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 subject to Diseases; the aggravating of which common Infirmities can never be esteem'd by any private Man, as an effect of Malice or ill Nature.

But now, on the other side, this Doubtfulness of Thoughts, this Fluctuation, this Slowness of concluding, which is so useful in this Case, is so natural to a Multitude of Counsellors, that is frequently urg'd against them, as their inseparable Imperfection. Every Man has this Argument in his Mouth, wherewith to condemn a great and mixt Number of Advisers; that their Deliberations are so tedious, that commonly the Seasons of Action are lost, before they can come to any Result. 'Tis true, this Unweildiness, and want of Dispatch, is most destructive in Matters of State and Government; as Christendom lately felt: But it has a quite contrary influence on Philosophy. It is not here the most speedy, or the swiftest Determination of Thoughts, that will do the Business: here many Delays are requir'd: here he that can make a solid Objection, or ask a seasonable Question, will do more Good, than he who shall boldly fix on a hundred ill-grounded Resolutions. Every Rub is here to be smooth'd; every Scruple to be plan'd; every thing to be foreseen; the Satisfaction of the Reason of all past, present, and future Times to be design'd: so that here, that which is so much cried down in Policy, a striving still to do better, can never be too much regarded.

Nor is the Society only fore-arm'd against this great Inconvenience, this Rashness of settling upon Causes, by the Multitude of Judges that are to be satisfied; but also by their indifferent hearing of all Conjectures, that may be made from the Tenets of any Sect of Philosophy; and by touching every Effect that comes before them, upon all the Varieties of Opinions, Rh