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PREFACE. 



but alio lays down the Principles of the Arts invented hy- 

 men, as is evident from what Ariftotle has vrritten upon the 

 popular Arts of Poetry and Rhetoric. They proceeded un- 

 doubtedly upon the fuppofition that the antients were wifer 

 and more learned than we -, and the longer I live, and the 

 more I ftudy their writings, the more I am convinced that 

 our anceftors were in the right. I would therefore have 

 thofe Gentlemen be contented with their Mathematics, 

 which no doubt arc a valuable fcience, and may be very 

 ufeful to the Philofopher, and with Natural Hiftory, which 

 furnidies materials to Philofophy ; and if they defne the re- 

 putation of being learned, they have the French learning, 

 which I can aflure them, from my own experience, is much 

 eafier to be come at than the Greek or Latin, and it will en- 

 able them to write, if they be fo minded, in a very fafliion- 

 ablc flile, fuch as will gain them great reputation as well as 

 profit ; but I would ferioufly advife them not to philofophife 

 without the afliftance of the ancients, which has been moll 

 unluccefsfully attempted by fo many moderns, from Dcs 

 Cartes down to Dr. Prieftly. 



As to Mathematics, I am fenfible that, in the courfe of this 

 Work, and particularly in what I have written upon Sir 

 Ifaac's Aftronomy, 1 have given many arguments as llridt 

 demonftrations, which thofe who are Mathematicians, and 

 Mathematicians only, will not undcrftand. Fori have obfervcd, 

 that the men whofc iludies are fo confined, underfiand no de- 

 monftration except by lines and figures, or numbers ; al- 



thougli, 



