The mathematical and philosophical works of the Right Reverend John Wilkins ... To which is prefix'd the author's life, and an account of his works / [John Wilkins].

  • John Wilkins
Date:
1708
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The mathematical and philosophical works of the Right Reverend John Wilkins ... To which is prefix'd the author's life, and an account of his works / [John Wilkins]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    where find fo ready Entertainment • but the fame Novelty which is efteemed the Commendation of Error., and makes that acceptable ; is counted the Fault of Truths and caufes that to be rejected. How did the incredulous World gaze at Colum¬ bus, when he promifed to difcover another Part of the Earth ? And he could not for a long time; by his Confidence or Arguments; induce any of the Chri- Ilian PrjnceS; either to affent unto his Opinion ? oi go to the Charges of an Experiment. Now if he^ who had fuch good Grounds for his Affenion; could find no better Entertainment among the wifer Sort , and upper End of the World ; Stis not likely then that this Opinion which I now deliyer; fliall receive any thing from the Men of thefe Days’; elpecially Our Vulgar Wits y but Misbelief or Derifi- on. It h^th always been the Unhappinefs of new Truth* in Philofophy; to be derided by thofe that are igno¬ rant of the Caufes of Things; and rejected by o- thers; whofe Perverfenefs ties them to the contrary Opinion'; Men whofe envious Pride will not allou any new Thing for Truth, which they themfelve; were not the firft Inventors of. So that I may jufll} expedfc to be aecufed of a pragmatical Ignorance, and bold Oftentatipn ; efpecially, fince for this O pinion Xenophanes,' a Man whofe Authority was a- Mytliol. ble t0 add iqme Credit to his Affertion, could no; Hb.3x.17. efcape ' the like Cenfure from others. For Natale Comes fpeakfng of that Phiiofopher; and this hi Opinion; faith thus; Nonnulli ne nihil fcljje videantur alicjua ncva monjtrairi Pbilofophiam iniroducunt, ut all cuius rei inventores fuijje apfareanU cc Some there ar< ^ who left they might feem to knpw nothing, wil bring up moriftrous Abfur dities in Philofophy “ that'Fo afterward they may be famed for the In vention of 1 fomeWhat.The fame Author doti • t aifb in another Place accufe Anaxagoras of ‘Folly foj
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