A PROPOSITION For the ADVANCEMENT Of EXPERIMENTAL Philosophy.
By A. COWLEY.
LONDON, Printed by J. M. for Henry Herringman; and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Blew-Anchor in the Lower-Walk of the New-Exchange, 1661.
To the Honourable Society for the Advancement of Experimental Philosophy.
THe Author of the following discourse, having since his going into France allowed me to make it publick, I thought I should do it most right by presenting it to Your Considerations; to the [Page] end that when it hath been fully examin'd by You, and receiv'd such Additions or Alterations as You shall think fit, the Design thereof may be promoted by Your recommending the Practice of it to the Nation. I am,
A PROPOSITION For the ADVANCEMENT Of LEARNING.
By A. COWLEY.
LONDON, Printed by J. M. for Henry Herringman, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Blew Anchor in the Lower-Walk of the New-Exchange, 1661.
The Preface.
ALL Knowledge must either be of God, or of his Creatures, that is, of Nature; the first is called from the Object, Divinity; the latter, Natural Philosophy, and is divided into the Contemplation of the Immediate or Mediate Creatures of God, that is, the Creatures of his Creature Man. Of this latter kind are all Arts for the use of Humane Life, which are thus again divided: Some are purely Humane, or made by Man alone, and as it were intirely spun out of himself, without [Page] relation to other Creatures, such are Grammar and Logick, to improve his Natural Qualities of Internal and External speech; as likewise Rhetorick and Politicks (or Law) to fulfill and exalt his Natural Inclination to Society. Other are mixt, and are Mans Creatures no otherwise then by the Result which he effects by Conjunction and Application of the Creatures of God. Of these parts of Philosophy that which treats of God Almighty (properly called Divinity) which is almost only to be sought out of his revealed will, and therefore requires only the diligent and pious study of that, and of the best Interpreters upon [Page] it; and that part which I call purely Humane, depending solely upon Memory and Wit, that is, Reading and Invention, are both excellently well provided for by the Constitution of our Ʋniversities. But the other two Parts, the Inquisition into the Nature of Gods Creatures, and the Application of them to Humane Ʋses (especially the latter) seem to be very slenderly provided for, or rather almost totally neglected, except onely some small assistances to Physick, and the Mathematicks. And therefore the Founders of our Colledges have taken ample care to supply the Students with multitude of Books, and to appoint Tutors [Page] and frequent Exercises, the one to interpret, and the other to confirm their Reading, as also to afford them sufficient plenty and leisure for the opportunities of their private study, that the Beams which they receive by Lecture may be doubled by Reflections of their own Wit: But towards the Observation and Application, as I said, of the Creatures themselves, they have allowed no Instruments, Materials, or Conveniences. Partly, because the necessary expence thereof is much greater, then of the other; and partly from that idle and pernicious opinion which had long possest the World, that all things to be searcht in [Page] Nature, had been already found and discovered by the Ancients, and that it were a folly to travel about for that which others had before brought home to us. And the great Importer of all Truths they took to be Aristotle, as if (as Macrobius speaks foolishly of Hippocrates) he could neither deceive nor be deceived, or as if there had been not only no Lies in him, but all Verities. O true Philosophers in one sence! and contented with a very Little! Not that I would disparage the admirable Wit, and worthy labours of many of the Ancients, much less of Aristotle, the most eminent among them; but it were madness to imagine that the Cisterns [Page] of men should afford us as much, and as wholesome Waters, as the Fountains of Nature. As we understand the manners of men by conversation among them, and not by reading Romances, the same is our case in the true Apprehension & Judgement of Things. And no man can hope to make himself as rich by stealing out of others Truncks, as he might by opening and digging of new Mines. If he conceive that all are already exhausted, let him consider that many lazily thought so hundred years ago, and yet nevertheless since that time whole Regions of Art have been discovered, which the Ancients as little dreamt of as [Page] they did of America. There is yet many a Terra Incognita behind to exercise our diligence, and let us exercise it never so much, we shall leave work enough too for our Posterity.
This therefore being laid down as a certain Foundation, that we must not content our selves with that Inheritance of Knowledge which is left us by the labour and bounty of our Ancestors, but seek to improve those very grounds, and adde to them new and greater Purchases; it remains to be considered by what means we are most likely to attain the ends of this vertuous Covetousness.
And certainly the solitary and [Page] unactive Contemplation of Nature, by the most ingenious Persons living, in their own private Studies, can never effect it. Our Reasoning Faculty as well as Fancy, does but Dream, when it is not guided by sensible Objects. We shall compound where Nature has divided, and divide where Nature has compounded, and create nothing but either Deformed Monsters, or at best pretty but impossible Mermaids. 'Tis like Painting by Memory and Imagination which can never produce a Picture to the Life. Many Persons of admirable abilities (if they had been wisely managed and profitably employed) have spent their [Page] whole time and diligence in commentating upon Aristotles Philosophy, who could never go beyond him, because their design was only to follow, not grasp, or lay hold on, or so much as touch Nature, because they catcht only at the shadow of her in their own Brains. And therefore we see that for above a thousand years together nothing almost of Ornament or Advantage was added to the Ʋses of Humane Society, except only Guns and Printing, whereas since the Industry of Men has ventured to go abroad, out of Books and out of Themselves, and to work among Gods Creatures, instead of Playing among their Own, every [Page] age has abounded with excellent Inventions, and every year perhaps might do so, if a considerable number of select Persons were set apart, and well directed, and plentifully provided for the search of them. But our Ʋniversities having been founded in those former times that I complain of, it is no wonder if they be defective in their Constitution as to this way of Learning, which was not then thought on.
For the supplying of which Defect, it is humbly proposed to his Sacred Majesty, his most Honourable Parliament, and Privy Council, and to all such of his Subjects as are willing and able [Page] to contribute any thing towards the advancement of real and useful Learning, that by their Authority, Encouragement, Patronage, and Bounty, a Philosophical Colledge may be erected, after this ensuing, or some such like Model.
The Colledge.
THat the Philosophical Colledge be scituated within one, two, or (at farthest) three miles of Londòn, and, if it be possible to find that convenience, upon the side of the River, or very near it.
That the Revenue of this Colledge amount to four thousand pounds a year.
That the Company received into it be as follows.
1. Twenty Philosophers or Professors. 2. Sixteen young Scholars, Servants to the Professors. [Page 15] 3. A Chaplain. 4. A Baily for the Revenue. 5. A Manciple or Purveyour for the provisions of the House. 6. Two Gardeners. 7. A Master-Cook. 8. An Under-Cock. 9. A Butler. 10. An Under-Butler. 11. A Chirurgeon. 12. Two Lungs, or Chymical Servants. 13. A Library-keeper who is likewise to be Apothecary, Druggist, and Keeper of Instruments, Engines, &c. 14. An Officer to feed and take care of all Beasts, Fowl, &c. kept by the Colledge. 15. A Groom of the Stable. 16. A Messenger to send up and down for all uses of the Colledge. 17. Four [Page 16] old Women, to tend the Chambers, keep the House clean, and such like services.
That the annual allowance for this Company be as follows. 1. To every Professor, and to the Chaplain, one hundred and twenty Pounds. 2. To the sixteen Scholars 20l a piece, 10l for their diet, and 10l for their Entertainment. 3. To the Baily 30l besides allowance for his Journeys. 4. To the Purveyour or Manciple thirty pounds. 5. To each of the Gardeners twenty Pounds. 6. To the Master-Cook twenty Pounds. 7. To the Under-Cook four Pounds. 8. To the Butler ten Pounds. [Page 17] 9. To the Under-Butler four Pounds. 10. To the Chirurgeon thirty Pounds. 11. To the Library-Keeper thirty Pounds. 12. To each of the Lungs twelve Pounds. 13. To the Keeper of the Beasts six Pounds. 14. To the Groom five Pounds. 15. To the Messenger twelve Pounds. 16. To the four necessary Women ten Pounds. For the Manciples Table at which all the Servants of the House are to eat, except the Scholars, one hundred sixty Pounds. For 3 Horses for the Service of the Colledge, thirty Pounds.
All which amounts to three thousand two hundred eighty [Page 18] five Pounds. So that there remains for keeping of the House and Gardens, and Operatories, and Instruments, and Animals, and Experiments of all sorts, and all other expences, seven hundred & fifteen Pounds.
Which were a very inconsiderable sum for the great uses to which it is designed, but that I conceive the Industry of the Colledge will in a short time so enrich it self as to get a far better Stock for the advance and enlargement of the work when it is once begun; neither is the continuance of particular mens liberality to be despaired of, when it shall be [Page 19] encouraged by the sight of that publick benefit which will accrue to all Mankind, and chiefly to our Nation, by this Foundation. Something likewise will arise from Leases and other Casualties; that nothing of which may be diverted to the private gain of the Professors, or any other use besides that of the search of Nature, and by it the general good of the world, and that care may be taken for the certain performance of all things ordained by the Institution, as likewise for the protection and encouragement of the Company, it is proposed.
That some Person of Eminent [Page 20] Quality, a Lover of solid Learning, and no Stranger in it, be chosen Chancellour or President of the Colledge, and that eight Governours more, men qualified in the like manner, be joyned with him, two of which shall yearly be appointed Visitors of the Colledge, and receive an exact account of all expences even to the smallest, and of the true estate of their publick Treasure, under the hands and oaths of the Professors Resident.
That the choice of the Professors in any vacancy belong to the Chancellour and the Governours, but that the Professors (who are likeliest to [Page 21] know what men of the Nation are most proper for the duties of their Society) direct their choice by recommending two or three persons to them at every Election. And that if any learned Person within his Majesties Dominions discover or eminently improve any useful kind of knowledge, he may upon that ground for his reward and the encouragement of others, be preferr'd, if he pretend to the place, before any body else.
That the Governours have power to turn out any Professor who shall be proved to be either scandalous or unprofitable to the Society.
[Page 22] That the Colledge be built after this, or some such manner: That it consist of three fair Quadrangular Courts, and three large grounds, enclosed with good walls behind them. That the first Court be built with a fair Cloyster, and the Professors Lodgings or rather little Houses, four on each side at some distance from one another, and with little Gardens behind them, just after the manner of the Chartreux beyond Sea. That the inside of the Cloyster be lined with a Gravel-walk, and that walk with a row of Trees, and that in the middle there be a Parterre of Flowers, and a Fountain.
[Page 23] That the second Quadrangle just behind the first, be so contrived, as to contain these parts. 1. A Chappel. 2. A Hall with two long Tables on each side for the Scholars and Officers of the House to eat at, and with a Pulpit and Forms at the end for the publick Lectures. 3. A large and pleasant Dining-Room within the Hall for the Professors to eat in, and to hold their Assemblies and Conferences. 4. A publick School-house. 5. A Library. 6. A Gallery to walk in, adorned with the Pictures or Statues of all the Inventors of any thing useful to Humane Life; as Printing, [Page 24] Guns, America, &c. and of late in Anatomy, the Circulation of the Blood, the Milky Veins, and such like discoveries in any Art, with short Elogies under the Portraictures: As likewise the Figures of all sorts of Creatures, and the stuft skins of as many strange Animals as can be gotten. 7. An Anatomy Chamber adorned with Skeletons and Anatomical Pictures, and prepared with all conveniencies for Dissection. 8. A Chamber for all manner of Druggs, and Apothecaries Materials. 9. A Mathematical Chamber furnisht with all forts of Mathematical Instruments, being an Appendix [Page 25] to the Library. 10. Lodgings for the Chaplain, Chirurgeon, Library-Keeper and Purveyour, near the Chappel, Anatomy Chamber, Library and Hall.
That the third Court be on one side of these, very large, but meanly built, being designed only for use and not for beauty too, as the others. That it contain the Kitchin, Butteries, Brew-house, Bake-house, Dairy, Lardry, Stables, &c. and especially great Laboratories for Chymical Operations, and Lodgings for the Underservants.
That behind the second Court be placed the Garden, [Page 26] containing all sorts of Plants that our Soil will bear, and at the end a little House of pleasure, a Lodge for the Gardener, and a Grove of Trees cut out into Walks.
That the second enclosed ground be a Garden, destined only to the tryal of all manner of Experiments concerning Plants, as their Melioration, Acceleration, Retardation, Conservation, Composition, Transmutation, Coloration, or whatsoever else can be produced by Art either for use or curiosity, with a Lodge in it for the Gardener.
That the third Ground be employed in convenient Receptacles [Page 27] for all sorts of Creatures which the Professors shall judge necessary for their more exact search into the nature of Animals, and the improvement of their Uses to us.
That there be likewise built in some place of the Colledge where it may serve most for Ornament of the whole, a very high Tower for observation of Celestial Bodies, adorned with all sorts of Dyals and such like Curiosities; and that there be very deep Vaults made under ground, for Experiments most proper to such places, which will be undoubtedly very many.
Much might be added, but [Page 28] truly I am afraid this is too much already for the charity or generosity of this age to extend to; and we do not design this after the Model of Solomons House in my Lord Bacon (which is a Project for Experiments that can never be Experimented) but propose it within such bounds of Expence as have often been exceeded by the Buildings of private Citzens.
Of the Professors, Scholars, Chaplain, and other Officers.
THat of the twenty Professors four be always travelling beyond Seas, and sixteen always Resident, unless by permission upon extraordinary occasions, and every one so absent, leaving a Deputy behind him to supply his Duties.
That the four Professors Itinerant be assigned to the four parts of the World, Europe, Asia, Afrique, and America, there to reside three years at least, and to give a constant [Page 30] account of all things that belong to the Learning, and especially Natural Experimental Philosophy of those parts.
That the expence of all Dispatches, and all Books, Simples, Animals, Stones, Metals, Minerals, &c. and all curiosities whatsoever, natural or artificial, sent by them to the Colledge, shall be defrayed out of the Treasury, and an additional allowance (above the 120l) made to them as soon as the Colledges Revenue shall be improved.
That at their going abroad they shall take a solemn Oath never to write any thing to the Colledge, but what after [Page 31] very diligent Examination, they shall fully believe to be true, and to confess and recant it as soon as they find themselves in an Errour.
That the sixteen Professors Resident shall be bound to study and teach all sorts of Natural, Experimental Philosophy, to consist of the Mathematicks, Mechanicks, Medicine, Anatomy, Chymistry, the History of Animals, Plants, Minerals, Elements, &c. Agriculture, Architecture, Art Military, Navigation, Gardening; The Mysteries of all Trades, and Improvement of them; The Facture of all Merchandizes, all Natural Magick or [Page 32] Divination; and briefly all things contained in the Catalogue of Natural Histories annexed to My Lord Bacon's Organon.
That once a day from Easter till Michaelmas, and twice a week from Michaelmas to Easter, at the hours in the afternoon most convenient for Auditors from London according to the time of the year, there shall be a Lecture read in the Hall, upon such parts of Natural Experimental Philosophy, as the Professors shall agree on among themselves, and as each of them shall be able to perform usefully and honourably.
[Page 33] That two of the Professors by daily, weekly, or monethly turns shall teach the publick Schools according to the Rules hereafter prescribed.
That all the Professors shall be equal in all respects (except precedency, choice of Lodging, and such like priviledges, which shall belong to Seniority in the Colledge) and that all shall be Masters and Treasurers by annual turns, which two Officers for the time being shall take place of all the rest, and shall be Arbitri duarum Mensarum.
That the Master shall command all the Officers of the Colledge, appoint Assemblies [Page 34] or Conferences upon occasion, and preside in them with a double voice, and in his absence the Treasurer, whose business is to receive and disburse all moneys by the Masters order in writing, (if it be an extraordinary) after consent of the other Professors.
That all the Professors shall sup together in the Parlour within the Hall every night, and shall dine there twice a week (to wit Sundays and Thursdays) at two round Tables for the convenience of discourse, which shall be for the most part of such matters as may improve their Studies and Professions, and to keep [Page 35] them from falling into loose or unprofitable talk shall be the duty of the two Arbitri Mensarum, who may likewise command any of the Servant-Scholars to read to them what he shall think fit, whilst they are at table: That it shall belong likewise to the said Arbitri Mensarum only, to invite Strangers, which they shall rarely do, unless they be men of Learning or great Parts, and shall not invite above two at a time to one table, nothing being more vain and unfruitful then numerous Meetings of Acquaintance.
That the Professors Resident shall allow the Colledge [Page 36] twenty Pounds a year for their Diet, whether they continue there all the time or not.
That they shall have once a week an Assembly or Conference concerning the Affairs of the Colledge and the progress of their Experimental Philosophy.
That if any one find out any thing which he conceives to be of consequence, he shall communicate it to the Assembly to be examined, experimented, approved or rejected.
That if any one be Author of an Invention that may bring in profit, the third part of it shall belong to the Inventor, and the two other to [Page 37] the Society; and besides if the thing be very considerable, his Statue or Picture with an Elogy under it, shall be placed in the Gallery, and made a Denison of that Corporation of famous Men.
That all the Professors shall be always assigned to some particular Inquisition (besides the ordinary course of their Studies) of which they shall give an account to the Assembly, so that by this means there may be every day some operation or other made in all the Arts, as Chymistry, Anatomy, Mechanicks, and the like, and that the Colledge shall furnish for the charge of the operation.
[Page 38] That there shall be kept a Register under lock and key, and not to be seen but by the Professors, of all the Experiments that succeed, signed by the persons who made the tryall.
That the popular and received Errours in Experimental Philosophy (with which, like Weeds in a neglected Garden it is now almost all overgrown) shall be evinced by tryal, and taken notice of in the publick Lectures, that they may no longer abuse the credulous, and beget new ones by consequence of similitude.
That every third year (after the full settlement of the [Page 39] Foundation) the Colledge shall give an account in Print, in proper and ancient Latine, of the fruits of their triennial Industry.
That every Professor Resident shall have his Scholar to wait upon him in his Chamber and at Table, whom he shall be obliged to breed up in Natural Philosophy, and render an account of his progress to the Assembly, from whose Election he received him, and therefore is responsible to it, both for the care of his Education, and the just and civil usage of him.
That the Scholar shall understand Latine very well, and [Page 40] be moderately initiated in the Greek before he be capable of being chosen into the Service, and that he shall not remain in it above seven years.
That his Lodging shall be with the Professor whom he serves.
That no Professor shall be a married man, or a Divine, or Lawyer in practice, only Physick he may be allowed to prescribe, because the study of that Art is a great part of the duty of his place, and the duty of that is so great, that it will not suffer him to lose much time in mercenary practice.
That the Professors shall in [Page 41] the Colledge wear the habit of ordinary Masters of Art in the Universities, or of Doctors, if any of them be so.
That they shall all keep an inviolable and exemplary friendship with one another, and that the Assembly shall lay a considerable pecuniary mulct upon any one who shall be proved to have entered so far into a quarrel as to give uncivil Language to his Brother-Professor; and that the perseverance in any enmity shall be punish'd by the Governours with expulsion.
That the Chaplain shall eat at the Masters Table, (paying his twenty pounds a [Page 42] year as the others do) and that he shall read Prayers once a day at least, a little before Supper-time; that he shall preach in the Chappel every Sunday Morning, and Catechize in the After-noon the Scholars and the School-boys; that he shall every moneth administer the Holy Sacrament; that he shall not trouble himself and his Auditors with the Controversies of Divinity, but only teach God in his just Commandments, and in his wonderful Works.
The Schòol.
THat the School may be built so as to contain about two hundred Boys.
That it be divided into four Classes, not as others are ordinarily into six or seven, because we suppose that the Children sent hither to be initiated in Things as well as Words, ought to have past the two or three first, and to have attained the age of about thirteen years, being already well advanced in the Latine Grammar, and some Authors.
That none, though never [Page 44] so rich, shall pay any thing for their teaching; and that if any Professor shall be convicted to have taken any money in consideration of his pains in the School, he shall be expelled with ignominie by the Governours; but if any persons of great estate and quality, finding their Sons much better Proficients in Learning here, then Boys of the same age commonly are at other Schools, shall not think fit to receive an obligation of so near concernment without returning some marks of acknowledgement, they may, if they please (for nothing is to be demanded) bestow some [Page 45] little rarity or curiosity upon the Society in recompence of their trouble.
And because it is deplorable to consider the loss which Children make of their time at most Schools, employing, or rather casting away six or seven years in the learning of words only, and that too very imperfectly:
That a Method be here established for the infusing Knowledge and Language at the same time into them; and that this may be their Apprenticeship in Natural Philosophy. This we conceive may be done, by breeding them up in Authors, or pieces of [Page 46] Authors, who treat of some parts of Nature, and who may be understood with as much ease and pleasure, as those which are commonly taught; Such are in Latine Varro, Cato, Columella, Pliny, part of Celsus, and of Seneca, Cicero de Divinatione, de Naturâ Deorum, and several scattered pieces, Virgil's Georgicks, Grotius, Nenesianus, Manilius; and because the truth is we want good Poets (I mean we have but few) who have purposely treated of solid and learned, that is, Natural Matters (the most part indulging to the weakness of the world, and feeding it either with the follies [Page 47] of Love, or with the Fables of gods and Heroes) we conceive that one Book ought to be compiled of all the scattered little parcels among the ancient Poets that might serve for the advancement of Natural Science, and which would make no small or unuseful or unpleasant Volumn. To this we would have added the Morals and Rhetoricks of Cicero, and the Institutions of Quintilian; and for the Comoedians, from whom almost all that necessary part of common discourse, and all the most intimate proprieties of the Language are drawn, we conceive the Boys may be [Page 48] made Masters of them, as a part of their Recreation and not of their task, if once a moneth, or at least once in two, they act one of Terences Comoedies, and afterwards (the most advanced) some of Plautus his; and this is for many reasons one of the best exercises they can be enjoyned, and most innocent pleasures they can be allowed. As for the Greek Authors, they may study Nicander, Oppianus (whom Scaliger does not doubt to prefer above Homer himself, and place next to his adored Virgil) Aristotles History of Animals, and other parts, Theophrastus and Dioscorides [Page 49] of Plants, and a Collection made out of several both Poets and other Grecian Writers. For the Morals and Rhetorick Aristotle may suffice, or Hermogenes and Longinus be added for the latter; with the History of Animals they should be shewed Anatomy as a Divertisement, and made to know the Figures and Natures of those Creatures which are not common among us, disabusing them at the same time of those Errours which are universally admitted concerning many. The same Method should be used to make them acquainted with all Plants; and to this must be added a little of [Page 50] the ancient and modern Geography, the understanding of the Globes, and the Principles of Geometry and Astronomy. They should likewise use to declaim in Latine and English, as the Romans did in Greek and Latine; and in all this travel be rather led on by familiarity, encouragement, and emulation, then driven by severity, punishment, and terrour. Upon Festivals and playtimes they should exercise themselves in the Fields by riding, leaping, fencing, mustering and training after the manner of Souldiers, &c. and to prevent all dangers and all disorder, there should always [Page 51] be two of the Scholars with them to be as witnesses and directors of their actions; In foul weather it would not be amiss for them to learn to dance, that is, to learn just so much (for all beyond is superfluous, if not worse) as may give them a graceful comportment of their bodies.
Upon Sundays, and all days of Devotion, they are to be a part of the Chaplains Province.
That for all these ends the Colledge so order it, as that there may be some convenient & pleasant Houses thereabouts, kept by religious, discreet, and careful persons, for [Page 52] the lodging and boarding of young Scholars, that they have a constant eye over them to see that they be bred up there piously, cleanly, and plentifully, according to the proportion of their parents expences.
And that the Colledge, when it shall please God either by their own industry and success, or by the benevolence of Patrons; to enrich them so far, as that it may come to their turn and duty to be charitable to others, shall at their own charges erect and maintain some House or Houses for the Entertainment of such poor mens Sons whose good [Page 53] Natural Parts may promise either Use or Ornament to the Common-wealth, during the time of their abode at School, and shall take care that it shall be done with the same conveniences as are enjoyed even by rich mens Children (though they maintain the fewer for that cause) there being nothing of eminent and illustrious to be expected from a low, sordid, and Hospital-like Education.
Conclusion.
IF I be not much abused by a natural fondness to my own Conceptions (that [...] of the Greeks, which no other Language has a proper word for) there was never any Project thought upon, which deserves to meet with so few Adversaries [Page] as this; for who can without impudent folly oppose the establishment of twenty well selected persons in such a condition of Life, that their whole business and sole profession may be to study the improvement and advantage of all other Professions, from that of the highest General even to the lowest Artisan? Who shall be obliged to imploy their whole [Page] time, wit, learning, and industry, to these four, the most useful that can be imagined, and to no other Ends; first, to weigh, examine, and prove all things of Nature delivered to us by former ages, to detect, explode, and strike a censure through all false Monies with which the world has been paid and cheated so long, and (as I may say) to set the mark of the Colledge upon all true [Page] Coins that they may pass hereafter without any farther Tryal. Secondly, to recover the lost Inventions, and, as it were, Drown'd Lands of the Ancients. Thirdly, to improve all Arts which we now have; And lastly, to discover others which we yet have not. And who shall besides all this (as a Benefit by the by) give the best Education in the world (purely [Page] gratis) to as many mens Children as shall think fit to make use of the Obligation. Neither does it at all check or enterfere with any parties in State or Religion, but is indifferently to be embraced by all Differences in opinion, and can hardly be conceived capable (as many good Institutions have done) even of Degeneration into any thing harmful. So that, all things [Page] considered, I will suppose this Proposition shall encounter with no Enemies, the only Question is, whether it will find Friends enough to carry it on from Discourse and Design to Reality and Effect; the necessary Expences of the Beginning (for it will maintain it self well enough afterwards) being so great (though I have set them as low as is possible in order to so vast [Page] a work) that it may seem hopeless to raise such a sum out of those few dead Reliques of Humane Charity and Publick Generosity which are yet remaining in the World.