to demonstrate the structure of a tissue, when he
describes what he has seen through his microscope.
The greatest differences of opinion may and do exist
as to what is "demonstrated" by the microscope in
such tissues; yet this is no reason against examining
them in that way. Only by repeated observations,
under different modes of preparation, by different
observers, and under more and more powerful mi-
croscopes, can agreement be arrived at as to the
facts really to be seen. So it is also with the sub-
jective observation of feelings and thoughts. The
present disagreement is no reason against employing
renewed observation. The demand that we should
assert nothing which cannot be deduced from some
already certain proposition is a demand which does
not recognise the early stage at which the enquiry
at present stands, and one which would launch us
at once into an ontological method, since at present
we know little beyond the meanings, necessarily
vague by themselves, of the general terms describing
the phenomena. The analysis of these general terms
must be given first by the analysis of the pheno-
mena which they describe; and, to carry on the
figure, the microscope to be employed is that offered
by metaphysic in her distinction between the formal
and material elements of phenomena, taken in their
first intention.

-55-