Ut in optimâ republicâ Tiberius

1

Constellations, without talking of their Vortices and their fubtile Matter? Upon fuch affected Principles, the fineft Genius would but lay it felf open to Ridicule.

XXV.

And yet this is the Spirit which feems chiefly to reign among the Philofophers of our Days. Men attempt to fignalize themselves by thinking out of the Way; and relinquish common Sense only because 'tis common. If they happen to imagine what was never before conceiv'd, they feel a Pleasure in advancing what was never before afferted. 'Tis on this Account, that Arcefilas who overturn'd the Old Academy to establish the New, is by Tally compar'd to Gracchus, and Gracchus, the other feditious Disturbers of civil Govern. qui otium ment. Peter Ramus in thefe latter Times, had conturba almoft ruin'd the University of Paris, by the ret, fic Ar- like Methods: His Zeal against the pretended cefilas qui conftitu Followers of Aristotle, carried him to attack tam philo- the true Ariftotelian Doctrine; and under the fophiam Shew of restoring Peace to the Schools, he fill'd everteret them with Tumult and Confufion. He was inQAcad.4 deed a learned Man, bold and refolute in his

Decifions, but naturally of a turbulent Spirit; who fet himself to imitate Laurentius Valla and Ludovicus Vives, two eminent Criticks of the Age before him, only that he might have the Glory of raifing a new Sect. In the fame manhow often do Men argue and difpute with no other Profpect, but to overthrow establifh'd Things by an Affectation of Novelty? If unable to coin new Opinions, they find means to give a new Form and Stamp to the Old; and that they may erect themselves into Authors at whatfoever Expence, difguife and varnish over a new Doctrine with a Change of Language; imitating Zeno in dreffing up anci

ent

ent Nations under modern Names: For what will not Men do to distinguish themfelves from the Vulgar, and to lay the Bafis of a great Reputation? But fince 'tis really the Licentioufnefs of Manners that produces this in Opinions, there ought to be fome Boundaries fet to Thinking, and fome Restraint laid upon Mens Theories, as well as their Practice. Religion, Law, Custom, Education, Rewards, and Punishments, are fo many Confiderations that ought to curb the Fancy in its unruly Flight; yet we often find it breaking out through all thefe Guards; and when it has once got loofe, and pass'd the Limits of common Perfuafion, there is no Abfurdity but what 'tis capable of. And this fhews how neceffary it is, that the civil Laws fhould interpofe their Authority in regulating Mens Sentiments, and the Government be enabl'd to reduce the Exorbitance of Imagination.

XXVI.

Some Spirits are naturally free in their Conceptions, and others naturally flavish. The former over-rule the latter by an happy Afcendant of Birth; and the latter as easily submit to their Controll, as being of a Genius so precarious and dependant, that they feem born only to take the Impreffions that others fhall give them, and to make no Step, but as they are led. It was upon this Weaknefs and Defect that the various Tribes of Philofophers were form'd. Whenfoever there arofe Men hardy and affuming enough to affect a Superiority, there were never wanting others, timorous and mean enough to acknowledge the new Dominion, and never to think but according to the Standard of their Mafters. Nay, fome there are fo eafy, fo light, and credulous, as to make the Dreams of other Men the Rule of their own

Reafon and Conduct. The Spirit of Slavery poffeffes their Heart, and their very Thoughts; and they have not Courage enough to preferve the Independence of their own Mind. But, what is ftill more extraordinary, there are Men Clarus ob of dark, perplex'd Ideas, and of a Genius obobfcuram fcurely profound, who are yet reverenced as linguam Oracles, and acquire a Sort of an Empire over Lucret. Mens Judgments, only because they are more

peremptory and confident in their Determinations, and owe all their Authority to their Prefumption. 'Twas by this means Paracelfus advanc'd his Credit in the laft Age: He recommended himself by an Affectation of being obfcure; and his great Merit, was the faying those Things which none elfe would fay, or could understand. His Boldness in setting up for a Mafter, engaged fome to be his Scholars, and his Doctrine met with those that embrac'd it, as propos'd under the furprizing Air of a mighty Secret. Defcartes ow'd his Reputation to the like Measures. The perplex'd Anfwers that he gives to the Objections he has started, are so many new Difficulties to the Reader. We take fome Sort of Pleasure in being led from one doubtful Profpect to another, and ftill without a thorough View. This is an Art by which that Author never fails to take, becaufe 'tis by this he Rohault. plays the Oracle. His interpreter, who has endeavour'd to render him more intelligible by Majorem a new Explication of his Phyficks, has robb'd fidem adbi-him of Part of his Beauty, by giving him a nes iis qua more eafy and familiar Turn. His admirable wen inte Genius feems to have been pleas'd with nothing liguar; fo much, as with the Pains and Difficulty of cupidine being apprehended. His obfcure Expreffion ingenii libentius obfcura creduntur. Plin.

bent bomi

bumani

Cunda etenim ftolidi magis admirantur amantque, Inverfis que fub rebus latitantia cernunt." Lucret.

feems

feems more venerably myfterious, and his Character of incomprehenfible is the most charming Quality that attracts the Admiration of his Dif ciples. This affected Intricacy of Doctrine is a Stratagem that. fome Men imploy to gain upon our Simplicity of Belief.

XXVII.

Men of too quick and fubtile Spirits are not always the fitteft to commence Philofophers. It is better to fettle, and, as it were, condensate the Imagination with fomewhat grofs and filling, than to let it evaporate in nice Speculations. The plain good Senfe of Socrates tri- Habet hoc ingenium umph'd over all the Art and Cunning of the So- bumanum phifts. Philofophy never becomes abstracted till ut cùm ad it ceafes to be folid. Men retire to Forms when folida non they have nothing real to advance; and take fuffecerit, Shelter in Subtlety, when they defpair of car- bus attein futilirying an Argument by Simplicity. Protagoras, ratur. the Inventor of thefe fallacious Reafonings, and Verulam. this Tricking in Philofophy, had certainly a de Aug. falfe Genius. He was a sharp and formidable Sophift, as Aulus Gellius obferves, but by no Infincerus quidem means a juft Philofopher. These who would philoforefine upon all Things, fays Seneca, are in the phus, fed fure Method of spoiling all Things. Through a acerrimus vain Oftentation of Wit Men relinquish what fophiftais most essential to Knowledge: They weaken the Truth of Things by the Artifice of Words, vide quanand fly to Sophiftry, when deficient in good tum. mali Reafon. It was by this new Stratagem, that fecerit ni Naufiphanes and Parmenides, were capable of fo mia fubtimuch Mischief. It was by this, that Cleanthès, quam inChryfippus, and the other Stoicks, made a notio- fefta fit nal King of their wife Man, invested him with veritati.

Scient.

rum. L.V.

c. 3.

litas,&

Senec.

In bis exercitationibus doctores peccant, qui neceffe habent cum infanientibus furere. Petron.

empty Titles of Majefty, and enrich him with Treasures that confifted only in Magnificence Ex verbo- of Speech; as Tully pleasantly expofes them. rum pra Thus, the Purity of Reason was vitiated by the Stigiis & Artifice of Language, and Truth was made the regna vobis nata Sport of Wit, which fhould have been the Obfunt, & ject of Veneration. This was the great Fault of imperia, the Spaniards in the laft Age: They practis'd upon Philofophy, as they had done upon Poliquidem, ut ticks; and by the Character of their Genius, omnia que which is acute and thoughtful, fpun out both ubique into unconceivable Niceties, every Scholar atfint fapitempting still to refine upon his Master. Hence arofe a Dilorder, like that which Seneca complains of. Philofophy bore no other Fruit than mere Cavil and Difputation; and was no lonin remedi- ger confider'd as the Medicine of the Paffions;

& divitia,

& tanta

entis effe dicatis.

de Fin. Philofophia non

but as the Exercise of the Parts. Let us be faum animi, fed in ex- tisfied with Wifdom of the common Standard, ercitatio and take fuch Reason as paffes current with all nem inge- Mankind. He that would be wiser than the nii inven- reft of the World, bids fair for the Character ta. Senec. de Ben. of Folly; nor is any Thing more ufelefs in the Conduct of Human Life, than these Cobweb Notions and exquifite Subtilties of Science.

Ipfa phi. lofophia

XXVIII.

Mistaken Philosophy has fpoilt many a good Head; and Wisdom misunderstood, has been fermultis fu- tile in the Production of Fools. Empedocles had it periculi a noble and rais'd Genius: Lucretius oppofes him caufa, in- to the greatest Men of Antiquity. Yet the folenter Fumes of his Melancholy, aided by too ftrain'd Idem E. an Application, and too obftinate Study, caft pift. fuch a Cloud over his Imagination, and fo far

tractata.

Carmina

quin etiam divini pectoris hujus Vociferantur, Sc. Lucr. 1. 1.

Us cism non amplius appareret, ad cælos abiiffe putaretur. Lact.

alter'd