Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/198

 Superstructures are not entirely fantastical: And therefore they afford a vast Number of Hints to those who love to apply their Thoughts that Way, which are useful to enlarge Men's Understandings, and to guide their Manners. This, which is strictly true of the Modern Metaphysicks, is as much as can be said of the Ancient: And because a Comparison cannot be made without reading their several Writings, the surest Way to try the Truth of this Proposition will be to read Plato and his Commentators; and along with them, Des Cartess Meditations, Velthuysius de Initiis primæ Philosophiæ, Mallebranche's Recherche de la Verité, Poyret's Cogitationes de Deo, and Mr. Locks Essay of Humane Understanding, already mentioned. This may be done without undervaluing what the Ancients wrote upon these noble Subjects: And the Question is not, Whether they were great Men? But, Whether the Moderns have said any Thing upon these Matters, without Copying out of other Men's Writings? Which, unless we will do them Wrong, we are bound to say they have.