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6 to thrive, when the Minds, and Labours of Men of all Conditions, are join'd to promote it, and when it becomes the care of united Nations.

Into the East, the first inquisitive Men amongst the Grecians travelled: By what they observed there, they ripened their own imperfect Conceptions, and so returned to teach them at home. And that they might the better insinuate their Opinions into their Hearers Minds, they set them off with the Mixture of Fables and the Ornaments of Fancy. Hence it came to pass, that the first Masters of Knowledge amongst them, were as well Poets, as Philosophers; for Orpheus, Linus, Musæus, and Homer, first softned Men's natural Rudeness; and by the Charms of their Numbers, allur'd them to be instructed by the severer Doctrines of Solon, Thales, and Pythagoras. This was a Course, that was useful at first, when Men were to be delightfully deceiv'd to their own Good: But perhaps it left some ill Influence, on the whole Philosophy of their Successors; and gave the Grecians occasion ever after of exercising their Wit, and their Imagination, about the Works of Nature, more then was consistent with a sincere Inquiry into them.

When the fabulous Age was past: Philosophy took a little more Courage; and ventured more to rely upon its own Strength, without the Assistance of Poetry. Now they began to gather into Assemblies, and to increase their Interest: and according to the different Temper of the Grecians, from the Eastern Nations, so were their Arts propagated in a different Way from theirs. The Greeks, being of a vigorous, and active Humour, establish'd their