or improv'd, and as long as there remains any Corner of the World without Civility. Let us next observe, whether Men of different ways of Life are capable of performing any Thing towards it, besides the Artificers themselves. This will quickly appear undeniable, if we will be convinc'd by Instances; for it is evident, that diverse sorts of Manufactures have been given us by Men who were not bred up in Trades that resembled those which they discovered. I shall mention Three; that of Printing, Powder, and the Bow-Dye. The admirable Art of Composing Letters, was so far from being started by a Man of Learning, that it was the Device of a Soldier: And Powder (to make Recompence) was invented by a Monk, whose course of Life was most averse from handling the Materials of War. The ancient Tyrian Purple was brought to light by a Fisher; and if ever it shall be recover'd, it is likely to be done by some such Accident. The Scarlet of the Moderns is a very beautiful Colour; and it was the Production of a Chymist, and not of a Dyer.
And indeed the Instances of this kind are so numerous, that I dare in general affirm, That those Men who are not peculiarly conversant about any one sort of Arts may often find out their Rarities and Curiosities sooner, than those who have their Minds confin'd wholly to them. If we weigh the Reasons why this is probable, it will not be found so much a Paradox, as perhaps it seems at the first Reading. The Tradesmen themselves, having had their Hands directed from their Youth in the same Methods of Working, cannot when they please so easily alter their Custom, and turn themselves into new Roads of Practice. Besides this, they chiefly labour for present Livelihood, and therefore
