fio6 ^he Co7ictufion. 



felves about the latter. How much value* 

 able Time has been thrown away in fra* 

 ming w'himfical, unfatisfacflory Schemes to 

 account for the Operations of Nature, 

 which might have furniftied a great deal of 

 profitable Knowledge, if fpent in real Ex- 

 periments on thofe felf-fams natural Opera- 

 tions ? 



The great Mr. Boyle, in his Ejfays, ex- 

 preffes himfelf finely to this Purpofe. " When 

 '' a Writer, fays he, acquaints me only with 

 *' his Thoughts or Conjedlures, without en- 

 *' riching his Difcourfe with any real Ex- 

 *• periment or Obfervation, if he be mifta- 

 *• ken in his Ratiocination, I am in fome 

 *' Danger of erring with him, or at leaft 

 *' am like to lofe my Time, without re- 

 " ceiving any valueable Compenfation for 

 *< fo great a Lofs; but if a Writer endea- 

 *^ vours, by delivering new and real Obfer- 

 " vations and Experiments, to credit his 

 " Opinions, the Cafe is much otherwife: 

 " for let his Opinions be ever fo falfe (his 

 ** Experiments being true) I am not obli- 

 ** ged to believe the former, and am left 

 " at Liberty to benefit myfelf by the latter; 

 " and though he have erroneoufly fuper- 

 *' ftrufted upon his Experiments, yet, the 

 *' Foundation being folid, a more wary 

 ** Builder may be much farthered by \iy in 

 ** the Eredion of a more judicious and con- 

 <' fiftent Fabrick." 



Curiofity 



