A supplement to the Athenian oracle : being a collection of the remaining questions and answers in the old Athenian mercuries intermixt with many cases in divinity, history, philosophy, mathematicks, love, poetry, never before publish'd. To which is prefix'd the history of the Athenian Society, and an essay upon learning / [by J. Dunton?] By a member of the Athenian Society.

John Dunton

Date:: 1710

Credit: A supplement to the Athenian oracle : being a collection of the remaining questions and answers in the old Athenian mercuries intermixt with many cases in divinity, history, philosophy, mathematicks, love, poetry, never before publish'd. To which is prefix'd the history of the Athenian Society, and an essay upon learning / [by J. Dunton?] By a member of the Athenian Society. Source: Wellcome Collection.

479/516 page 469

$| Athenian Myacle. 459 3, Suppofing this defire of{of Celeleftial original, afpi- ‘knowledge not general, it is| res to the infinite knowledg of demanded how it comesto be}God by that of finite things. fo great in many Perfons, that] 4- The Reafon why both fome have relinquifh’d all their] young and old defire to know, fortunes for at, others havejis, becaule of the extream {pent their whole age in at-|pleafure which they take in taining it, others have put our| knowing things. But if fome their Eyes the.better to attend| be not inckin’d to it, tis in it, and fome loft their lives] regard of the difficulties, which for it. Surely they all dorhus}abate indeed, burcannot wholly for fome® good, Now good is} extinguith their natural ardour. divided into three kinds ; and] This pleafure is apparent, in correfpondently, fome do it for} that we take delight to Know profic, fitting themfelves to] not only true things, but tuch gain themfelves a livelihood ;|as we are con{cious to be no- others for Honour, and to en-}torioully falle ; yea fometimes joy the Prerogatives which'}we are more delighted with Kriowledge procures to the |the latter than the former, pro- mott Learned ; others, only forjvided they have fome pretty the-pleafure they find in Study,| conceits, as with Stories, Fa- and not for the fake of know-| bles and Romances, For there dedge it felf: For when wef is nothing fo {mall and incon-' once have attain’d the know-jfiderable in nature, wherein Sedge of a thing, it affords us| the mind finds not incomparae _ delight no longer 5 whence it} ble divertifement and delight, is that excellent’ workmen} The Gods, faith #rifotle, are are always poor; becaufe fo} as well in the leait Infetts as foon as they have arriv’d to'a{in the moft bulky Animals perfedtion of fkill, they leave},and to delpife lictle things is, all further fearch to others ;|in his judgment, to do like their only pleafure was in the| children, For, on the contra- aequifition. Thispleafure here-}. ry, as in Art, the lets place a in refembling all other forts, | Pidture takes up, the more -it which confift only in aétion,lis efteeni'd ; and the Idliads of and not in acquiefcence or fa-| Homer were fometimes the tisfa@tion. ~ But may it notalfo} more admir’d for being come -be thus, becaufe our Soul being | priz’d ina Nut-fhel : So in Nas a Number, always defires and} ture, the lels volume things aims to perfectionate it felf ?}are in, the more worthy they ‘And as no number can bejare of admiration. Now’ if affign’d fo great, but fome o-}there be fo much Pleafure in | thers may be added to it, even |feeing the figures and repre- 0 infinity; fo our foul is capa-jfentations of natural things, ble! of receiving new light and}becaule we obferve the work- NeW notions, to infinity. Or}man’s induitry in them 3 there selfe,as every thing tends to its}/is much more contentment in matural place, fo onr Soul being |clearly psig thofe things$

Licence and re-use

Contents