ans, who by studying the Ancients, and forming themselves upon thofe Models, appear'd with more Honour than their nearer Predeceffors. Among those who have diftinguifh'd them felves, Commines has writ with fingular good Senfe, and equal Sincerity: Paulus Amylius is pure, but Superficial: Paulus Jovius is entirely fway'd by Intereft and Paffion Machiavel feenis very exact in his Hiftory of Florence: In his other Reports, his Wit has the start of his Judgment: He is guilty of manifeft Injustice to the famous Caftruccio Caftrucci, whom he treats as an Enemy to his Country. George Merula, fo much admir'd and fear'd for his Criticism, by the Order of his Prince, Ludovico Sforce, undertook the History of Milan, which prov'd fo wretchedly dry, as to do him very little Honour. Mariana's Hiftory of Spain, is what has not been excell'd by any of the Moderns, either in Greatness of Defign, or Majefty of Stile: This Author is accurate beyond the common Standard, and a complete Judge of every Thing he delivers. Buchanan's fine Things are all borrow'd from the Ancients; and, in particular, he is too fervile an Imitator of Livy." He writes with great Senfe and Capacity, but does not raife the Character of his Perfons to any noble Pitch: His long Citations in his third Book are no more agreeable to fome Judges, than the Pedigree of the Scotch Nation in his Second. The Germans have form'd yaft Projects upon their own Hiftory, but have brought nothing into the natural Order of a regular Defign. Most of the Spaniards difcover a Spirit of Partiality for their Kingdom and Nation, which renders them fufpected. The Italians abound in particular Memoirs of their different States and Governments, but have no complete Body of History.

History. I forbear to speak of the History of the Goths, by Fornandes; that of Flanders, by Meierus; of Burgundy, by Heuterus; of Hungary, by Bonfinus; of Poland, by Cromerus, of Bavaria, by Aventinus; with many others of the like Character, because I hafte to fhut up thefe Refletions, with obferving that we begin, among Us, to conceive fome brighter Hopes of a perfect Hiftorian, from the Approbation given to those who, at prefent, oblige the Publick.

THE

Author's PREFACE

TO THE

Reflexions upon Philofophy.

T

HE Reflexions upon Philofophy, which here follow, are not propos'd as thefe which I pretend to maintain, but only as Remarks that I have occafionally made upon Authors, and their Opinions; which I now offer in the Way of Conjecture, for the Examination of the Publick, and for my own Satisfaction. The chief Defign of this Essay is to give the true Notion of a Science which is the Rule of all other Sciences; to fhew the Use and Practice of it in former and latter Ages, by an historical Account of its Progrefs, and Decline, with all the Adventures it has gone through, during the course of more than two thoufand Tears; fo as, in this one View, in which I have endeavour'd to Unite fo many Things, to discover what is Solid, or Vain, what is Strong, or Feeble, what is True, or Falfe, in the whole Body of Philofophy.

An Attempt, fo difproportion'd to the Abilities of a private Perfon, would have argued great Rashness and Prefumption, had I not in fome Measure prepar'd my felf for the Enterprize by confulting the Learn'd of all Times. And this obliges me to declare, in the firft Place, that Ifcarce offer any thing barely upon my own Authority; and that when I speak either of the Antients, or the Moderns, I speak the Thoughts of those who have been beft able to judge of their Character and

Worth.

Worth. The intelligent Reader will be convinc'd of this Truth without any particular Confeffion; and will fave me the Trouble of Crouding a Book with Citations, which feems already to be overcharg'd. If Some Occafions 1 fpeak with more Affurance than Ordinary, 'tis not because I would affect to dictate, or would ufurp the Chair: 'Tis only that I may prefent the Learned with a clearer View of what they already understand, may refresh their Memory, and revive their Ideas.

But though I would gladly alledge the most able Judges amongst the Antients and Moderns for my Vouchers inthe following Difcourfe, yet I cannot prefume to make them refponfable for all that I fay; because 'tis very poffible Imay mifquote, or misapply them: And therefore I am contented the World should know, that what is good is owing to their Affiftance, and what is ill to my own Miftake. For as 'tis ridiculous to pretend Infallibility in any Thing, fo I am fenfible how difficult it is, in fo extended a Subject, to be exact. If Strabo and Diogenes Laertius have fometimes err'd in their Accounts of the Old Philofophers, I can plead no Exemption from Error in the Hiftory of the New. And therefore I fhall fay nothing to justifie my felf upon this Article, but what any One, upon the flightest Reflection, may urge in my Excufe.

The hardest Task, in this whole Enterprize, was to throw fo vaft a Matter into fome Kind of Form; the bare Diftinction of the feveral Sects hath never yet been compleatly fettled, after fo many Authors have labour'd in this Field. Plutarch does not adjust their Difference, and Diogenes Laertius blends and confounds them with one another. Varro reckons up two hundred eighty eight, and Themiftius makes the Number full three Hundred. But because it would be endlefs to follow fo wide a Scheme, I have reduc'd all thefe fraggling Sects under feven principal Orders. The first is that of Pythagoras; in a Manner, the

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Jame

fame with that of the Egyptians: For, as to the Philofophy of the Phoenicians and Ethiopians, we have fcarce any certain Information. The fecond Order, is that of Socrates, and Plato, of the Old and New Academy, of the Pyrrhonians, and Scepticks, which is originally the fame. The third is that of Ariftotle, and the Peripateticks. The fourth is that of Zeno and the Stoicks, Defcended in a direct Line from Antifthenes, Diogenes, Crates, and the Cynicks. The fifth, is the Tribe of Epicurus, deriv'd from Leucippus, Democritus, and Ariftippus. The fixth, is that of the Eclecticks, or Seekers, founded by Potamon of Alexandria. The feventh is that of the Arabians, the Averröifts, and the Schoolmen; the fame, in a good Measure, with that which now obtains in our Universities. These are the Limits within which I have confin'd my felf: And this Divifion of the Sects, or Tribes, is the Ground of all my Reflections, among which I have scatter'd fome touches of Morality and Hiftory, to relieve the drinefs of the Subject, and to make Philofophy appear lefs difagreeable.

As to the Stile of thefe Papers, it has been my only Concern to express any felf plainly and clearly upon a Subject which seems to refufe all studied Ornaments. I have not enter'd into the Difcuffion of the Common Precepts and Forms of the Schools, to avoid Prolixity, and that the Matter might not grow cold upon my Hands. I have been contented to rest in general Maxins, without canvasing things by a thorough Examination. In which I have endeavour'd to imitate Cicero, who in his Philofophical Writings, fearge ever engages in the fcrutiny of particular Opinions, but fo far as is confiftent with his ordinary Politeness. For what he objects to Varro is really applicable to himself: "He has perform'd enough in Philofophy to inflame "Mens Minds, but too little to inftruct them." He only explains the leading Rules, and Principles, of each