HISTORY of the SCIENCES. 415 



gan about the year 1650, and comes down to 

 the prefent day. This age is enriched with all 

 the difcovencs of thofe that have preceded it, 

 and has effected more than all the ether five put 

 together. The faculties of the human mind 

 have been enlarged to the utmoft extent, in 

 every part of Europe, and every civilized nation 

 has made the greatell and mod fuccefsful efforts, 

 in carrying univerfal erudition to the higheft 

 degree of perfection. It is from the general 

 hitlory of the iciences that we learn all the par- 

 ticular inventions, difcoveries and improvements, 

 that have been made in the arts, nd in letters 

 during theie fix ages. 



XIII. Independent of thefc general epochs, 

 literary hiftory likewiie informs us of the different 

 revolutions that the arts and iciences have under- 

 gone in each particular country. It is here we fee 

 the origin, progrefs, and a&ual (late of letters in 

 Germany, France, Italy, England, Spain, and, in 

 fhort, in every civilized country of Europe. It 

 is extended, moreover, to the other parts of 

 the world. There are a fufficient number of 

 univerfal literary hiflorics in all languages, and 

 among others that of profcfibr Stolle of Jena in 

 Germany. Thefe works are very ufeful, but 

 there are many things in \shich they are all dc- 

 tor they fpeak more of the authors than 

 of the hiftories of the arts and Iciences them- 

 s. It would require a boundlefs erudition, 

 the utmoft ftrength of judgment, a refined and 



fubtle 



