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+ D'Alembert
Preface to Encyclopidie.
The Reader may take it upon the authority of one
of the first Philosophers of the age. + One part of whose
vast genius has been particularly directed to the investigation
of universal Method he may take I say
in the mean time upon that authority till he satisfies
himself by his own observation, that in all arrangements
of this sort the arbitrary must possess an
ample share.
In those two Kingdoms of Natural History, where
Subjects are organized, that System of Classification is
said to be most natural, where similarity in respect
of that circumstance from whence the classical character
is taken is most steadily accompanied by corresponding
similarity in those qualities which are most obvious most readily engage
the attention to sense: and of senses that of seeing being assum'd
as being most steady in it's decisions [it makes] that
brings it to similarity in external appearances.
The Classical Characters is not taken from those qualifications
which are most obvious to Sense, because the
differences in respect of those qualities are often not accurately
comprehensible under verbal description as for
instance colours, and external configuration.
It is taken preferably from the Number of certain parts
where the subject being organized admitts that circumstance,
for differences in number are communicable by
discourse with perfect precision.
Tis from Linnaeus having selected this for the circumstance
whereon to fix his classical character, that the
Botanical System of that illustrious Naturalist is
the best adopted of any to the purpose of Science. Tis
to differences & consonances in respect of this circumstance
being happily followed in many instances by corresponding
differences in such qualities in the respective subjects
as most obviously or most permanently engage the attention:
viz. most obviously as external configuration (for
colour being subject to infinite variations in the same individual
can never be generally assumed as a character
to distinguish one individual from another)
Most permanently, as their respective uses: 'tis to this
I say, that his System owes that number of natural sub-
divisions which it has.
Bare division will beget a certain degree of order, tho'
made without any regard to the differences of the articles
separated from each other.
Thus if I had a parcel of 5 different sorts of fruit Oranges Lemons,
Apples, Pears, & Quinces 5 of each: and I put
them into 5 drawers one of each sort into each drawer,
even thus I should find them in a somewhat better order
& in which I could find more facility survey them, than
if I had thrown them altogether in a heap: but for the
purpose of directing any body to these drawers, I must
have recourse to some artificial method of nomenclature,
I must call one of them No. 1 another No. 2, & so on or
one of them A, the other B, & so on, whereas had I
at first disposed all of each species into one drawer, I
relieved myself from all such technical and perplexing nomenclatures,
& call them as being in any my Drawer of Oranges, my drawer
of Lemons & so throughout, when the assortment is taken
from permanent universal & unchangeable differences in the acts
themselves. This will be better than any other in the country state
itself, & it will be equally good in every other state: The other
will be tolerable only in that country & good for nothing
any where else.
As in Natural History that is the most natural &
advantageous mode of Classification which distinguishes
each Article from another the rests by such properties whereby it at
once differs most from those others [represents such properties
of each Article whereby it is most distinct from another]
& most readily & forcibly engages man's attention
so it is in Jurisprudence.
As Laws are inventions calculated to the producing the
greatest possible Happiness in Society, by restraining action in those
instances where it is disposed to detract from that
maximum of Happiness the most the most natural
& satisfactory Classification [arrangement] will be that which exhibits
therein the plainest light their influence on it.
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