low the Directions of such Men in natural Things, rather than of those, who make it their Employment; I shall believe they will be irrational enough, to think, that a Man may draw an exacter Description of England, who has never been here, than the most industrious Mr. Camden, who had travell'd over every Part of this Country, for that very Purpose.
Whoever shall soberly profess, to be willing to put their Shoulders under the Burthen of so great an Enterprize, as to represent to Mankind the whole Fabrick, the Parts, the Causes, the Effects of Nature, ought to have their Eyes in all Parts, and to receive Information from every Quarter of the Earth; they ought to have a constant universal Intelligence; all Discoveries should be brought to them; the Treasuries of all former Times should be laid open before them; the Assistance of the present should be allow'd them: So far are the narrow Conceptions of a few private Writers, in a dark Age, from being equal to so vast a Design. There are indeed some Operations of the Mind, which may be best performed by the simple Strength of Men's own particular Thoughts; such are Invention, and judgment, and Disposition: For in them a Security from Noise, leaves the Soul at more Liberty, to bring forth Order, and fashion the Heap of Matter, which had been before supply'd to its Use. But there are other Works also, which require as much Aid, and as many Hands, as can be found: And such is this of Observation; which is the great Foundation of Knowledge; some must gather, some must bring, some separate, some examine; and to use a Similitude, (which the present Time of the Year, and the ripe Fields, that lye
