Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/101

Rh of all noble Inventions, and proposes an infallible Course to make England the Glory of the Western World.

This my Love and my Hopes prompt me to say. But besides this, there is one Thing more, that persuades me, that the Royal Society will be immortal, and that is, that if their Stock should still continue narrow, yet even upon that, they will be able to free themselves from all Difficulties, and to make a constant Increase of it, by their managing. There is scarce any thing has more hindred the true Philosophy, than a vain Opinion, that Men have taken up, that Nothing could be done in it, to any purpose, but upon a vast Charge, and by a mighty Revenue. Men commonly think, that the Pit, in which (according to Democritus) Truth lyes hid, is bottomless; and that it will devour, whatever is thrown into it, without being the fuller. This false Conception had got so much Ground, that as soon as a Man began to put his Hands to Experiments, he was presently given over, as impoverished and undone. And indeed the Enemies of real Knowledge, had some Appearance of Reason to conclude this heretofore; because they had seen the great Estates of some Chymists melted away, without any Thing left behind, to make Recompence. But this Imagination can now no longer prevail: Men now understand, that Philosophy needs not so great a Prodigality to maintain it; that the most profitable Trials are not always the most costly; that the best Inventions have not been found out by the richest, but by the most prudent and industrious Observers; that the right Art of Experimenting, when it is once set forward, will go near to sustain itself. This I speak, not to stop Men's future Bounty, by a philosophical Boast, Rh