Sprat

“ Spratt, by the way, points out that the meander pattern, which is so common a feature of Greek ornament, and is associated by some writers with the origin of the labyrinth idea, may very well have been derived from the square-spiral trenches which are commonly constructed by Eastern gardeners for irrigational purposes. ”

“ The boat was consequently lowered, and the mate ordered Henry Spratt to take the place of one of the boat's crew, who was at that moment on the foretop-gallant masthead looking out for whales. Spratt refused to do so, saying that he didn't belong to any boat, and that it was his watch below. He continued to disobey the repeated orders of the mate till the matter was noticed by the captain, who called out, "Make that man go in the boat," when he at length did so, but in an unwilling manner and muttering something which was not distinctly heard. ”

“ The bay, which since Spratt’s visit in the ’fifties had afforded deep anchorage close inshore, now shoaled gradually for a mile, and was studded with the toppling crests of grounded trees; and the mile-long strand of pebbles and grassy dunes had been replaced by a stretch of mud at a level some six feet lower. Over two-thirds of the plain, where fertile fields and olive gardens had been, lay sand and stones; and such trees as had held their ground were buried to mid-trunk. Looking up the river gorge, I saw nothing but naked rock, where terraced vineyards had clothed the cliff face ”

“ For what greater matter can any Man desire, about which to employ his Thoughts, than the Beginnings of an Illustrious Company, which has already laid such excellent Foundations of so much Good to Mankind? ”

“ Their valiant Men and Generals did seldom rise higher than to Demy-Gods and Heroes: But the Gods they worshipped with Temples and Altars, were those who instructed the World to plow, to sow, to plant, to spin, to build Houses, and to find out new Countries. ”

“ But then, having rejected them, they pursue their Success too far, and strait fell to form and impose new Theories on Men's Reason, with an Usurpation as great as that of the others: An Action, which we that live in this Age, may resemble to some things that we have seen acted on the Stage of the World: For we also have beheld the Pretenders to publick Liberty, turn the greatest Tyrants themselves. ”

“ In the merchant service the bell is generally struck only every hour. All our plans were arranged. As the time approached I joined Mr Henley. We were all well armed. I found Spratt and some other men had managed to come abaft, unperceived by the mutineers. Just under the break of the poop there was an empty cabin. Some of our party were concealed in it with lanterns. Others the doctor had stowed away in his dispensary, close to which the mutineers must pass on their way aft. I, with a third party, under Mr Henley’s command, were concealed in a cabin close to the arm-chest. ”

“ They charge us with Immodesty in neglecting the Guidance of wiser and more discerning Men, than our selves. But is not this rather the greatest Sign of Modesty, to confess, that, we our selves may err, and all Mankind besides? To acknowledge the Difficulties of Science; and to submit our Minds to all the least Works of Nature? ”

“ It is not therefore an Extravagance, to observe such Productions, as are indeed admirable in themselves, if at the same time we do not strive to make those appear to be admirable, that are groundless and false. ”

“ So that when they say, that all Antiquity is against us, 'tis true, in shew, they object to us the Wisdom of many Ages; but in reality, they only confront us, with the Authority of a few leading Men. Nay, what if I should say, that this Honour for the dead, which such Men pretend to, is rather a worshipping of themselves, than of the Antients? ”

“ And from their Labours, the true Philosophy is like to receive the noblest Improvements. But the Pretentions of the third Kind are, not only to indow us with all the Benefits of this Life, but with Immortality it self: And their Success has been as small, as their Design was extravagant. ”

“ It is not therefore the Conceit or Fancy of Men alone, that is of Ancient Authority to condemn the most unlikely Things for impossible; unless they have been often attempted in vain, by many Eyes, many Hands, many Instruments, and many Ages. ”

“ And feeing we cast Enthusiasm out of Divinity it self, we shall hardly sure be persuaded, to admit it into Philosophy. It were perhaps a vain Attempt, to try to cure such Men of their groundless Hopes. ”

“ These by their fair Dowry of Gain and Honour, have always allur'd the greatest Part of the Men of Art, and Reason, to addict themselves to them: while the Search into severer Knowledge has been look'd on, as a Study out of the Way, fitter for a melancholy Humorist, or a retir'd weak Spirit, than to make Men equal to Business, or serviceable to their Country. ”

“ They are generally very lean, tall, active and full of Courage.
"He himself hath seen them leap from Rock to Rock, from a very prodigious Height, till they came to the Bottom, sometimes making ten Fathom deep at one leap.
"The manner is thus:
"First they teretate their Lance (which is about " the Bigness of a half Pike) that is, they poise it in their Hand, then they aim the Point of it at any Piece of a Rock, upon which they intend to light (sometimes not half a Foot broad.) ”

“ For certainly, such Men, whose Minds are so soft, so yielding, so complying, so large, are in a far better Way, than the bold and haughty Asserters: they will pass by nothing, by which they may learn; they will be always ready to receive, and communicate Observations; they will not contemn the Fruits of others Diligence; they will rejoice to see Mankind benefited, whether it be by themselves or others. ”

“ I have seen some Sea Tortoises here, of four Foot broad, in oval Form, very low leg'd, but of that Strength, that a Man may stand on one: The manner of catching them, is to turn them with a Fork upon their Backs. ”

“ He was one of the first Men, that began to draw into some Order, the confus'd and obscure Imaginations of those that went before him: and to make way for the composing of Arts, out of their scattered Observations. All these various Subjects, the Vastness of his Soul comprehended in his casual Disputations: but after his Death they were divided amongst his Followers, according to their several Inclinations. ”

“ And I dare boldly say, that a plain industrious Man, so prepar'd, is more likely to make a good Philosopher, than all the high, earnest, insulting Wits, who can bear neither Partnership, nor Opposition. The Chymists lay it down, as a necessary Qualification of their happy Man, to whom God will reveal their ador'd Elixir, that he must be rather innocent, and virtuous, than knowing. And if I were to form the Character of a true Philosopher, I would be sure to make that the Foundation: Not that I believe, God will bestow any extraordinary Light in Nature, on such Men more than others ”

“ An Enterprize equal to the most renown'd Actions of the best Princes. For, to increase the Powers of all Mankind, and to free them from the Bondage of Errors, is greater Glory than to enlarge Empire, or to put Chains on the Necks of Conquer'd Nations. ”

“ And may not we suppose, that Posterity will have the same Quarrel at these Men's Labours? We do not fall foul upon Antiquity, out of any Singularity of Opinion, or a presumptuous Confidence of the Strength of our Wits above theirs; we admire the Men, but only dislike the Method of their Proceedings. And can we forbear murmuring, if we see our Cotemporaries disdain them, and yet imitate their Failings? If we must constitute a Sovereignty over our Reasons; I know not why we should not allow this Dominion to the Antients, rather than to any one of the Moderns. ”

“ They are all dead long since; and though we should be over-reach'd by them in some few Falsehoods, yet there is no Danger, lest they should increase them upon us; whereas, if we once hang on the Lips of the wisest Men now living; we are still in their Power, and under their Discipline, and subject to be led by all their Dictates for the future. ”

“ I know indeed, that the English Genius is not so airy and discursive, as that of some of our Neighbours, but that we generally love to have Reason set out in plain undeceiving Expressions; as much as they to have it deliver'd with Colour and Beauty. ”

“ The Peripateticks themselves do all grant, that the first Rise of Knowledge must be from the Senses, and from an Induction of their Reports: Well then; how could the School-men be proper for such a Business, who were ty'd by their Cloystral Life to such a Strictness of Hours, and had seldom any larger Prospects of Nature, than the Gardens of their Monasteries? ”

“ The same is to be found in Philosophy; a thousand fine Argumentations, and Fabricks in the Mind, concerning the Nature of Body, Quantity, Motion, and the like, if they only hover a-loof, and are not squar'd to particular Matters, they may give an empty Satisfaction, but no Benefit, and rather serve to swell, than fill the Soul. ”

“ But first, I shall beseech them, calmly to consider; whether they themselves do not more injure those great Men, whom they would make the Matters of our Judgments, by attributing all Things to them so absolutely; than we, who do them all the Justice we can, without adoring them? It is always esteemed the greatest Mischief a Man can do those whom he loves, to raise Men's Expectations of them too high, by undue and impertinent Commendations. ”

“ The Wit of Men has been profusely pour'd out on Religion, which needed not its help, and which was only thereby made more tempestuous; while it might have been more fruitfully spent, on some Parts of Philosophy, which have been hitherto barren, and might soon have been made fertile. ”

“ The manner is thus, at a set time of the Year Merchants come from all Parts, as likewise Divers with their Boats; each Boat hath a certain Quantity of square Stones, upon which Stones the Divers go down, and give a Token to their Companions, when they think it time to be hal'd up; each Stone pays Tribute to the Company. The Oyster or Shell-Fish is not immediately open'd, but laid on Heaps, or in Holes at the Sea-side. When the diving Time is ended, the Merchants come and buy these Heaps, according as they can agree, not knowing whether they shall get any thing or no. ”

“ It is evident, from the universal Testimony of History, that all Learning and Civility were deriv'd down to us from the Eastern Part of the World. There it was, that Mankind arose: and there they first discover'd the Ways of Living, with Safety, Convenience, and Delight. ”

“ In the Civil, that way of Romance is to be exploded, which heightens all the Characters and Actions of Men, beyond all Shadow of Probability; yet this does not hinder, but the great and eminent Virtues of extraordinary Men of all Ages, may be related and propos'd to our Example. ”

“ For I will once more affirm, that as the Minds of Men do often mistake Falshoods for Truths, though they are ever so circumspect; so they are often drawn by uncertain, and sometimes erroneous Reports, to stumble on Truths and Realities. ”

“ And indeed this is an Error, which is very natural to Men's Minds; they love not a long and a tedious Doubting, though it brings them at last to a real Certainty; but they choose rather to conclude presently, than to be long in Suspence, though to better purpose. And it is with most Men's Understandings, as with their Eyes; to which those seem more delightful Prospects, where Varieties of Hills and Woods do soon bound their Wandrings, than where there is one large smooth Champagn, over which they may see much farther, but where there is nothing to delay, and stop, and divert the Sight. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Hence that Religion, which at full appeared so innocent, and peaceable, and fitted for the Benefit of human Society; which consisted in the plain, and direct Rules, of good Life, and Charity, and the Belief in a Redemption by one Saviour, was miserably divided into a thousand intricate Questions, which neither advance true Piety, nor good Manners. ”

“ But for my Excuse I may alledge the Example of many of the Ancients, who have often from the principal Part of their Works given Title to all the rest: In their Imitation, though this Book does treat of many Subjects that are not Historical, yet I have presum'd to name the whole a History, because that was the main End of my Design. ”

“ While some over-zealous Divines do reprobate natural Philosophy as a carnal Knowledge, and a too much minding worldly Things, the Men of the World, and Business, on the other side, esteem it merely as an idle Matter of Fancy, and as that which disables us from taking right Measures in human Affairs. ”

“ The Philosophy of the School-men.But my other Instance comes nearer home, and it is of the School-men. Whose Works when I consider, it puts into my Thoughts, how far more importantly a good Method of Thinking, and a right Course of apprehending Things, does contribute towards the attaining of Perfection in true Knowledge, than the strongest, and most vigorous Wit in the World, can do without them. ”