Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/92

 If then there can be any Cure devis'd for this, it must be no other than to form an Assembly at one Time, whose Privileges shall be the same; whose Gain shall be in common; whose Members were not brought up at the Feet of each other. But after all, even this cannot be free from Prevarication in all future Ages. So apt are some to distrust, and others to confide too much in themselves; so much Sweetness there is, in leading Parties; so much Pride in following a Faction; such various Artifices there are to ensnare Men's Passions, and soon after their Understandings. All these Hazards, and many more, are to be suppos'd; which it is impossible for mortal Wit wholly to foresee, much less to avoid. But yet we have less Ground of Jealousy from this Institution than any other, not only because they only deal in Matters of Fact, which are not so easily perverted; but also upon Security of the Inclinations of the greatest Part of the Members of the Society itself. This, I hope, most Men will acknowledge; and I will take the Permission to say in general of them, that in all past and present Times, I am confident there can never be shewn so great a Number of Cotemporaries in so narrow a Space of the World, that lov'd Truth so zealously sought it so constantly; and upon whose Labours Mankind might so freely rely. This I speak, not out of Bravery to Foreigners (before whose Eyes, I believe, this negligent Discourse will never appear) but to the learned Men of this Nation, who are better Judges of what I say. And this too, I dare affirm, in an Age, wherein I expect to be condemn'd of Falshood or Partiality for this Character, which I have given. For so it happens, that we are now arriv'd at that excessive censuring Humour, that he who takes upon him to commend any