Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 002.djvu/11

 And yet (in short to convince and reclaim as many as are hopeful) I dare, without leave, but with sincere affections, in behalf of the Learned Virtuosi, undertake to joyn issue with them, and to offer fair proof, That, whereas they pretend to Aristotle as their Grand Oracle, we have a true and higher esteem for his true worth, than these Pretenders do effectually manifest. We say, his Logicks and Rhetoricks are very valuable. His Ethicks and Politicks, for the most part, sound. His Metaphysicks in many Notions acute. But all these are generally overwhelmed and degraded by the swarms of Insectile Systemes and dilute Commentaries. And as for the other more useful Volumes of Aristotle, his Tracts of Animals (which did cost Great Alexander so many Talents for the furniture, and an ample Salary for encouragements) his Mathematical Discourses and Mechanicks, these they never salute. They weed out his onely defects and animosities, his Velitations with his Elders and Compeers about Atomes and darker Principles; a Matter, which is neque quid, neque quantum, neque quale, a Formal and Substantial ἐντελέχεια (a word too hard for Cicero to translate) and Privation, a Principle as good as the rest; his Definitions of Causes and Affections; his Quaternion of grosse Elements and grosser Mixtures, and insipid Compositions and Qualities, lesse significant than the popular Air: All of them much fitter to beget Eternal Controversies, than to administer any satisfaction to a reasonable Understanding. These they gather up for the sweetest Posies and fairest Garlands, wherewith to adorn their Brows and Temples; and so they take their leave of Aristotle at the very Threshold. Thus they reject the Harmony, and waste all their time in tuneing the Instrument, and are best pleased, even ravish'd, with those strokes which glance below the Bridge, by which they sharpen and turn their Spirits habitually, and set the teeth of their disciples on edge; and then

Quo semel est imbuta recens, servabit, &c.

We take leave to ask, Whether Arisotle did not illustrate his best Conceptions in his Works, with Mathematical Demonstrations? In this, Blancanus will initiate their Observations with sufficient indulgence. We ask further, Which of the Philosophers of