Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/347

 siness to set their Members a work to collect a perfect History of Nature, in order to establish thereupon a Body of Physicks; what has been done towards it by the Members of that illustrious Body will be evident by considering that Boyle, Barrow, Newton, Huygens, Malpighius, Leeuwenhoek, Willoughby, Willis, and Abundance more already named amongst the great Advancers of real Learning, have belonged to it: If it shall be thought too tedious a Work to examine all their Writings, Mr. Boyles Works, any one good System of the Cartesian Philosophy, Monsieur Rohaults for Instance, or to comprehend all under one, a Book Intituled, Philosophia Vetus & Nova ad Usum Scholæ accommodata, may be consulted, and then it will be evident enough of which Side the Verdict ought to be given; in the last Book especially it is evident how very little the Ancients did in all Parts of Natural Philosophy, and what a great Compass it at present takes, since it makes the Comparison I all along appeal to.

Thus, it seems to me to be very evident, That the Ancients Knowledge in all Matters relating to Mathematicks and Physicks was incomparably inferiour to that of the Moderns. These are Subjects,