Which, whether it be not all one as to strengthen common dignities and principles, known by themselves, with the authority of mathematicians; or [to] think a man should believe, 'the whole is greater than its parts,' rather upon the authority of Euclide, than if it were propounded alone, I leave unto the second and wiser cogitations of all men. Tis sure a practice that savours much of pedantry; a reserve of puerility we have not shaken off from school; where, being seasoned with minor sentences, by a neglect of higher enquiries, they prescribe upon our riper ears, and are never worn out, but with our memories.

Lastly, While we so devoutly adhere unto antiquity in some things, we do not consider we have deserted them in several others. For they, indeed, have not only been imperfect in the conceit of some things, but either ignorant or erroneous in many more. They understood not the motion of the eighth sphere from west to east, and so conceived the longitude of the stars invariable. They conceived the Torrid Zone unhabitable, and so made frustrate the goodliest part of the earth. But we now know tis very well empeopled,3 and the habitation thereof esteemed so happy, that some have made it the proper seat of Paradise; and been so far from judging it unhabitable, that they have made it the first habitation of all. Many of the ancients denied the Antipodes, and some unto the penalty of contrary affirmations; but the experience of our enlarged navigations can now assert them beyond all dubitation. Having thus totally relinquished them in some things, it may not be presumptuous to examine them in others; but surely most unreasonable to adhere to them in all, as though they were infallible, or could not err in any.

phrastus, or Lucian, or some one perhaps of later date,-either Cardan, or Buddæus, or Petrarch, or Stella, or possibly may be some divine or father of the Church, St. Austin, or St. Cyprian, or Bernard, who affirms that it is an irresistible and natural passion to weep for

the loss of our friends or children, &c. &c."-J. Cr.

3 But we now know 'tis very well empeopled.] See Sir T. P. Blount's Essays, p. 137.-J. Cr.

4 and some, &c.] Alluding to Virgilius; See Rel. Med. p. 39, note 2.

CHAPTER VII.

Of another of the more immediate Causes of Error;-viz. Adherence unto Authority.

NOR is only a resolved prostration unto antiquity a powerful enemy unto knowledge, but any confident adherence unto authority, or resignation of our judgments upon the testimony of any age or author whatsoever.

For, first, to speak generally, an argument from authority, to wiser examinations, is but a weaker kind of proof; it being but a topical probation, and as we term it, an inartificial argument, depending upon a naked asseveration, wherein neither declaring the causes, affections, or adjuncts, of what we believe, it carrieth not with it the reasonable inducements of knowledge. And therefore contra negantem principia, ipse dixit, or oportet discentem credere, although postulates very accommodable unto junior indoctrinations, yet are their authorities but temporary, and not to be embraced beyond the minority of our intellectuals. For our advanced beliefs are not to be built upon dictates, but having received the probable inducements of truth, we become emancipated from testimonial engagements, and are to erect upon the surer base

of reason.

5 Contra negantem, &c.] These three rules although they bee founded on the grounds of universall reason, yet they have theire limits and boundaryes, by which they must be circumscribed. The first reachinge only such perverse spirits, as denye those universall principles of reason and nature, wherein the wisest and soberest judgments of all times have held an unanimous and full consent, and whereon the perpetuall and uncontrouled experience of all mankinde hath agreed. As that the snow is white; and that fire does burne. The former whereof, althoughe some have made not only dispute, but deniall, yet they purchast nothing but scorne and the censure as of brainsick men.

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authoritye, save in the booke of God: all other dictates of men, how specious soever, being noe farther authenticall to enforce beleefe, then as the reasons are, whereon they are built: but the only reason in God's booke is, because wee know, Hee whose word itt is, is truth ittselfe, and can neither lye, nor deceave, nor bee deceaved: and therefore hath the whole and sole empire of authoritye, to which all humane reason must submitte without dispute or hæsitancye.

The last rule concerns none but those who yeeld up themselves to the instructions and information of others, from whom they must perforce take up upon truste the principles of that arte, which they desire to gaine, till they come to

The second is noe where of universall attain unto itt.-Wr.

VOL. II.

Secondly, unto reasonable perpensions it hath no place in some sciences, small in others, and suffereth many restrictions even where it is most admitted. It is of no validity in the mathematics, especially the mother part thereof, arithmetic and geometry. For these sciences, concluding from dignities and principles known by themselves, receive not satisfaction from probable reasons, much less from bare and peremptory asseverations. And, therefore, if all Athens should decree, that in every triangle, two sides, whichsoever be taken, are greater than the side remaining, or that, in rectangle triangles, the square which is made of the side that subtendeth the right angle, is equal to the squares which are made of the sides containing the right angle; although there be a certain truth therein, geometricians, notwithstanding, would not receive satisfaction without demonstration thereof. "T is true, by the vulgarity of philosophers there are many points believed without probation; nor if a man affirm from Ptolemy, that the sun is bigger than the earth, shall he probably meet with any contradiction; whereunto notwithstanding astronomers will not assent without some convincing argument or demonstrative proof thereof. And therefore certainly of all men a philosopher should be no swearer: for an oath which is the end of controversies in law, cannot determine any here; nor are the deepest sacraments or desperate imprecations of any force to persuade, where reason only, and necessary mediums must induce.

In natural philosophy, and which is more generally pursued amongst us, it carrieth but slender consideration; for that also proceeding from settled principles, therein is expected a satisfaction from scientifical progressions, and such as beget a sure rational belief. For if authority might have made out the assertions of philosophy, we might have held, that snow was black, that the sea was but the sweat of the earth, and many of the like absurdities. Then was Aristotle injurious to fall upon Melissus, to reject the assertions of Anaxagoras, Anaximander, and Empedocles; then were 6 perpensions.] Considerations.

that snow was black, &c.] Attributed to Anaxagoras, a Clazomenian Philosopher who flourished above 400 years B. C.

8 Then was Aristotle, &c.] See Aristotle's discussion of the opinions of these philosophers, in his Physicks, lib. i. c. 2, 3, 4.

we also ungrateful unto himself: from whom our junior endeavours embracing many things on his authority, our mature and secondary enquiries are forced to quit those receptions, and to adhere unto the nearer accounts of reason. And although it be not unusual, even in philosophical tractates, to make enumeration of authors, yet are there reasons usually introduced, and to ingenious readers do carry the stroke in the persuasion. And surely if we account it reasonable among ourselves, and not injurious unto rational authors, no farther to abett their opinions, than as they are supported by solid reasons, certainly with more excusable reservation may we shrink at their bare testimonies, whose argument is but precarious, and subsists upon the charity of our assentments.

In morality, rhetorick, law, and history, there is I confess a frequent and allowable use of testimony; and yet herein I perceive it is not unlimitable, but admitteth many restrictions. Thus, in law both civil and divine, that is only esteemed a legal testimony, which receives comprobation from the mouths of at least two witnesses; and that not only for prevention of calumny, but assurance against mistake. Whereas notwithstanding, the solid reason of one man is as sufficient as the clamour of a whole nation, and with imprejudicate apprehensions, begets as firm a belief as the authority or aggregated testimony of many hundreds. For reason being the very root of our natures, and the principles thereof common unto all, what is against the laws of true reason, or the unerring understanding of any one, if rightly apprehended, must be disclaimed by all nations, and rejected even by mankind.

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Again, A testimony is of small validity, if deduced from men out of their own professions. So, if Lactantius affirm the figure of the earth is plain,9 or Austin deny there are Antipodes, though venerable fathers of the church, and ever to be honoured, yet will not their authorities prove sufficient to ground a belief thereon. Whereas, notwithstanding, the solid reason, or confirmed experience of any man, is very

2

9 if Lactantius affirm, &c.] See Lactantius De Falsa Sapientia, 1. iii,

c. 23.

1 or Austin deny, &c.] "Quod vero et Antipodas esse fabulantur,

nulla ratione credendum est." S. Aug. De Civitate Dei, 1. xvi, c. 9.

2 the solid reason.] This is a golden rule, worthye to be written in marble and golde. For as among those that

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approvable, in what profession soever. So Raymund Sebund, a physician of Tholouze, besides his learned dialogues De natura humana, hath written a natural theology ; demonstrating therein the attributes of God, and attempting the like in most points of religion. So Hugo Grotius, a civilian, did write an excellent tract in Dutch, of the Verity of the Christian Religion. Wherein most rationally delivering themselves, their works will be embraced by most that understand them, and their reasons enforce belief, even from prejudicate readers. Neither, indeed, have the authorities of men been ever so awful, but that by some they have been rejected, even in their own professions. Thus Aristotle, affirming the birth of the infant, or time of its gestation, extendeth sometimes unto the eleventh month, but Hippocrates averring that it exceedeth not the tenth; 4 Adrian, the emperor, in a solemn pro

have the persons of men in adoration, and (for something they admire in them) swallow all that they say as gospel, truth is manye times silentlye smothered, and sometimes violently and furiously not only opposed but oppressed: soe among sober men, and such as entertaine and embrace truth, wherever they find her, shee sodenly advances them to such a highth of honor and reputation, that they become the leaders of learninge and knowledge to after ages, and that deservedly.--Wr.

3 did write an excellent tract, &c.] In the first edition, "did write an excellent tract, in Dutch, of the Verity of Christian Religion, and hath since contracted the same into six books in Latin." "Grotius, while a prisoner in the castle of Louvain, wrote, in the Dutch language, 'A treatise on the Truth of the Christian

Religion.' He afterwards enlarged it, and translated it, so enlarged, into Latin." Butler's Life of Grotius, p. 148.

Thus Aristotle, &c.] Although Aristotle (in his Hist. Animal. vii, cap. 4,) gives instances in which the period of human gestation extends to the eleventh month, he evidently considers them as extreme cases, and agrees with Hippocrates in regarding the tenth as very generally the extreme limit. See his De Generat. Animal. 1. iv, c. 4. In this opinion they are borne out by the general consent of modern authority both physical and judicial. The doubt indeed is whether even that limit is not

too wide. From the Medical Jurisprudence of Dr. Paris and Fonblanque, where the subject will be found inost elaborately treated-it appears that although there exists a very general opinion among lawyers and medical men, that the period may be protracted to ten calendar months, it is a point scarcely admitting of proof; and many high authorities reject the opinion as untenable. 'Each side is supported by a considerable list of partisans, and we perceive that upon this occasion the two celebrated medico-jurisconsults of France are opposed to each other; Mahon having associated his name with those of Bohn, Hebensteit, Astruc, Mauriceau, De La Motte, Roederer, and Baudelocque, who reject the belief in retarded delivery as impossible, and contrary to the immutable law of nature; while the name of Foderé ranges with those who support the contrary opinion, as Teichmeyer, Heister, Albert, Vallentini, Bartholin, Haller, Antoine Petit, Lietaud, Vicq d'Azyr, and Capuran, also Dr. Hamilton, who may boast of the support of Hippocrates, Aristotle, and Pliny.' (Medical Jurisprudence, vol. i, p. 247.)-By the law of Scotland, as stated by Paris and Fonblanque, a child born ten months after the death of the father is considered as legitimate; and the civil code of France decrees three hundred days, or ten months, to be the most distant period at which the legitimacy of a birth shall be allowed.-Br.