STUDY I. 29 



To the difficulties oppofed to us by Nature, let 

 us add thofe which we ourfelves throw in the way. 

 Firft, methods and fyftems of all forts prepare, in 

 every man, his manner of viewing objefts. I do 

 not fpeak of Metaphyficians, who explain all by 

 means of abftraâ: ideas ; nor of Algebraifts, with 

 their formules ; nor of Geometricians, with their 

 compaffes ; nor of Chymifls with their faits ; nor 

 of the revolutions which their opinions, though 

 intolerant in the extreme, undergo in every age. 

 Let us confine ourfelves to notions the moft uni- 

 verfally admitted, and fupported by the higheft 

 authority. 



To begin with Geographers. They reprefent 

 the Earth as divided into four principal parts, 

 whereas, in reality, there are only two. Inftead 

 of the rivers which water it, the rocks which form 

 it's barriers, the chains of mountains which divide 

 it into chmates, and other natural fubdivifions, 

 they exhibit it fpeckled all over with parti-co- 

 loured lines, which divide and fubdivide it into 

 empires, diocefes, principalities, elediorates, bailli- 

 wicks, falt-magazines. They have disfigured the 

 originals, or fubftituted names without a meaning, 

 in place of thofe which the native inhabitants of 

 every country had given them, and which fo well 

 exprefTed their nature. They call, for example, a 

 city, near to that of Mexico, where the Spaniards 



Ihed 



