84 ABVANCEMENT OP LEARlClJ^rO. [fiOOK ft 



writers has appeared, and that too rather in a luxuiious than 

 solid manner; as rather abounding in things siiperfluoua, 

 viz. the representation of plants and animals, &c., than care- 

 ful observations, which, should ever be subjoined to natural 

 liistory. In fine, all the natural history we have is absolutely 

 unfit for the end we propose, viz. to build philosophy upon ; 

 and this both in the manner and matter thereof; hence wo 

 3et down inductive history as deficient. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Civil History divided into Ecclesiastical and Literary. Deficiency of 

 the latter. The Absence of Precepts for its Compilation. 



Civil history, in general, may be divided into three parti- 

 cular kinds, viz. sacred, civil, and literary ; the latter whereof 

 being wa,nting, the history of the world appears like the 

 statue of Polyphemus, without its eye ; the part that best 

 shows the life and spirit of the person. In many particular 

 sciences indeed, as the law, mathematics, and rhetoric, there 

 are extant some short memoirs, and jejune relations of 

 sects, schools, books, authors, and the successions of this kind 

 of sciences, as well as some trivial accounts of the inventors 

 of things and arts ; but we say, that a just and universal 

 literary history has not hitherto been published. 



The design of this vvork should be, to relate from the 

 earliest accounts of time, — 1. what particular kinds of learn- 

 ing and arts flourished, in what ages, and what parts of the 

 Avorld ; 2. their antiquities, progress, and travels on the 

 globe ; 3. their decline, disappearance, and restoration. In 

 each art should be observed, 4. its origin and occasion of in- 

 vention ; 5. the manner and form of its delivery ; and G. ilui 

 means of its introduction, exercise, and establishment. Add 

 to these, 7. the most famous sects and controversies of learned 

 men ; 8. the calumnies they suffered, and the praises and 

 honours they received ; 9. all along let the best authors and 

 books be noted ; with 10. the schools, successions, academies, 

 societies, colleges, orders, and whatever regards the state of 

 iii&rning : but 11. principally let events be throughout coupled 

 vith their causes ('.vhich is the soul, as it were, of civil history )> 

 m relating the nature of countries and jieople, and 12. their 



