10 Uevolutions and Improvements 



tend, that although this period has been abundantly 

 productive of new theories, specious plans, and 

 oppositions of science falselij so called; yet that 

 little, if any thing, has been done toward the cul- 

 tivation of solid learning and real science, since^ 

 our fathers of the seventeenth century fell asleep. 

 h\ the opinion, and in the language of such, the 

 present ' race of men are " a generation of triflers 

 and profligates, sciohsts in learning, hypocrites in 

 virtue, and formalists in good breeding ; wise only 

 "when they follow their predecessors, and visionary 

 fools whenever they attempt to deviate from, or 

 go beyond, them.'* Wit^h these cynical critics 

 novelty is degeneracy ; and every thing which 

 bears the name of invention, discovery, or im- 

 provement, is useless, if not dangerous innovation. 

 But this indiscriminate opposition to the claims of 

 modern times is evidently dictated rather by pre- 

 judice, than by enlightened views and impartial 

 observation. Though a change of circumstances 

 may produce dillerent degrees or kinds of excel- 

 lence in the elforts of intellect ; yet the native 

 powers of man are doubtless the same in all ages. 

 It must- be admitted, indeed, that in some of the 

 branf:hes of human knowledge the last age has added 

 but little to the attainments of the preceding; and 

 that many things which superficial readers consider 

 as new, were long since familiarly known, and as 

 well practised as at the present day. In works of 

 genius, there seems no good ground ta represent 

 the ])resent generation as possessing any peculiar 

 or transcendent excellence^ Perhaps a candid in- 

 fjuirer would even say, that in this respect we 

 rather fall below than rise above the standards of 



