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He is the Father of experimental Philoſophy. It muſt indeed be confeſs'd, that very ſurprizing Secrets had been found out before his Time; The Sea-Compaſs, Printing, engraving on Copper Plates, Oil-Painting, Looking-Glaſſes; the Art of reſtoring, in ſome Meaſure, old Men to their Sight by Spectacles; Gun-Powder, &c. had been diſcover'd. A new World had been ſought for, found, and conquer'd. Would not one ſuppoſe that theſe ſublime Diſcoveries had been made by the greateſt Philoſophers, and in Ages much more enlightened than the preſent? But 'twas far otherwiſe; all theſe great Changes happen'd in the moſt ſtupid and barbarous Times. Chance only gave Birth to moſt of thoſe Inventions; and 'tis very probable that what is call'd Chance, contributed very much to the Diſcovery of America at leaſt it has been always thought, that Chriſtopher Columbus undertook his Voyage, merely on the Relation of a Captain of a Ship, which a Storm had drove as far Weſtward as the Caribee Iſlands. Be this as it will, Men

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