of the bearing of those Creatures they do not understand. If they value the Antiquity of Families, and long Race of Pedigrees; what can be more worthy their Consideration, than all the diverse Lineages of Nature? These have more proof of their ancient Descent than any of them can shew: For they have all continued down in a right Line, from Cause to Effect, from the Creation to this Day. If they shall confine themselves to the Country, they have this for their cheap Diversion. If they return to the City, this will afford them in every Shop occasions to inform their Judgments, and not to devour their Estates. If they go forth to public Service, to the leading of Armies or Navies, they have this for their perpetual Counsellor, and very often for their Preserver. There are so many natural and mechanical Things to be accurately observ'd by the greatest Captains, as the Advantages of different Arms and Ammunitions, the Passages of Rivers, the Streights of Mountains, the Course of Tides, the Signs of Weather, the Air, the Sun, the Wind, and the like; that though I will not determine the Knowledge of Nature to be absolutely necessary to the great Office of a General; yet I may venture to affirm, that it will often prove a wonderful Assistance and Ornament to the course of Glory which he pursues.
All Histories are full of Examples of the great Accidents which have happen'd by the ignorance of chief Commanders in natural Motions and Effects; of these I will only instance in three: The first is of Cæsar himself, who had conquer'd more Countries than most Travellers have seen, and gain'd more Battles than others have read of; yet he had like to have put a Period to all his Victories, by the want of an
