Psrt IL of the Earth. P5 



ledge and Erudition "^^^ as 'twould flior-'^ <^onfen. 

 tm the Opportunities of Vice : And ^ 

 accordingly it fell out; An univerftl 

 Rufticity prefently took place, fpread 

 on all hands, and ftop'd not till it had 

 over-run the whole ftock of Mankind* 

 Thofe firft Ages of the new World 

 were fimple, and illiterate to Admira- 

 tion ; and 'twas a long time eVe the 

 Cloud was withdrawn : eVe the lead 

 {park of Learning (I had almoft faid 

 of Humanity) broke forth, or any 

 Man betook himfelf to the promotion 

 of Soienbe. N^y the EffeQ:s of it are 

 vifible to this hour : a general Dark- 

 jiefs yet prevails, and hangs over whole 

 Nations, yea the far greater part of 

 the World is ftill barbarous and lavage. 

 I fay, tho 'twas moft evident that this 

 Remedy muft needs have this Conle- 

 quence alfo as well as the other ^ yet it 

 was not fufpended or changed upon that 

 account ; An egregious and pregnant 

 inftance how far Vertue furpafies Inge^ 

 nuity : how much an honeft Simplici- 

 ty, Probity of Mind, Integrity and 

 Incorruptnefs of Manners, is preferable 

 to fine Parts, profound Knowledge, ^ 

 and fubtile Speculations. I would not 

 have this interpreted an inveftive 

 $g^>3' agaiofl: 



