commended. Yet, in other respects, Aristotle did not 

 promote, but rather obstruct the knowledge of nature : 

 for he made philosophy as unintelligible by his abstract 

 and metaphysical notions, as Plato, Pythagoras, and 

 others did, by their ideas, numbers, and symbols. 



4. In succeeding times, when the four Greek sects, 

 the Platonic, Peripatetic, Epicurean, and Stoic, du 

 vided the Western world between them, the Piatouists 

 almost confined themselves and their opinions to the 

 subject of divinity ; the Peripatetics regarded little but 

 logick ; the Stoics little but moral philosophy ; and 

 the Epicureans had small concern about any, being 

 immersed in sensual pleasures : so that none of them 

 made any considerable improvement in any branch of 

 natural philosophy. 



5. When the utter barbarism which followed was a 

 little dispelled, Aristotle began to reign. His follow- 

 ers (the School. men, as they were called) might have 

 improved natural philosophy, if (like their master) 

 they had diligently cultivated the knowledge of nature, 

 and searched out the properties of particular things; 

 but it was their misfortune to neglect what was com. 

 mendable in him, and to follow only what was blame. 

 M'orthy, so as to obscure and pollute all philosophy 

 with abstract, idle, vain speculations. Yet some of 

 them, al'ter the Arabians had introduced t' e know- 

 ledge of chymistry into Europe, were wise above the 

 age they liv'ed in ; and penetrated so far into the secret 

 recesses of nature, as scarce to escape the suspicion of 

 magic. Such were Roger Bacon and Albertus Magnus. 



6. After the revival of learning, as all other branches 

 of philosophy, so this in particular received new light. 

 And none was more serviceable herein than Lord 

 Bacon, who, well understanding the defects of the 

 school. philosophy, incited all lovers of natural philo- 

 sophy to a diligent search into natural history ; and he 

 himself led them the way by many experiments and ob- 

 servations. 



7. After this, not single persons only, but whole 

 societies applied themselves carefully to make txperU 



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