is true indeed, a diligent Inquirer of these Times may gather as much Experience, and in probability, conclude as rightly, as a whole Academy, or Sect of theirs could; yet I shall still deny, that any one Man, though he has the nimblest, and most universal Observation, can ever, in the Compass of his Life, lay up enough Knowledge, to suffice all that shall come after him to rest upon, without the Help of any new Inquiries.
And if we suppose the best, that some one Man, by wonderful Sagacity, or extraordinary Chance, shall light upon the true Principles of natural Philosophy; yet what will be the Profit of such universal Demonstrations, if they are only fitted for Talk, and the solving of Appearances? Will there be any great Matter, whether they are certain, or doubtful; old or new; if they must be only bounded to a System, and confin'd to Discourse? The true Philosophy must be first of all begun, on a scrupulous, and severe Examination of Particulars: from them there may be some general Rules with great Caution drawn: But it must not rest there, nor is that the most difficult Part of its Course. It must advance those Principles, to the finding out of new Effects, through all the Varieties of Matter; and so both the Courses must proceed orderly together; from experimenting to demonstrating, and from demonstrating to experimenting again. I hope I shall content my Reader, if I only give one Instance in this Case. It is probable, that he who first discover'd, that all Things were order'd in Nature by Motion; went upon a better Ground, than any before him. But now if he will only manage this, by nicely disputing about the Nature, and Causes of
