Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/122

 Suspicions. To the Royal Society it will beat any time almost as acceptable, to be confuted, as to discover; seeing, by this means, they will accomplish their main Design: others will be inflam'd; many more will labour; and so the Truth will be obtain'd between them; which may be as much promoted by the Contentions of Hands, and Eyes; as it is commonly injur'd by those of Tongues. However, that Men may not hence undervalue their Authority, because they themselves are not willing to impose, and to usurp a Dominion over their Reason; I will tell them, that there is not any one Thing, which is now approv'd and practis'd in the World, that is confirm'd by stronger Evidence, than this which the Society requires; except only the Holy Mysteries of our Religion. In almost all other Matters of Belief, of Opinion, or of Science; the Assurance, whereby Men are guided, is nothing near so firm, as this. And I dare appeal to all sober Men; whether, seeing in all Countries, that are govern'd by Laws, they expect no more, than the Consent of two or three Witnesses in Matters of Life and Estate; they will not think, they are fairly dealt withal in what concerns their Knowledge, if they have the concurring Testimonies of Threescore or an Hundred.

The History of the Trial perform'd being thus secur'd, I will next declare, what Room they allow'd for conjecturing upon the Causes; about which they also took some Pains, though in a far different Way from the antient Philosophers; amongst whom, scarce any thing else was regarded, but such general Contemplations. This indeed is the fatal Point, about which so many of the greatest Wits of all Ages have