engage the attention and to communicate knowledge with the greatest ease, cer¬ tainty and pleasure. Moreover, the recital of the labors of philosophers in an historical method gives a writer a better opportunity than a systematical method would do, of transmitting them to posterity in such a manner as will operate most powerfully on the minds of the readers and be a motive with them to exert and distinguish themselves in philosophical pursuits. To such considerations as these the mind of man is never wholly insensible. It will, however, be found, that, though the method I have chosen be historical, it is, at the same time, sufficiently systematical; and, indeed, pretty strictly so with re¬ spect to each distinct article in the several periods into which the work is divided; so that any person, if he choose it, may see, without interruption, all the discoveries that have been made relating to any single head or division of every subject. In order to be more systematical, and thereby to make the work more useful to young students, I have imitated the conduct of the best civil historians in making the order of time give place, with respect to many articles, to more natural, and therefore more important connections. Thus, when later writers have added but little to the observations of those who preceded them, I have given the whole of a subject in an earlier period, and when former writers contain very little, I have given the whole in a later period. This method cannot but be more agreeable to all my readers than a mere journal, or a strictly chrono¬ logical narrative of transactions.6 At the close of each part of the history, I shall endeavor to give a comprehensive view of all the discoveries which have been made in that branch of science to which it is ap- 5 “Preface, History and Present State of Discoveries Relating to Vision, Light and Colours,” London, 1772, p. I. 6 “Preface, History and Present State of Discoveries Relating to Vision, Light and Colours,” London, 1772, p. VII.
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