i62 OFTHEUSE 



nature which can be of ufe to him. All thofe 

 things by which man is fupported and growSjwith 

 which he iscloathed, and in which he prides him- 

 felf, by which he is preferved, and becomes in- 

 iblent-, all the pomp, the fplendor, the richnefs, 

 the luxury of drefs, as well as the necefiary co- 

 verino; from hence have their orio-in. Without 

 thefe things man mufl; be as naked, as he was 

 created, and came into the world. However 

 obvious this truth may be, there is a common 

 queflion propofed by the vulgar to men, wdio 

 are bufied in examining the productions of na- 

 ture, and that with fome fort of fneer-, To 

 '■johat end are all thefe inquiries? By which 

 they mean to infmuate, that thefe vertuofi are 

 at the bottom but madmen, who fpend their 

 time in a kind of knov/ledge, which promifes 

 no advantage; and in this way of thinking 

 they are the more convinced of being right, as 

 they find natural hifboiy no part of public in- 

 ftitutions, not received into academies amiongll 

 the philofophical fciences, and as holding no 

 rank either in church, or ftate. For this rea- 

 fon they look on it as a rnei-e cirri ofit)\ which 

 only ferves as an amufement for the idle, and 

 indolent. This objedlion has been made to 

 mylelf, and almoil all others who give them- 



felves 



