Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/128

 or liking, as it found; and so advancing its Stock, by a sure and a double Increase; by adding new Discoveries, and retaining antient Truths. A Largeness and Generosity, which certainly is an excellent Omen of its Establishment. In this, methinks, it excels any other Sect; as the Roman Commonwealth did that of Venice. The latter began upon a small Stock, and has been careful to preserve itself unmingled, bestowing the Freedom of its City very sparingly: And we see, it has been still on the defensive, making no great Progress in the World; whereas the Romans, by afar more frank and honourable Counsel, admitted all, that desired to be their Confederates; gave the Liberty of Roman Citizens to whole Towns and Countries; excluded none, but those that would obstinately stand out; and so deservedly extended their Empire, as far as the Bounds of the civil World did reach.

The second Mischief in this great matter of Causes is an eternal Instability and Aversion from assigning of any. This arises from a violent and imprudent Haste to avoid the first. So easy is the Passage from one Extreme to another; and so hard it is to stop in that little Point, wherein the Right does consist. The Truth is, they are both almost equally pernicious; nothing sound is to be expected from those, who will fix blindly on whatever they can lay hold on; and nothing great from them, who will always wander; who will never leave disputing, whether they dream, or wake, whether there is any Motion, whether they have any Being, or no; the one can produce nothing but unwholsome and rotten fruits; and the other, for Fear of that, will endeavour to have no Harvest, nor Autumn at all.

To this Fault of Sceptical Doubting, the Royal Rh