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 strictly so called, which was not known by the Ancients, equally well as by the Moderns.

But it would be a wrong Inference to conclude from thence, that the Ancients were greater Genius's than the Men of the present Age. For, by Sir William Temple's Confession, (b), the Chineses and Peruans were governed by excellent Laws: and Confucius and Mango Capac may well be reckoned amongst the Law-givers and Philosophers of those which are commonly called learned Nations; though neither of them, especially the Latter, can justly be suspected of learning what they knew by Communication from other Nations. From whence Sir William Temple rightly concludes, that Common Sence is of the Growth of every Country; and that all People who unite into Societies, and form Governments, will in time make prudent Laws of all kinds; since it is not Strength of Imagination, nor Subtilty of Reasoning, but Constancy in making Observations upon the several Ways of Working of Humane Nature, that first stored the World with Moral Truths, and put Mankind upon forming such Rules of Practice as best suited with these Observations. There is no Wonder therefore, that in a long Series of