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up by adding fomething in the room of what 

 muft inevitably be lofb ; for if we fit down con- 

 tent with what is already known, which is a 

 knowledge evidently decreafing every day, in 

 a few ages we may know nothing, and be re- 

 duced to a ftate equal to the wild Americans, 

 fince we know that Europe itfelf hath been well 

 nigh reduced to fuch a ftate a few centuries ago, 

 by falling into a fuperftitious lethargy, negled- 

 ing all farther improvements of knov/ledge, and 

 defpifing reafon, nature, and the evidence of 

 fenfe. 



Every one ought to attain to as high a de- 

 gree of natural knowledge as he can, for a deep 

 knowledge in nature has dete6led many falfe 

 pretenders to infpiration, prophefy, and the like, 

 while the ignorant in nature and her laws have 

 been deluded by the meanefl and loweft preten- 

 ders, fuch as diabolical pofTeffions, fantaftical ap- 

 paritions, dreams, good and bad omens, ^nd the 

 like. 



As arts have been brought by gradual fteps, 

 from one degree of perfection to another, by 



joining 



