We say nothing about those to whom theory is but a name under which they may safely sneer at knowledge, except this : two email commercial companies sometimes prolong their existence by amalga mating, as they call it ; would it not bo desirable that they should join those who use the word infidelity instead of theory P We give a passing word to the many who blind themselves to the difference between truth and falsehood by disguising the latter under the name of practice. It chanced to us long ago to advise a very worthy man of business,now dead, upon the terms of an advertisement. On one of our alterations Ire re marked " Don't you thick that, practically, it would read better my way 1"—" It would," said we, "the objection is, that it would not be true." Our friend stared as if a light had broken in upon him, and said, " Well, Sir, there is something in that." We remember seeing a theorist, as he was called, endeavour to make the managers of a certain undertaking comprehend that their profits could not exceed the excess of the gross returns over the outlay, after they had been trying to cheat the equation by inventing names for what they would have liked to have, hut which the theorist assured them they would not get, for the preceding reason. The answer was, " That is very true theoreticolly, but now let us look at it practically." We shall say no more of the gross abut'', of the terms, except to remark that were it worth while really to make a contest between theory and practice, it would be difficult to say on which aide the balance of absurdity would incline ; or whether the man who is too contideut in his theory, or too confident in his experience, has done most mischief for the time being.
Coming now to the higher class of practical men, and speaking as of the balance between two methods the value of both of which is admitted, we observe there are obvious faults to which both parties are subject, both in conduct, and in argument respettiug their pursuits. Great care is necessary to secure the theorist from pushing an im perfect theory too far, and neglecting causes of disturbance; but at least as much is necessary to prevent the practical man from 4eneral ising into theory from imperfect experience, or from restraining inquiry by a notion formed from practice. This is his besetting sin, to such an extent that we should almost be inclined to say that the fault of a practical man is a tendency to form false theory, as that of the theorist is to make false applications. We have often been surprised at the boldnesa with which the former assert generalities, upon evidence which would only make a pure theorist look for further information. Analogies are of all things the most deceptive. Much and frequent attention to men's arguments has left us with a feeling which, whenever we hear a person begin with "I am a practical man," makes us say to ouraelves," Now for a smack of false theory." In argument there is one mode which is common to both parties, and which is exceedingly detrimental. It is the selection of instances from the very highest minds of the two orders, to illustrato the effects of theory or practice upon the general mass of understandings : minds the superior calibre of which, and their power of adapting themselves to circumstances, and making the most of what they have, render them exceptions to all rules, and no proper examples of the most advantage ous course of training. Every ono likes, no doubt, to draw consequences about and concerning his own self from a contemplation of the minds and mefethods of the Newtons or the Galileos of a higher sphere of intellectual existence, or the Arkwrights or Telfords of a better state of power of adaptation. " What is your theory good for I" says the
tongue attached to seine head which holds about the same weight of conceit that Telford's .did of sagacity ; " Telford knew nothing of it, and I may do without it too." The answer is—Telford. The opinion of Bacon was, that " the root of all the mischief in the sciences is, that, falsely magnifying and admiring the powers of the mind, we seek not its real helps," a maxim full of meaning, and a lesson to him who rates theory too highly, and also to one who thinks that the only use of his mind is to arrange the results of experience, his own or others. What are the majority of men, that they should look clown upon any course of training, theoretical or practical Another fault of argument, but almost peculiar to the practical world, who have the force of numbers on their own side, is the habit of claiming all who are successful in application as instances of their own method and knights of their own order. Suppose that one indivi dual should discover a mine, work it with his own hand, purify the ore, and brat the metal into a horse-shoe; which is he, a geologist, miner, furnace-man, or blacksmith I Ile has done the work of all, but the community of blacksmiths would hardly be allowed to claim him as peculiarly belonging to themselves. When a person who has mastered the difficulties of theory has also successfully applied them, he is free of both corporations ; but those who attend only to application, never fail to appropriate his merits. WATT is a striking instance ; he was a highly accomplished theorist on every point on which he worked : and yet his name has been frequently cited as a proof that theory could be dispensed with. And his career, when compared with that of Telford, will illustrate theory applied to practice, as distinguished from practice alone, however acute. It is impossible to contemplate the career of Telford without a feeling of high interest, created by the comparison of his apparently inadequate education with his startling successes. Looking at the individual himself, there is everything for his age to admire; and so long as his structures last, each of them is the menu erratum, but not sere pert-fanjets. The time will come when his name shall be like that of the builder of the old London bridge, who was no doubt the Telford of the day, a etimulon to his contemporaries, useful and honoured, but not the remembered of succeeding ogee. On the ether hand, the discoveries of Watt, though equally startling in what is called the practical point of view, have the mind of the discoverer impressed upon them, and have been, and must be, the guide of his successors, not merely to repetitions of what ho did himself, but to enlargement of ides, and to the conversion of principlea into forms useful in art. Take away the honourable qualities which enabled the two men to outstrip their contemporaries, each in iris line, qualities which are tho properties of the individual minds, and consider what is left, namely, their modes of proceeding : consider the effect of these two modes upon men In general, and there is nothing in that of Telford which would raise the workman above a workman, while in that of Watt there is the vital principle to which we owe all the mechanical triumphs of civilisation and all the theoretical successes of physical philosophy.