TothePB. INCE, 



learned'ft, that ever lived, fince the decay of the Grecian 

 and Roman Empires 5 when Learning was at a high pitch ; 

 and which rife and fell with thofe Monarchies i for Sce- 

 pters and Sciences have the fame revolutions, the fame pe- 

 riod. ' in theVaft fpaces oT time betweenthoffef arid thefe 

 laft Ages, Philofophy hath been, as it were in aflumberj 

 for many centuries of years. For after the Chrifiian 

 Faith grew up, the moft Writers betook themfelves to 

 Theology , and fomc miftaking the right limits of Faith 

 and Reafon, fell foul upon AriUotle , and other Philofo- 

 phers, as Patrialrchs of Herefie, which were the Patrons 

 of Reafon. Somewhat awaked from this flumber /he was 

 by the Arabian Writers, the School-Dofl:ors, and Spanifli 

 Interpreters j made more adive by the Chymick Philofo* 

 phers, but never perfe^Wy recovered until the days of this 

 Author, who is the firft that ever joyn'd Rational and Ex- 

 perimental Philofophy in a regular correfpondence i which 

 before was either a fubtilty of words, or a confufion of 

 matter. He,after he had furveyed all the Records of An- 

 tiquity, after the volumes of men, betook himfelf to the 

 ftudy of the volume of the world j and having conquer'd 

 whatever books pofleft (his fpacious fpirit not thus bound, 

 cd) fet upon the Kingdom of Nature , and carried that 

 vifiory very far, and which was more than thofe viftoi 

 ries, himfelf being mortal , left fuch laws behind him, 

 as may fuffice to fubdue thereft , if Princes encourage 

 men , and men be not wanting to themfelves. This at- 

 tempt of his U'as favour'd by the Stars of his Nativi- 

 ty. For it was his felicity to live in the times of two 

 Great Patronf of Learnings King JAMES, Tx)ur High- 



mfs 



