of their useful Secrets; but still counted their worshiping a Dog, or an Onion, a Cat, or a Crocodile, ridiculous. And why shall not we be allow'd the same Liberty, to distinguish, and choose what we will follow? Especially, seeing in this, they had a more certain Way of being instructed by their Teachers, than we have by them: They were present on the Place: They learn'd from the Men themselves, by word of Mouth, and so were in a likely Course to apprehend all their Precepts aright; whereas we are to take their Doctrines, so many hundred Years after their Death, from their Books only, where they are for the most part so obscurely express'd, that they are scarce sufficiently understood by the Grammarians, and Linguists themselves, much less by the Philosophers.
In few Words therefore, let such Men believe, that we have no Thought of detracting from what was good in former Times: But, on the contrary, we have a mind to bestow on them a solid Praise, instead of a great, and an empty. While we are raising new Observations upon Nature, we mean not to abolish the old, which were well and judiciously establish'd by them: No more, than a King, when he makes a new Coin of his own, does presently call in that, which bears the Image of his Father; he only intends thereby to increase the current Money of his Kingdom, and still permits the one to pass, as well as the other. It is probable enough, that upon a fresh Survey, we may find many Things true, which they have before asserted; and then will not they receive a greater Confirmation, from this our new and severe Approbation, than from those Men, who resign up their Opinions to their Words only? It is the best Way of ho-
