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us different things that hapned in their own times, in divers places of the world: and of many of them we may ſay they were ſuch as knew little of former books, or ſtories of other Nations but their own. Within theſe 200 years the world, we know, by the benefit of Navigation hath been mote open and known then before; yea, a great part of the world diſcovered that was not known before. I have read many books, the beſt I could meet with, in ſeveral Languages, of divers Voyages into all parts of the world: I have converſed with many Travellers, whom I judged ſober and diſcreet. I never read any book of that argument, nor yet met with man, that I have had the opportunity to confer with, but was able of his own knowledg to ſay ſomewhat whereby my belief of theſe things might be confirmed.

Now for the Epicureans (of all Philoſophers the moſt inconſiderable in matters of knowledg, as former ages have deſcribed them) no man need to wonder if they denyed thoſe things which by the ſolemn engagement of their Sect they were bound and reſolved, notwithstanding any fight or ſenſe, experience or evidence to the contrary, not to believe, at leaſt not to acknowledg. This doth clearly appear by one that may be believed (though I have met with it in more) in ſuch things. Lucian (himſelf a profeſt Epicurean Atheiſt) who doth commend Democritus, Epicurus and Metrodorus (the moſt famous of that Sect) for their ἀδαμαντίνην γνώμην, as he calls it, their fixed, irrevokeable, unconquerable reſolution, when they ſaw any ſtrange thing that by others was admired as miraculous, if they could find the cauſe or give a probable gueſſe, well and good, if not, yet not to depart from their first reſolution, and ſtill to believe and to maintain that it was falſe and impoſſible: It is a notable paſſage, and which excellent uſe may be made of. I will therefore ſet down his own words for their ſake that underſtand the Language: —— ὥσε πάνο τὸ μηχάνημα Lucian. in Alex. Aldina ed. p. 179. (ſpeaking of ſome of Alexander the falſe Prophet his devices) έδεῖτο Δημοκρίτου τινος, ἢ καὶ ἀυτοῦ Επικουῥου, ἤ Μητροδώρου, άδαμαντίνην πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα γνώμην ἔχοντος, ὡς ἀπισῆσαι, καὶ ὁωὲρ ἦν εἰκάσαι καὶ εἰ μὴ ἑυρεῖν τὸν τρόπον ἐδύνατο, ἐκεῖνο γοῦν προπεπεισμένου, ὅτι λέληθεν αὐτὸν ὁ τρόπος τῆς μαγτανείας: τὸ δ' οὖν πᾶν ψεῦδος ἔσι, καὶ γένεσθαι ἀδύνατον. Who doubts that this is the reſolution of many alſo in theſe dayes, not of them only who are Epicureans, whoſe manner of living (as we have ſaid before) doth engage them to this opinion, but of others alſo, who think it not for their credit (the vanity of which belief nevertheless might eaſily appear, there being nothing ſo mean and ordinary in the world wherein the Wiſdom of the wiſeſt, in the conſideration of the cauſes, by the confeſſion of beſt Naturaliſts, may not be poſed) to believe any thing that they cannot give a probable reaſon of. Not to be wondred then if we fee many, notwithſtanding daily experience to the contrary, to ſtick ſo cloſe to thoſe tenets which they have wedded themſelves unto with ſo firm a reſolution from the beginning, never to leave them, be they right or wrong.

As for Ariſtotle, I confeſſe his authority is very great with me; not becauſe I am ſuperſtitiouſly addicted to any of his opinions, which I ſhall ever be ready to forſake when better ſhall be ſhewed unto me; but becauſe(be-