Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/120

 this first Comment and Discourse upon Experiment; he that is to try it, being present, and having so good an Opportunity, of comparing so many other Men's Conceptions with his own, and with the Thing itself, must needs have his Thoughts more enlarg'd, his Judgment confirm'd, his Eyes open'd to discern, what most compendious Helps may be provided; what part of it is more or less useful, and upon what side is may be best attempted: The Truths, which he learns this way, will be his Pattern; the Errors will be his Sea-marks, to teach to avoid the same Dangers; the very Falshoods themselves will serve to enlarge, though they do not inform his Understanding. And, indeed, a thousand more Advantages will hereby come into the Minds of the most sagacious and acute Inquirers, which they would never have compass'd, if they had been only left to themselves. I remember my Lord Bacon somewhere says; That it is one of the greatest Secrets of Nature, that Men's Passions are more capable of being rais'd to higher Degrees in Company, than in Solitude; and that we sooner grieve, fear, rejoice, love, admire, when we behold many others so mov'd, than when we are alone. This is true; and the same may be as well affirm'd of most other Actions of the Mind. In Assemblies, the Wits of most Men are sharper, their Apprehensions readier, their Thoughts fuller, than in their Closets. Of this there is an undoubted Proof in the Art of speaking. For, let the wittiest and most eloquent Men think as largely as they can, on any Subject in private; yet, when they come into the publick, and especially, when they have heard others speak before them, their Argument appears quite another thing to them; their former Expressions seem too flat and cold for their present Rh