bis Preface, 



afterward acquird new-refin'd vertues, and a certain apt 

 Propriety and nfcful Aqcommodation, lb infinitely fruit- 

 ful, that fooner may mens ftudies and defires languifii and 

 change, than thefe 5'ci«?«rex arive at their full height and 

 perfed^ion. § Contrariwife Fh/lofophy^ and Sciences In- 

 teUeStnalj Vikc States are ador'd and celebrated , but no- 

 thmgAd'ZfafKd j nay, commonly of moft vigor in their 

 firft Author, and by Time Degenerate and become em- 

 bafcd. For fince the time men became dez/otecL^ind^s (J'e- 

 dary Settators^ rcOgned over to the Placits and Definiti- 

 onsofone, they do not add any Amplitude to Sciences^ 

 but are wholly taken up in a fervile duty of Poliflyino or 

 FroteBing certain Authors. § And let no man here al- 

 Jeage, that Sciences growing up by degrees, have at length 

 arrived to a juft period or perfeft Stature, and To (as have- 

 ing filled up the juft fpaces o( Augmentatiofi) have fetlcd 

 and fixt themfelves in the works of fome few Authors ^ 

 and now that nothing more accomplifht can be found out, 

 there remains no more to do, but that the Sciences already 

 extant be improved , and adorned. Indeed it could be 

 wifiit that the jiate of Learning rvere thus profperoHS h but 

 the very truth is, the(e mancipations and fervile refigna- 

 tions of Sciences , is nothing eKe but a peccant humour, 

 bred out of daring luft and confidence in fome {ew, and 

 a languishing floth and Pufillanimity in the reft. For when 

 Sciences (for fome parts it may be) have been tilled and 

 laboured with diligence, then perchance hath there rifen 

 up fome bold-undertaking wit, for Compendious brevity 

 of Method popular and plaufible, who in fliew hath con- 

 ilitutcd xSciencCj but indeed depraved the Labours of the 

 Ancients : Yet thefe Abridgments find acceptation with 

 Poflerity, for the expedite ufe of fuch a work, and to a- 

 void the trouble and impatience of a new Inquiry. § And 

 if any ftand upon Confent notv inveterate^ as the Judge* 

 mcnt and teft of Time,let him know he builds upon a very 

 deceivable and infirm Foundation. Nor is it, for the moft 

 part, fo revealed unto us, what in Arts and Sfiences hath 

 been difcovered and brought to light in divers ages, and 

 different Regions of the World i much Icf; what hath 

 been experimented ," and ferioufly laboured by particular 



Perfons 



3 



