OF CURIOSITY. 163 



felves up to the ftudy of nature, and by its 

 frequent repetition has at lail quite worn out 

 my patience. For which reafon i think it will 

 not be amifs to confidcr the qaellion, and pre- 

 pare fuch an anfwer to thofe^ who for the fu- 

 ture iTiall not be afhamcd to urge over and 

 over the fame objedlions, a-, may convince 

 them, if they will take the pains to read the 

 few following pages, and confidcr them tno- 

 roughly. All i dchre of the reader is a candid 

 hearing. 



§. 2. 



The kind of men, who mod frequently afk 

 this queilion ; To ivhat end all thefe inquiries ? 

 are of a heavy, dull, and phlegmatic difpofi- 

 tion, of weak judgment, and low education. 

 Amongft ourfelves, in great cities, in large 

 towns, and at academies, the fearching into 

 nature ceafes now to be uncommon. Nor is 

 this quefdon ever heard among men of folid 

 learning. It is chieily, and frcquendy put in 

 the more remote provinces by the mferior order 

 of people •, who think of nothing but indulg- 

 ing their low appetites, and look on every thing 

 as ufelefs, which does not ferve that purpofe. 



When eledrical experiments firfc began to 



make a noife in the world, Samuel Klingenili- 



M 2 erna 



