TO THE READER Ixxxi 



(as the excellent Author of the Twites of the Israelites, 

 cap. xv, &c. acquaints us,) were oblig'd to Instruct, and 

 Inform their Children of the wonderful Things God had 

 done for their Ancestors ; together with the Precepts of the 

 Mora! Law, Feasts, and Religious Ceremonies : But taught 

 them likewise all that concern'd Agriculture ; joyn'd with 

 Lessons of perpetual practice ; in which they were, doubtless, 

 exceedingly knowing ; whilst during 59 many Ages, they 

 employ'd themselves almost continually in it : And tho' now 

 adays this noble Art be for the most part, left to be exercis'd 

 amongst us, by People of grosser and unthinking Souls ; yet 

 there is no Science whatever, which contains a vaster Com- 

 pass of Knowledge, infinitely more useful and beneficial to 

 Mankind, than the fruitless and empty Notions of the 

 greatest part of Speculatists ; counted to be the only Eruditi 

 and learned Men. An Israelite, who from Tradition of his 

 Fore-fathers, his own Experience, and some modern Reading, 

 had inform'd himself of the Religion and Laws which were 

 to regulate his Life ; and knew how to procure Things 

 necessary : Who perfectly understood the several qualities 

 of the Earth, Plants, and Tlaces agreeable to each sort, and 

 to cultivate, propagate, defend them from Accidents, and 

 bring them to Maturity : That also was skill'd in the nature 

 of Cattel, their Food, Diseases, Remedies, sPc. which those 

 who amongst us pass for the most learned and accomplished 

 Gentlemen, and Scholars, are, for the most part, grosly ignorant 

 of, look upon as base, rustick, and things below them : is (in 

 this learned Author's Opinion) infinitely more to be valued, 

 than a Man brought up either in wrangling at the 'Bar ; or 

 the noisie, and ridiculous Disputes of our Schools, sPc. To 

 this Sense the learn'd Modena. And 'tis remarkable, that 

 after all that wise Solomon had said, that All was vanity and 

 vexation of Spirit (among so many particulars he reckons up,) 

 he should be altogether silent, and say nothing concerning 



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