Confiderable; and tho'we cannot fay Which are fo, yet that 'tis very Reafonable to Believe Many of our Affents are Wrong, but always in the Degree; not as being difproportionable to the present Appearance of Evidence, but because That Appearance is impoffible to be perfectly Juft, Then, Vain Man would fain be Wife, tho' Man is born like the Wild Affes Colt! a Wild, Untaught Afs, the Colt of a Wild, Untaught Afs. Since the Revolution the Coin of the Nation was in Such a Condition, 'twas fo Clipp'd, Defac'd, and Counterfeited that the Legiflature thought it necessary to call it in, and what every Man brought was exchang'd for what was New Coin'd, and as it fhould be. The World is much in the fame Cafe with respect to the Stock of Science divided amongst us: Should every one be oblig’d to bring in O 2 His His Share, and Truths only to be return'd, what a vaft Multitude of Rich Men, in their Own, and many in the Common Opinion would become Wretchedly Poor! What a Destruction would here be of admir'd Notions, and even suppos'd Demonftrations! How many Articles! How many entire Systems would Vanish, and be Forgotten! Of all that Stock of Science God has bestow'd upon the Species in General but a very small Part can fall to the Share of any one of us in Particular; we have not Apprehenfions, nor Judgments, nor Memories, nor Time, nor Opportunity to Come at, Retain, Manage, and Employ so many Ideas as to make us Perfect; Perfect! no, nor Tolerable Proficients in any One Confiderable Science; Unless as compar'd with the reft, and fo Some Few may be faid (as it was of Homer very finely by a great Au thor) cr thor) to look down upon the reft of Mankind as on a Species be"slow them. By far the greater Number cannot arrive to be Mafters in any one Branch of a Science; and what vaft Multitudes, even the Herd of Mankind pass their whole Lives in applying themfelves to One Art, or Profeffion only, and those but Mean, and Inconfiderable ones, and yet without Distinguishing themselves even in Thefe, how eafy foever to be attain'd. But of what Sort foever the Succeffion of Ideas that perpetually employs our Minds is compofed as we can Steadily fix but upon one only at a time All our Little Circle of Knowledge is reduced to that Single Point; We are but fuch as That happens to be: Whatever Stock of Science we may be, and commonly are fuppofed to be Mafters of, we in Reality poffefs no more more than that One Idea: Which of those we have had Before may Return, or if Ever, or what New Ones may Arise none can know but God only. Every Man therefore is perpetually Varying from himself according as the Ideas happen to be which arife, and pass along in his Mind, and which have an infinite Variety. When I was a Child I thought as a Child; but being become a Man thofe Childish things are pafs'd away, and gone; And many of us after the Way which we Our Selves as well as Others Once call'd Herefy, and furiously Hated, or Perfecuted as Such now worship the God of our Fathers. As we differ from our 'Selves we differ no less from each Other. How Nobly are Some Mens Minds employ'd! And how Richly stor'd! Others how Empty! and Trifling! Sa So Some Afpiring Oaks their Branches throw Others more bumble in the Woods are found, Every Man differs from every Other Man in the Number, and Degrees of his Perfuafions: no two Men in the World having the Same in all things: Some Propofitions have been offer'd to Your Understanding which I have never heard of; and to Mine which have not reach'd You. Evidence has appear'd to One of us which has not been thought of by the Other; and the fame Arguments have had Different Appearances. Of fuch Ideas as have been in Both our Minds (or fuch as nearly resemble each other) Some are Present to One, which are pass'd away from the Other, perhaps to return, perhaps not; As These now Prefent fo the |