CHAPTER 1; 611 things which go before, and this is two-fold, viz. synthetic and analytic, which are sometimes called synthesis and analysis.* Synthetic method is that which begins with the parts,j- and leads onward to the knowledge of the whole; it begins with the most simple principles, and general truths, and proceeds by degrees to that which is drawn from them, or compound- ed of them ; and therefore it is called the method of compo- sition. Analytic method takes the whole compound as it finds it, whether it be a species or an individual; and leads us into the knowledge of it, by resolving it into its first principlesor parts, its generic nature, and its special properties; and therefore it is 'called the method of resolution. As synthetic method is generally used in teaching the scien- ces after they are invented, so analytic is most practised in finding out things unknown. Though it must be confessed, that both 'methods are sometimes employed to find out truth and tó com- municate it. If we know the parts of any subject 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 grain- mar, we learn first to know letters, we join them to make syl- lables, out of syllables we compose words, and out of words we w The word analysis has three or four senses, which it may not be impte. perto take notice of here. I. It signifies the,general and particular heads of a discourse, with their mu- tual connection, both co- ordinate and subordinate, drawn oat by way of abstract into one or more tables, which are frequently placed like au index at the begin- ning or end of a book. 2. It Signifies the resolving of a discourse into its various subjects and argo ments, as when any writing of the ancient prophets is resolved into the propheti- cal, historical, doctrinal, and practical parts of it; it is said to be analysed in general. When a sentence is distinguished into the nouns, the verbs, pronouns, adverbs, and other particles of speech which compose it, then it is said to be ,analysed grammatically. When the same sentence is distinguished into subject predicate, proposition, argument, act, object, cause, effect, adjunct, opposite, &c. then it is analysed logically, and metaphysically. This last is what is chiefly meant in the theological schools, when they speak of analysing a text of scripture. 3. Analysis signifies particularly the science, of Algebra, wherein a question being proposed, one or more letters, as a, y, e, or vowels, as a, e, i, &c. are made use of to signify the unknown number, which being intermingled with several k.rown numbers in the question, is at last, by the rules of art, separated or re- leased from that entanglement, and its particular value is found out by skew- ing its eviction, or equality to some kobwu number. 4. It signifies analytical method, as here explained in Logic: 4 Note. It is confessed that synthesis often begins with the genus, and pro- ceeds to the species and individuals. But the genus or generic nature is then con- sidered only as a physical or essential part of the species, though it be sometimes called an universal, or logical whole. Thus synthetic method maintains ita.own des. criptioo still, for it begins with the parts, and proceeds to the whole, which is com. posed of them.
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