Dr. Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689): his life and original writings / [edited by] Kenneth Dewhurst.

  • Thomas Sydenham
Date:
1966
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Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: Dr. Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689): his life and original writings / [edited by] Kenneth Dewhurst. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    vainely expect that Nature, or in truth God him self, should proceede according to those laws his maximes had prescribed him. Whereas his narrow weake facultys could reach noe farther then the observation and memory of some few effects produced by visible and externall causes but in a way utterly out of the reach of his apprehension, it being perhaps noe absurdity to thinke that this great and curious fabrique of the world the workmanship of the almighty cannot be perfectly comprehended by any understanding but his that made it, man still affecting something of a deity laboured to make his imagination supply what his observation failed him in, and when he could not discover the principles and causes and methods of natures workmanship, he would needs fashion all those out of his owne thought, and make a world to him self, framed and governed by his owne intelligence, [and thus man by desire to know more than was fit a second time lost the little remainder of knowledg that was left him.] 1 This vanity spread its self into many of the useful parts of naturall philosophy, and by how much the more it seemed subtile sublime or learned by soe much the more it proved pernicious and hurtful by hindering the growth of practicall knowledg. Thus the most acute and ingenious part of men being by custom and education ingaged in empty speculations, the improvement of usefull arts was lefte to the meaner sort of people who had weaker parts and lesse opportunitys to doe it, and were therfor branded with the disgracefull name of mechaniques. Hence it came to passe that the world was fild with books and disputes, and that books multiplied without the increase of knowledg: the ages successively grew more learned without being wiser or happyer, or if the conveniencys of humane life chanced to be promoted by any new invention, men were not led to such happy discoverys by the conduct of philosophicall speculations, but chance or well-designed experiments taught them to those who imploid their time and thoughts about the works of nature more then the maxims of the schooles. Of this the plowman tanners smiths bakers dier painter etc are witnesses. The great inventions of powder and the loadstone, which have altered the whole affairs of man kinde are undeniable instances. Soe that those who had read and writt whole volumes of generation and corruption knew not the way to preserve or propagate the meanest species of creatures, he that could dispute learnedly of nutrition concoction and assimulation, was beholding yet to the cooke and the good housewife, for a wholesome and savoury meale, and whoever desired to have faire gardens and fruitfull fields, had more reason to consult the experience of the dull plowman and unread gardener then the profound philosopher or acute 1 Insertion from facing page.