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P R E F A C E.


itfelf hath been well nigh reduced tofuch a State a few Centuries ago by
falling into a fuperfitious Lethargy, negle&ing all farther Improve-
ments of Knowledge, and defppi/ng Reafon, Nature and the evidence of
Senfie.
Every one ought to attain to as high a degree of natural Knowledge as
he can, for a deep Knowledge in Nature has deteF&ed many falfe Pre-
tenders to In]jiration, Prophefy, and the like, while the Ignorant in
Nature and her Laws have been deluded by the meanefi and lowefi
Pretenders, fuch as diabolical Poffiefons, fantaflical Apparitions, Dreams,
good and bad, Omens, and the like.
A4s Arts have been brought by gradual Steps from one degree of Per-
feIion to another, by joining the Knowledge of paji 7;mes left us in the
WYritings of thofe that are gone before, with the Dificoveries and Experience
of the prefent limes; fo even the knowledge of Nature itfeif hath been
fnultiply'd by the various degrees of Conception, and different Powers of
Penetration that have been given by God through pafi Ages to Mankind,
which have been handed down through the Records of Time to us. Without
this Knowledge of other Men joined to our own, our Knowledge would be
like that of favage People who live together in fmall Tribes or Families,
and have nothing but meer mother Wzit and pure natural Capacity,
chiefly derivedfrom the Senfes, to direU them, they not knowing what any
of their 4ncejiors faid or thought before them for want of Charaters to
exprefs Words; Jo that each Alan's Knowledge is his own, or has little
aJiflance from others: I do not mean that while we are Searching into
Nature's Works, we fJould negleO   th2- curious Arts and Inventions of
Men; for by being well skill'd in A4rts we are enabled the better to make
Di/coveries in N~ature. Befides, a fine Art IcJ? may never be recover'd,
but Nature, tho' at preJent unknown by fearching, may at one time or
other be found, becaufe Jhe always endureth and continueth the fame. Art
and Nature, like two SiJfers, Jfould always walk hand in hand, that fo
they may reciprocally aid and ajifi each other.
He who goes intoforeign Parts, in order to improve himfelf in natural
Knowledge or other Sciences, fiould firfi acquire all that may be learned
in his own Country, lefi he Jlhould expofie himJelf as many have clone, by
going abroad, telling us at their return many Juch things as were already
known,