He also made notable contributions to Astronomy, being the earliest English expounder of Copernicus.

In an age given over to metaphysical obscurities and dogmatic sophistry, he cultivated the method of experiment and of reasoning from observation, with an insight and success which entitles him to be regarded as the father of the inductive method.

That method, so often accredited to Bacon, Gilbert was practicing years before him."(40) (40) Silvanus P.Thompson: Gilbert of Colchester, Father of Electrical Science, London, Chiswick Press, 1903, p.

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