Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/36

14 Monks, in their solitary and idle Course of Life, had lighted upon. This Sect was excellently well made for their Turn. For by hovering so much, in general Terms, and Notions, it amus'd Men's Minds, in Things that had not much Difficulty: And so the Laity being kept blind, were forc'd in all Things to depend on the Lips of the Roman Clergy. From that time even down to the Reformation, the Gentlemen of all the these Countries, imploying themselves, chiefly in Arms and Adventures abroad: And the Books of the Ancients, being either destroy'd by the Goths, and Vandals; or those which escaped their Fury, lying cover'd with Dust in the Libraries of Monasteries; few or none regarded any of the Arts of Wit, and Reason, besides the Church-men.

This, I will take the Boldness to say, must needs be very injurious to the Increase of general Learning. For though I shall justly affirm to the Honour of that sacred Profession, that all Knowledge has been more search'd into, and promoted by them, than by any other Order of Men, even from the Egyptians Times, (whose Priests in good part invented, or at least preserv'd, the Learning of the East) down to our present Age: Yet I must also add, that whenever all the studious Spirits of a Nation, have been reduc'd within the Temple's Walls, that Time is naturally liable to this Danger, of having its Genius more intent, on the different Opinions in Religion, and the Rites of Worship, than on the Increase of any other Science. Of this I shall give two Instances: one, from the Ancients, the other, from our selves.

It is manifest, that amongst the Jews, all the Men of Letters still apply'd themselves to the understanding of their Law: that being the publick Way Rh