Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/43

 pretend that they out-did the Ancients, as well as some do now? They would, without question, could they have had any Colour for it: It was the Work of one Age to remove the Rubbish, and to clear the Way for future Inventors. Men seldom strive for Mastery, where the Superiority is not in some sort disputable; then it is that they begin to strive; accordingly, as soon as there was a fair Pretence for such a Dispute, there were not wanting those who soon made the most of it, both by exalting their own Performances, and disparaging every Thing that had been done of that kind by their Predecessors: 'Till the new Philosophy had gotten Ground in the World, this was done very sparingly; which is but within the Compass of 40 or 50 Years. There were but few before, who would be thought to have exceeded the Ancients, unless it were some few Physicians, who set up Chymical Methods of Practice, and Theories of Diseases, founded upon Chymical Notions, in opposition to the Galenical: But these Men, for want of conversing much out of their own Laboratories, were unable to maintain their Cause to the general Conviction of Mankind: The Credit of the Cures which they wrought, not supporting them e-