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 matical Learning of the Ancients is better conveyed to us than the Civil; the Books which treated of those Subjects suiting better the Genius's of several Men, and of several Nations too: For which Reason the Arabs translated the most considerable Greek Books of this kind; as, Euclid, Apollonius, Aristotle, Epictetus, Cebes, and Abundance more, that had written of Philosophy or Mathematicks, into their own Language; whilst they let Books of Antiquity and Civil History lie unregarded.

Sir William Temple's next Enquiry is, From whence both the Ancients and Moderns have received their Knowledge? His Method does not seem to be very natural, nor his Question very proper, since, if Discoveries are once made, it is not so material to know who taught the several Inventors, as what these Inventors first taught others. But setting that aside, the Summ of what he says, in short, is this:

'(o) The Moderns gather all their Learning out of Books in Universities; which are but dumb Guides, that can lead Men but one Way, without being able to set them right if they should wander from it. These Books, besides, are very few; the Remains of the Writings of here and there an Author, that