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 the Spots, as well as Beauties of every Thing, that is so close to their Sight, they presently begin to despise their own Times, to exalt the past, to contemn the Virtues and aggravate the Vices of their Country; not endeavouring to amend them, but by such Examples as are now unpracticable, by reason of the Alteration of Men and Manners.

For this Defect, Experiments are a soveraign Cure: They give us a perfect Sight of what is before us; they bring us home to our selves; they make us live in England, and not in Athens or Sparta; at this present time, and not three thousand years ago: Though they permit us to reflect on what has been done in former Ages; yet they make us chiefly to regard and contemplate the Things that are in our View. This certainly is conformable to the Design of Nature it self; which though it has fram'd our Bodies in that manner, that we may easily upon occasion turn about to look behind us; yet it has plac'd the Eyes, the chief Instruments of Observation, not in our Backs, but in our Foreheads.

last Failing which is wont to be imputed to Learned Men, is want of Use, and fear of Practice, and a conversing with Things in their Studies, which they meet with no where else. It may now perhaps be thought that an Experimenter is as inclinable to these Weaknesses, as he that only contemplates; because they both keep out of the way, in the Shadow; the one in his Library, arguing, objecting, defending, concluding with himself: the other in his Workhouse, with such Tools and Materials, whereof many perhaps are not publickly in use. Let us then consider which of them is most to be blam'd for conversing with Matters