PREFAC E.

T

HE following is an imperfect Piece, found among the Pofthumous SCRIPTA, published by Gruter. But, imperfect as it is, it will, perhaps, be efteemed, by competent Judges, of no fmall Value; as tending to fre Mankind from the Tyranny of great Names, and leave us at liberty to follow Nature.

What particular Ufe the Author defigned it for, or in what Part of his Works he would have introduced it, had he liv'd to revife and finish it, I cannot fay: But it manifeftly appears, by the whole Tenour, to have an Eye to the Novum Organum; up to which it directly leads. It might, therefore, have been properly placed at the Entrance of that Work; were it not required as a Supplement to the De Augmentis Scientiarum c..

It may be reasonably fuppofed, that many of those who have read the Works of the Philofophers cenfured by the Author, will not perceive the Juftness of the Cenfures. A cursory Reading of them is not fufficient for this Purpose: It requires an intimate Knowledge of Nature, and of what Men, by proper application, are capable of performing, to judge of the Validity or Invalidity of the ancient and modern Philofophies.

Befides; if we would not flatter ourselves, we lie under a kind of Incantation, from Prejudice, Prepoffeffion and Cuftom, with regard to great Names, and Authors, celebrated thro numerous Ages; whence fome of us cannot, tho we strongly defired it, ufe a freedom and juftness of Thought in this Matter. But thofe who are moft themselves, and can here exercise a free and independant Judgment, will, perhaps, perceive, that the Author, with a few Master-Strokes, has drawn the ancient Philofophers, and their modern Followers, to a truth; and wish the Work were continued down to later Times, to fhew us, as in one Picture, what it is that the great Men of all Ages have bufied themselves about.

See that Work, Se&t. XIX. of CRITICISM.

VOL. II.

H

A FREE

L

A

FREE CENSURE,

OR

CRITIQUE,

Of the more

Eminent Philosophers, &c.

1.

SECT.

I.

The Arraignment of the Philofophers.

cial to the

E plainly perceive, that the Sciences will not be confidera- Admiration bly advanced, till Men fhall be once made thoroughly of the Anci acquainted with the proper Characters, and Merits, of thofe ents prejudi ancient and modern Philofophers they fo much admire. The s prefent Design is, therefore, to deal roundly; and fix a Mark upon fuch pretended Philofophers as we take to have been more fabulous than the Poets; Debauchers of Mens Minds, and Falfifiers of the Works of Nature; and to make, at least, as free with that degenerate, fervile Tribe, their Followers, Flatterers, and the Hirelings, who corrupt Mankind for Gaine. And we shall take the liberty to cite each of them by Name; left, as their Authority is fo great, we should be apprehended only to act a part; and,

H 2

under

f Thefe Expreffions will lofe of their Strangeness, if the Reader be acquainted with the Author's Pieces De Augmentis Scientiarum and Novum Organum.

This aims at Profeffory Inftitutions; deftin'd to teach the Philofophy of Aristotle, fuppofe, or any other Author, instead of the Philofophy of Nature.

ter of AriAtotle.

under colour, fide with fome or other of them; fince they cherish such violent Disputes and Animofities among themselves.

The Charac- 2. Let ARISTOTLE firft appear; whom we charge, (1.) with abominable Sophiftry; (2.) ufeless Subtilty; and, (3.) a vile Sporting with Words. Nay, when Men, by any Accident, as, by a favourable Gale, arrived at any Truth, and there caft anchor; this Man had the affurance to fetter the Mind with the heaviest Irons; and compofing a certain ART OF MADNESS, enflaved Mankind with Words.

Gardan.

Ramus.

Again, from the nurfing and tutoring of this Man, have arifen a fhoal of cunning Triflers; who, turning their backs upon Nature, and all the Light of Things and Hiftoryk, overfpread the World with numerous Mock-Schools; rais'd, by the restless agitation of Wit, principally upon. that extremely ductile Matter of his Precepts and Pofitions. But they indeed, are more excufable than their haughty Dictator; because they did not, like him, offend againft better light and knowledge: For he, after having trod in the open Plains of Hiftory, and viewed the Works of Nature m yet dug to himself a Dungeon, and fill'd it with the vaineft Idols". And, what adds to his Guilt, he has, even upon the Hiftory of Particulars, raised certain Cobweb Structures, which he would palm upon Mankind for CAUSES; whilft, in reality, they are matters of no Validity nor Value; but nearly refembling thofe, which, in our time, that Antipode to Things, as well as to himself, Cardan, bufied himself in forming:

m,

But whilft I thus arraign the Works of Ariftotle, let me not be fuppofed a Confpirator, and in League with Ramus, that modern Rebel against him. I have no affection for that fculking Hole of Ignorance, that deftructive Bookworm of Learning, that Father of Epitomes, who, when he wrings and preffes things with the Shackles of his Method, and Contraction; the Subftance, if there was any, immediately ftarts out, and efcapes him; whilft he grafps nothing but the empty Chaff, and exhaufted Carcafs P.

Aquinas

The Candor and Impartiality of our Author feems every where preferved. Thus, tho he, even in his youth, perceived the vanity, and fmall fignificance of Ariftotle's Philofophy; yet he omits no Occafion of recommending fuch Particulars in it, as are any way juft and ufeful. The fame Conduct he preferves with regard to other Founders of Sects, c. fo as to be defervedly esteemed the Father of the modern Eclectic Philofophy. iCalmly to view the feveral Syftems of Philofophy that have prevailed in feveral Ages; what are they more than fo many Arts of Madness? See the Novum Organum, Part I. Sect. I, &c.

Without a Metaphor, neglecting Experience and Obfervation.

4 This explains the Art of Madness abovementioned; for, as in Natural Madness, Men argue upon things that have no Exiftence or true Foundation; fo, in Philofophical Madnels, we reafon about things, whofe History, or true State, we have no clear and certain Knowledge of, from Experiment and Obfervation: But as Madmen do, take all for granted, according to our frantic Notions.

m Ariftotle was for a time converfant in the History of Nature; as appears particularly from his Hiftory of Animals.

n What thefe Idols are, fee in the Novum Organum, Part I. Se&t. II.

It requires, as was obferved in the Preface, a confiderable Knowledge in the Works of Ariftotle, to fee the juftnefs of thefe Obfervations. And the fame must be understood: of all the following Authors..

See more to this purpofe in the De Augmentis Scientiarum, Sect. XVIII. of Rhetorick..

Aquinas has gone further, and fpun a variety of things out of nothing; Aquinas. leaving, by way of compenfation, a Solitude in things themfelves. And altho he has done this, yet he has the affurance to be frequently talking of human Ufes; fo that I take him for a moft prevaricating Sophifter. And the fame Accufation I likewife bring against Scotus, and his Followers 9.

3. Let PLATO next appear; whom we charge with being (1.) a well- The Cha bred Sophifter; (2.) a tumid Poet; and (3.) a fanatical Divine; who, by fine- racter of ly polishing, and working together, certain philofophical Rumours; and dif- Plato. fembling his pretence to Knowledge; endeavoured to loofen and unfettle Mens Minds by vague Inductions; and has thus indeed fupplied abundant matter of Table-Talk to Men of Letters, in respect of civil Converfation, polite Life, ornament, and fweetness of familiar Difcourfe: But when he falfly afferted, that Truth was not an Inhabitant of the buman Mind, but a Stranger come from far; and turn'd Mens Thoughts from the Hiftory of Nature, and from Things themselves; (tho never fufficiently applied thereto) and taught the Mind to enter into itself; and there, under the Name of Contemplation, to tumble over its own blind and confufed Idols; then it was he committed the capital Crime of which we accuse him. And no lefs impiously has he introduced the Canonization of Folly; and had the affurance to fkreen his degenerate and corrupt Notions under the Cloak of Religion. And here lies the ftrength of the Charge. But for his being the Father of Philology, polite Literature, and elegant Writing, who by his Example, Authority and Succefs, captivated, perfuaded, and led Numbers to content themselves with a Character for Wit, Politeness, Agreeableness, and a popular knowledge of things, to the Detriment and Corruption of a fevere Cicero, and rigorous Enquiry after Truth; we account this a lefs heinous Offence. Seneca, And among the Men thus captivated by him, we reckon Cicero, Seneca, Plutarch. and Plutarch, with numerous others, no way comparable to them.

4. Let us next proceed to the Phyficians; and firft fummon GALEN to Galen's appear: whom we implead, (1.) as a Man of a very narrow Mind; (2.) a Character. Deferter of Experience; and (3.) an idle Caviller. This is the Man that would fkreen the ignorance and floth of Physicians from their deserved Reproach ;and preferve them unattack'd; whilft himself moft feebly and unequally pretends to perfect their Art, and fill up their Office. This is the Man, that, like the raging Dog-Star, or the Plague, devotes Mankind to Death and Destruction, by pronouncing fuch TRIBES OF DISEASES INCURABLE; taking away all glimmering of hope, and leaving no room for future industry. This is the Man, who makes his own fiction of Mixture to be Nature's fole Prerogative. This the Man, that is every where fond of fhewing and boafting the Sedition, Strife, and Difagreement betwixt the celeftial Heat and that of Fire: And upon this, and all other occafions, maliciously curbs the human Power; and endeavours to furround and protect Ignorance

4 See a farther Account of the Schoolmen, in the De Augment. Scientiar.Prelim. Se&t. III. 33. See Nov. Organ. Part I. Se&t. II,

Mere Platonifts, or Men of Contemplation, muft not here be the Judges: But thofe well verfed in Phyfical Knowledge, the Doctrine of Business, the Wants of Mankind, and the Ways of fupplying them.