his Adversaries, by the Judgment of most Astronomers of his time, and even by the Intreaties of his own Companions; but three Days before he had a sight of Land, we had lost the Knowledge of half the World at once.
§. XXVI.
Mechanics improveable by new Matter from America.And as for the new discover'd America, 'tis true, that has not been altogether useless to the Mechanic Arts: But still we may guess, that much more of its Bounty is to come, if we consider, that it has not yet been shewn above two hundred Years; which is scarce enough time to travel it over, describe, and measure it, much less to pierce into all its Secrets. Besides this, a good part of this Space was spent in the Conquest and settling the Spanish Government, which is a Season improper for Philosophical Discoveries. To this maybe added, that the chief Design of the Spaniards thither, has been the Transportation of Bullion; which being so profitable, they may well be thought to have overseen many other of its Native Riches. But above all, let us reflect on the Temper of the Spaniards themselves: They suffer no Strangers to arrive there: they permit not the Natives to know more than becomes their Slaves. And how unfit the Spanish humour is to improve Manufactures, in a Country so distant as the West-Indies we may learn by their Practice in Spain itself, where they commonly disdain to exercise any Manual Crafts, and permit the Profit of them to be carried away by Strangers.
