INTERPRETATION OF NATURE. 91) 



bound to history modified, sprinkling the same moral 

 moderation upon the progress of knowledge, and ampu 

 tating the extremes of error, not rooting out the principles. 

 And regarding these, what we have said is most true. 

 But I now hear thee, my son, inquiring whether perhaps, 

 as is done, they have not sought after the worst parts, espe 

 cially as the state of knowledge is always almost demo 

 cratic ? Hath not time, like a river, brought down to us 

 the light and inflated, and sunk the solid and weighty ; 

 What of those ancient inquirers after truth, Heraclitus, 

 Democritus, Pythagoras, Anaxagoras, Empedocles, and 

 others, known by the writings of others, not by their own ? 

 Lastly, what deem you of the silence and the secrets of 

 antiquity ? My son, (that I may answer these inquiries, as 

 is usual with me, for thy benefit), I recognize a few frag 

 ments of antiquity (of books found I speak not), yet these 

 as specimens rather of the diligence and ingenuity than 

 the knowledge of their authors. But if I hint that those 

 searchings of conjectures respecting things, which with 

 their footsteps have fled away, are laborious ; and that for 

 me, studying the utility of mankind for time coming, it 

 were unfitting to turn back to the philology of antiquity, 

 I know sufficiently that in thy modesty thou wouldst 

 acquiesce. Nevertheless that thou mayest perceive what two- 

 faced prophets things present are, and how they bring before 

 us things both past and future, I have resolved to gratify thee 

 with tables of both times (which may comprise not only the 

 courses and flowings of knowledge, but also other provisions 

 of things). And do not augur what this may be (before 

 seeing it), for the true anticipation of this matter falls not to 

 thee, and if it come not to thy hand, seek it not. For in this 

 matter, my son, I shall gratify some of you, and conciliate 

 the minds of the more delicate. Knowledge indeed is to 

 be sought from the light of nature, not recovered from the 

 obscurity of antiquity. Nor is it of importance what may 

 have been done; we have only to see what can be done. 

 If a kingdom, subdued by arms and victorious war, were 

 delivered to thee, wouldst thou frame questions whether or 

 not thy ancestors had possessed it, and solicit the rumours 

 of genealogies ? So much for the recesses of antiquity. 

 But concerning those leaders of sects, whom thou hast 

 named, and many more of like sort, it is easy to decide. 

 Variety is proper to error, unity to truth. And unless the 

 politics and provisions of the times had been adverse to the 

 peregrinations of such minds, many other regions of error 



